lawly

by footfungus

lawly

3. Chapter 3

June, Jinbei, and the Heart Pirates lay low for three weeks.

Notes:

Compared to last chapter, this one was so much more difficult to write for some reason and not just because I burnt the shit out of my hand. But really, I mostly used this chapter to build on the relationship between Law, June, and the Heart Crew.

A month is a long time to spend with a someone without starting to like them at least a bit.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

It had taken about a week for the Polar Tang to reach Maiden Island.

About halfway through their journey, June had assisted in a final surgery on both Jinbei and Luffy and she was proud to say that she had only felt the need to faint once during the procedure. June felt confident that this whole experience did not suddenly awaken a desire within her to work in an operating room; she would be perfectly happy to stick to her preferred field, thank you very much.

During this trip, June and Law rotated their care in shifts. One person would retire to sleep and then be awoken by the other to take over after only a handful of hours of rest. It had only taken the first few days for her to become near delirious with exhaustion. Even when she was able to get a few hours of sleep, her dreams were plagued with the sights, smells, and sounds of war. And when she was awake, she was followed by feelings of uncertainty regarding what her future will be, how she could possibly survive in this world, and how she would manage not to fuck everything up.

Law didn't look much better than her, he also seemed to be suffering the effects of minimal sleep and long working hours. Despite working on the same patients, June had not seen the Heart Captain that often this week. Their longest conversations were the ones during their handoff when the outgoing care provider would relay what had occurred to the oncoming provider while the other was sleeping. The outgoing provider would be nearly falling asleep on their feet and the oncoming one would be blinking blearily at the person before them, struggling to pull themselves from the call of unconsciousness.

Quite a few times during this week, June had forced Law to eat a meal or had pushed him into the bathroom to shower before he could collapse onto his bed, and he had done the same to her.

There was one memorable moment where June had fallen asleep sitting up on her couch while in mid conversation with Law before she had a chance to shower. Law had simply lifted and carried her to the bathroom then placed her underneath the shower head. The cold spray of water soaking through June's clothes had startled her awake with a shriek and Law had fled the scene, snickering like an imp in amusement as she had chased after him through his captain's suite. He had managed to 'Room-Shamble' away before June managed to get her hands around his neck.

Absolutely rude.

In retaliation, she had emptied one of his bottles of hand sanitizer and replaced the contents with the unopened bottle of lube she had in her suitcase. She then snuck it into the clinic without his knowledge while he had been asleep. The longer June had watched Law rub his hands together, the louder her giggles had become until she was outright cackling and snorting with tears running down her cheeks. When the captain finally realized what she had done, he gave June that familiar Law branded scowl and washed his hands.

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, June-ya." He had threatened.

And thus, began a prank war that spanned the last three days leading up to their arrival at Maiden Island. Half of the Heart Crew had approached June and told her to reconsider her feud with the captain, telling her that it was unwise; she had waved them off. She figured it would be a good way to let off some steam.

Law had placed a strategic wet sponge in the doorway of the bathroom to fall on June's head when she opened the door. The sopping material had startled her by slapping her in the face when she was on the way to brush her teeth after waking up from a three-hour nap.

She, in turn, put a tack in his office chair. June sputtered out an ugly guffaw when Law had pricked the back of his thigh with a loud curse without checking the seat first.

Classic.

As payback, he had somehow snuck powdered dye into June's gloves that turned her hands a striking royal blue for about a day and a half before they even began to fade.

The pranks were fun, and a welcome distraction from the contents of June's mind.

And the blue moustache she had drawn on Law's upper lip with her stained fingers while he was asleep had been hilarious; he was not as amused.

June believed that this friendly feud was the reason why she was in such high spirits when they finally entered the gates of Amazon Lily despite the exhaustion that was still set heavy into her bones. The air felt humid and smelt lush with damp, green vegetation; she inhaled deeply and for a moment was able to clear the smell of gun smoke from her nostrils. The further they traveled inward through the canal towards the city docks, green was replaced with earthy tones. June could feel the peace of Maiden Island, she appreciated the clean air that filled her lungs. Aside from the Kuja women currently pointing bows and arrows at the Polar Tang, June believed this would be an ideal place for everyone to rest and heal.

The Heart Pirates, plus June and Jinbei, stood on deck of the Polar Tang as the submarine followed behind the Kuja Pirate's ship, named the Perfume Yuda, into the city. The Heart Pirates looked on in awe at the tall, stunning warrior women on the cliffs around them. Law absorbed the scenery with what June could now recognize as feigned disinterest. She didn't think he was too interested in the women but was instead keen on taking in the sights of a city that not very many get the opportunity to lay their eyes upon.

June stood next to the captain by the wall near the entrance of the sub, struggling to keep her eyes open. Law had woken her from her designated rest time to be present for their entrance into Amazon Lily. June wasn't too proud to admit that she had thrown a fit and called him some unfriendly names; he was kind enough to accept her bashful apology as they walked up the steps to the deck.

Even if he had done so with a smirk and a promise to have her thoroughly scrub the clinic and OR as punishment for "having an attitude".

"They're beautiful!" Shachi ran around in circles on the deck, looking off the sides in each direction to take in the sight of each woman pointing notched arrows at the submarine.

"This must be what heaven looks like." Penguin sighed and gripped his chest in adoration.

Law interrupted his fawning crew, "We should probably head back inside otherwise we're going to be shot full of holes." And as if on cue, a Haki tipped arrow flew past his head to imbed itself in the wall of the sub between him and June.

June, who had begun to doze off where she stood, startled awake with a squeak.

"Stand down!" Boa Hancock's voice echoed through the valley. "Luffy is on that ship! These pirates have been caring for him after his battle at Marineford!" The Kuja women on the cliffs began to murmur in confusion as they lowered their weapons.

"I want him taken to the castle after we dock, I will take care of Luffy until he is well again." June rubbed her eyes tiredly and watched as Hancock blushed while falling into one of her Luffy fantasies.

From across the valley, above the docks leading into Amazon Lily standing on a platform was a short woman with curled, gray hair holding a staff. It was Elder Nyon, the former Empress of Amazon Lily, her voice carried powerfully across the canal. "I cannot allow you to do that, Princess! Luffy is an exception, but we will not allow any other men onto the island."

Hancock turned to face the former empress; desperation wove itself into her voice. "We can allow just the doctor then!"

The elder stamped her staff into the ground with a note of finality, "No! Not even if he is the doctor!" She gestured to the entirety of the city behind her and continued, "We have many outstanding healers here, they can take care of Luffy just as well."

"What about just June then? She has also been healing Luffy alongside the doctor." Hancock looked down from her perch atop the Perfume Yuda towards a snoozing June with hope.

Law elbowed June in the side to wake her up. Her eyes flew open and she locked stares with the empress. "Sorry Hancock, I wouldn't feel comfortable going without Law. I'm a nurse with minimal trauma experience so I've been followin' his lead for most of the trip up here."

The elder spoke, "We cannot allow her either, she is too close to that crew of men and may bring secrets of our tribe back to them."

From next to June, Law interjected himself into the conversation. "Well, I don't care either way what you decide but I have to ask, do you have the same equipment and medicine that is on my ship?" He looked up towards Hancock and tilted his head to the side as if gesturing to the contents of his submarine. "If his wound opens, he will die. He is still very much in critical condition, June-ya and I have had to work around the clock just to keep him alive. But go ahead and take him if you aren't worried though."

Hancock looked terrified.

June hummed and nodded in agreement with Law's manipulation tactic. Despite his words, she knew that he was putting on a show of detachment. After spending a week taking intense care of Luffy, both June and Law had become highly invested in making sure the Straw Hat Captain recovered. Even if Law wasn't interested in exploring a potential partnership, he was still a good doctor that would rather not see a life wasted when it could have easily been saved.

Jinbei limped forward and spoke, "We will be unable to save him without Trafalgar or June so if we cannot come in, then we must go someplace else."

The Pirate Empress clutched the neck of her dress anxiously. "That's impossible, you would be attacked by Sea Kings and the Navy is still searching for Trafalgar's submarine!"

Elder Nyon sighed defeatedly, "If it must be done, then perhaps we can bend the rules slightly." She gesticulated with her staff towards the East. "You can stay in the bay; the Sea Kings will not attack you there and we can barricade you off from the rest of the island."

June bowed her head respectfully, partially in gratitude but mostly to mask her yawn. She lifted her head after the act of exhaustion and spoke, "Thank you. We appreciate your leniency and understandin', Elder Nyon."

Law scoffed and muttered underneath his breath, "In need of a nap, June-ya?"

"Y'know, I woulda' been asleep still if it wasn't for this really rude guy on the sub who looks as though he needs to lay off the reefer and like he could give me rabies if he bit me." She looked up at the captain and tapped her upper lip with a finger, "Ya got somethin' on your lip right there. Kinda looks like ya made out with a blueberry."

His faintly blue lip pulled back into a smirk. "You got me, they're full of antioxidants."

Their banter was interrupted by Hancock. "Stay close to the edge of the island, head east and you'll reach the bay. After we set up the barricade though, you will be forbidden from crossing it."

As the Polar Tang turned around to exit the docks, June leaned backwards against the wall behind her. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of wind upon her face. "Hey Law, just hang a sock on the doorknob or somethin' if you and Mrs. Blueberry need some time to yourselves."

As the shadow of the massive gate leading out of the city passed over the deck, Law grabbed June's wrist and held it up into her view; her palms were still stained a fading periwinkle. "And what about you, June-ya? What have you been getting up to?"

June grinned and wiggled her fingers. "Just a little fun with Mr. Blueberry while Mrs. Blueberry was away."

Law's lips curved faintly upwards as he dropped her wrist. "Naturally."

After the Polar Tang had dropped anchor inside the bay of Maiden Island, the Kuja had been quick to quarantine the crew away from the rest of the island with large tarps. The Heart Crew was isolated to a small section of the bay, their clearing was surrounded by numerous types of trees, bushes, and flowers. It was large enough for them to spread out comfortably on land however it was also simultaneously small enough that after about two weeks stuck in the same spot, the crew members had begun to feel restless.

Now that she was able to sit and process in one singular place, she was able to finally work towards accepting that this was her new reality; though she still was a hair's breadth away from becoming overwhelmed again.

June's days blurred together in a combination of patient care and awe at the world around her. She spent her time on Maiden Island caring for her patients, learning the Heart Crew, and carrying on her prank war with Law. She was currently in the lead having successfully, and sneakily, attached a sign to his back that read "I'm grumpy because I need a hug" with a small caricature of him pouting. He hadn't noticed until about five hours later when Bepo had taken the plunge and embraced the captain. Law hadn't bought her act when she tried to play ignorant about the situation.

On the morning of the fourteenth day in the bay, June stood on the deck of the Polar Tang and stared out into the sea while drinking from a mug of coffee. For the past week, she and Law had been able to sleep more soundly and for longer periods of time. Jinbei was now able to move around on his own and did not require constant monitoring. Luffy was still unconscious but had stabilized to the point where he did not always need a set of eyes on him.

Last night was the first night in three weeks that June had slept peacefully.

Dreamlessly.

She felt adequately rested and clear headed for the first time since, well, she had arrived in Sabaody.

As she stared out into the ocean and took another sip of her coffee, June remembered a few key details regarding the Heart Pirates' stay on Maiden Island that Law would probably be interested in hearing.

The sun rose over the horizon and began to paint the sky stunning oranges and yellows. June smiled at the sight and heard the door to the submarine slamming open behind her, abruptly shattering the tranquil atmosphere of the morning. The crew shambled out of the vessel and onto the island while complaining about being stuck in the bay.

Bepo followed behind the group and groaned loudly, "How much longer do we need to stay here? It's so small and I'm starting to feel trapped!"

Shachi's shoulders slumped. "I hate it too, the only thing that keeps me going is when the Kuja visit to bring the meals."

Penguin sighed dreamily. "I wonder if we'll see Hancock again."

June turned away from the railing and approached the group. "Hang in there a little longer, we should be headin' out soon."

Suddenly, Law's voice was directly in her ear. "Do you have something to share, June-ya?"

She startled with a yelp then scrambled to regain control of her cup of coffee. "Fuck, Law! Ya know I hate that shit, goddamn nuisance that's what ya are." Her accent grew into a drawl in her irritation.

Law chuckled and stood straight from his stooped position. "Careful, you shouldn't be getting this angry so early in the day."

June rounded on him and glared at the captain severely then suddenly relaxed. "Hey, Law." She ran her pointer finger in circles around the lip of her mug, Law raised an eyebrow at her sudden gentle tone. "How much of a pain is it to make repairs to the sub if somethin' breaks? I was curious about what ya'll do if, let's say, a Sea King punches a hole in the side of it."

"It's a pretty big pain, especially if we don't have access to the materials we need to fix the hull." Law's eyes narrowed, "Is something going to happen to my sub?"

She crossed her arms and mimicked his expression, "I dunno, how likely are ya to sneak up on me again?"

"Wait!" Ikkaku and Tsu were suddenly flanking her sides, Ikkaku grasped June's free hand. "June, if you know something you gotta tell us. It's such a pain to fix the shell!"

"Yeah, June. I'd really, uh, appreciate it if we could avoid that." Tsu looked at her pleadingly, June felt a twinge of guilt.

"So, June-ya, what's happening to my sub?" Law looked so smug, she wanted nothing more than to pinch that look off his face. June looked around her at the concerned eyes of the Heart Crew; she was surrounded, there was no way she could get out of this now.

She groaned, "Fine! I'll tell ya but only because I don't wanna bother your crew. Feel lucky that you surround yourself with nice people, Law." She took another sip of her coffee and popped her lips. "We should disconnect Luffy from the machines and put him on land before lunch. I don't know if it'll be today or tomorrow but he's gonna wake up soon and trash your OR then bust a hole through your sub."

Law blinked down at her then frowned. "How long have you been sitting on this?"

She huffed, "Hey! Gimme some credit, I just remembered it was gonna happen. I've been runnin' on fumes until today just like you have."

Bepo ran back into the sub, his voice carried behind him. "We gotta get him outta there! I'm not staying here a second longer than I need to!"

Ikkaku hugged June and shouted her thanks before running onto land, Tsu nodded his head in gratitude.

Law sighed and walked back towards the entrance. "Let's get him out here before something happens then."

June took one last sip of her coffee then handed the mug over to Shachi with a wink. "Hold onto this for me, hun. I'll be back for it later."

She heard a sputter and gag then Penguin's laughter from behind her as she descended the steps into the submarine. "Did you fuckin' put cayenne in your damn coffee?!"

It was almost midday and aside from the crowd of complaining men, June thought it was a moderately relaxing day.

She and Law had set Luffy up on a stretcher in the middle of the clearing. He was currently wearing a nasal cannula hooked up to a portable oxygen tank and had a bag of fluid running into him for hydration through an IV. June sat nearby in a small line of people: Ikkaku sat between June's legs and June between Uni's. The group was enjoying the sun and braiding flowers into each other's hair.

It had been a spur of the moment idea. June had been admiring the flowers surrounding a section of their clearing when Ikkaku had approached her and made a sarcastic comment about killing time like schoolgirls and braiding each other's hair with flowers. June figured it was as good a way as any to pass time and convinced the Heart Pirate to help her collect flowers.

Uni just thought it would be fun so he decided to join in on his own when he saw June working on Ikkaku's hair.

June hummed a tune as she tamed Ikkaku's wild mane of curls, she had chosen yellow and white daisies to weave into the pirate's hair. Ikkaku sighed contently as June ran her fingers through another section of hair. "I don't think I've ever had this done to me before."

June threaded another flower into a braid. "Really? When I was younger, me and my friends would make crowns and spend hours braidin' weeds into each other's hair. I thought almost every little girl had done this."

"Nope." Ikkaku popped the 'p' at the end. "Didn't have much time for that kind of stuff when I was younger. I was more absorbed in learning how to work with machinery, like my dad."

"I see. My friend and my cousin, we used to pretend to be witches. So, if one had a crown of leaves, they were the Witch of the Woods. If they had one made of moss, then they were the Witch of the Swamp." June tied off a braid. "So, Uni, how did ya learn how to braid hair?"

She could feel his large fingers gently comb through the hair at the nape of her neck. Uni's low voice spoke at the back of June's head, "I was the middle child of two sisters. They would braid my hair and ask me to braid theirs almost every day; this almost feels nostalgic."

June hummed in agreement, she coasted through a series of memories that placed a small smile onto her face. Her, Miranda, and Ann sitting in a line much like this one and braiding weeds, sticks, moss, and delicate flowers into each other's hair while whispering secrets. She felt a pang of longing as she finished weaving the last of the flowers into Ikkaku's hair.

She was broken from her reverie by an arriving group of Kuja. A friendly-faced, and significantly taller, Kuja woman with brown hair smiled brightly and announced their arrival; June believed her name was Aphelandra. "Hello! We've brought your lunch for the day!"

Tall, stunning, powerful women entered the clearing with armfuls of food. Heart Men excitedly lined up in front of the Kuja Women, accepting bowlfuls of chowder and picking from the stacks of bountiful harvest.

Ikkaku stood and stretched, "Thanks, June. That felt pretty relaxing how do I look?" She coyly spun in a circle then posed with one hand behind her head and one on her hip.

June laughed. "You look beautiful and also like ya could kick my ass." She had decided on Viking braids for Ikkaku, one large braid traveled down the center of her head with smaller braids joining in from the sides. Yellow and white daisies were woven into the braids giving the look a delicate touch.

Ikkaku snapped her fingers at June, ending with a finger gun. "That's what I was looking for." She began her strut towards the food lines. "Outta my way, boys! A Queen has arrived, and she is absolutely famished!"

June watched in amusement as Ikkaku elbowed her way through the line then turned around to face Uni who had not yet gotten up. "Thanks for doin' mine, how do I look?"

He gave a thumbs up, she could see him smiling behind his bandanna. "You look stunning in baby's breath!"

She smiled back and picked up a nearby marigold from a pile of flowers that hadn't been used then threaded it into the hair above his ear. June sat back after she was sure the flower was secure and nodded approvingly at her work. "There, ya look very handsome. Ya should go get some lunch, I'm gonna go check on Luffy." The tip of his ears pinked and he nodded in agreement then moved away to join the line.

June stood up and brushed dirt off the back of her pants before walking into the center of the clearing where Luffy lay. She read the screen of his portable vitals machine and nodded, he seemed to be holding steady despite the move outside. His oxygen tank was still in the green and he had about another hour left on the IV; June figured there wasn't much she needed to do at the moment.

While she was turning the unconscious man and readjusting his pillows, a blonde Kuja woman approached the cot holding a bowl of chowder and an apple.

"Excuse me? I brought these for you." She held out the food towards June who accepted the food with a grin. She recognized the woman as Marguerite, she had frequently visited the quarantined area to bring the crew food and check on Luffy.

"Hey, thanks! I'm guessin' you're wonderin' about him, yeah?"

Marguerite nodded, "We wanted to know when you think he'll wake up. The Empress has barely slept or eaten; we are all very worried about him."

"Well, and this is gonna be a very unsatisfying answer, but we have no idea. He's stable but it's up to him now to wake himself up. We'll keep an eye on him like we have been and make sure he's comfortable. Uhm, you'll know when he wakes up." June took a bite of the apple and made a satisfied noise. "Y'all've got real great produce here, this is the best fruit I've ever had."

"Thank you and tell the doctor we thank him too. I should head back, it seems we are leaving now."

June looked over her shoulder and saw the Kuja leaving the clearing. Kikyo, a woman with severe features, black hair tied in a tight high ponytail, and wearing impressive eyeliner, was glaring at the pair. "Marguerite! What have I told you about talking with these pirates!"

June winced and looked back to Marguerite, "Thanks again for the food, sorry for gettin' ya in trouble."

The woman waved her off with a smile and jogged back over to her group. After the exchange, June was fairly certain that this would be the day that Luffy would wake up. Figuring that she should probably be at a safe distance before that happened, she balanced her food in one arm and picked up the remaining flowers from the ground then moved to the tree line where she saw Law sitting on his own and eating his lunch; Luffy's hat sat next to him.

"Mind if I join ya?" She asked Law, who lifted his eyes from his bowl to acknowledge her.

There was a brief pause before he answered, "Your hair is…different."

She rolled her eyes and took his response to mean he wasn't opposed to her sitting next to him and planted herself in the shade on his left. "Wow, Law. Ya really know how to compliment a woman." June placed her handful of flowers between them in front of a bottle of wine he had commandeered. "But yeah. Uni, Ikkaku, and I were passin' the time by doin' some decorating."

June took a bite of her apple and smiled at the sweetness, a stray drop of juice escaped her lips and traveled down her chin; she wiped away the bead and sucked it off her thumb with a hum. "Y'know, I'm gonna kinda miss this place when we leave. It's been pretty relaxin', and the food is great too though I'm startin' to miss Blake's cookin'." She turned her head to look at Law who seemed to be staring at her with an unfamiliar expression that she just couldn't decipher; June began to feel shy under that gaze. "Can I help you?"

"No." He reached for the bottle between them and took a swig.

June gestured at him with her apple. "Then what's with the look? Ya want me to move somewhere else?"

Law set the bottle back down, "That's not it either, you're free to sit wherever you like."

June frowned and took another bite from her apple, eyes narrowed as she tried to decipher the cryptic captain. "If ya hate the hair so much just say so, ya don't gotta glare at it."

Oh wait, never mind, that hadn't been a glare. Now the captain was glaring at her. "I wasn't glaring at it, and I don't hate it. It's just different."

She added a pout to her narrowed eyes. "I can't tell if that's a compliment or an insult. Either way, I'm stealin' some of your wine for that."

As she reached for the bottle between them, Law's hand shot out and snatched it away from her then placed it on the other side of him. His lips pursed and he seemed to struggle with something before he spoke again. "It's cute."

Her face pinked. "C-cute?"

"Also, it's just not the flower I would have chosen for you."

June's brain was having a hard time catching up, "What ya would've-" she parroted then coughed lightly when she choked on her own spit. She cleared her throat then spoke. "Wha-what would ya have picked then?"

Law raised his eyebrow at her then flipped through the small pile of flowers June had brought over and lifted a small sprig of lavender that she had stumbled upon. June watched as he brought it to his nose and inhaled slowly then felt her cheeks darken a shade when his amber eyes looked up to hers.

They pierced right through her. June felt her pulse quicken under his gaze, uncertain of what was happening or what the captain was doing.

She felt frozen in place as Law leaned towards her and placed the flower behind her left ear, his fingers brushed against her shell and June felt her skin tingle as he retracted his hand back into his lap.

"That seems to suit you more." He murmured.

Fuzzy.

She felt fuzzy around the edges and her mind had short circuited. When she had finally collected her thoughts enough to reply, she was interrupted by a blood curdling, soul tearing scream.

"AAACCEEEE!" Luffy had awakened and yanked himself free from his oxygen device and, June cringed, his IV line.

Law and Jinbei both popped up and cautiously approached Luffy who had thrown himself off his stretcher and was currently clawing the dirt beneath him while crying, June's heart broke watching him mourn. Law commanded the Heart Crew to capture and restrain Luffy which led to a morbidly hilarious spectacle where the Heart Pirates would dogpile onto the inconsolable Straw Hat Captain and be thrown a dozen feet into the air as Luffy desperately ran in circles around the clearing while screaming for his brother.

Honestly, June was expecting a large net to be brought out at any moment.

After retrieving a couple of towels from the Polar Tang, she sat with Law and Jinbei on the edge of the clearing closest to the submarine and watched as the Heart Crew chased down Luffy. They sat in silence for about an hour before Jinbei spoke up and broke the quiet.

"What will happen if we leave him like this?"

Law's eyes tracked Luffy as he ripped a tree from its roots. "Well, it's like I said when we first got here: if his wound opens up, he will probably bleed out and die."

Luffy had broken through the tarps separating the clearing from the rest of Maiden Island. They watched on as he disappeared deeper into the forest, screaming for his deceased brother, and felling trees as he ran on.

Jinbei stood, "I'm going to follow him."

"I think that's a great idea." June looked up at him, "You'd be able to help him out the most."

He nodded down at her and slowly shuffled through the barricade, following the ruined path towards Luffy. In the distance, June could see the tops of trees continue to fall to the ground, their crashes muffled over the mournful cries of a traumatized heart.

"Jinbei-ya will be able to calm him down?" Law asked, then took another sip of wine.

June extended a hand towards the captain for a drink and gulped down a couple of mouthfuls after he handed over the bottle. "Yeah, he'll be able to reach Luffy." She waggled her eyebrows at the captain. "He's gonna be a Straw Hat one day, y'know?"

Law's eyes widened; he snapped his head to stare down the wrecked pathway.

"It won't be for a few years, but he will, in the future." June drank more of the wine, she felt relaxed despite the situation. Maybe she was becoming more accustomed to the world around her? She still felt sadness, being stranded in an unfamiliar world and she felt incredible guilt at failing in her goal to at least save Ace, but June felt as though she was coping well.

Or maybe she was just in denial.

What were those stages of grief again?

Best to not dwell on it.

Her free hand wandered up to play with the sprig of lavender in her hair. The scent was calming and she felt flattered that Law would associate her with one of her favorite flowers. "Hmm."

Law huffed at her, "What? Any more startling news you care to share with me?" In the distance, a large rock was thrown into the air, hitting an even larger stone structure and shattering it.

The powers in this world truly were terrifying.

June set the bottle on the ground between them and put her hand out towards Law again. "Ya mind if I borrow Luffy's hat for a minute?" He had been spinning the hat within his hands, he paused and slowly handed the straw hat over to her.

She handled the hat with a careful reverence, tracing the stitched tears on the top with a single finger before flipping the article over and untying the hatstring. "I feel kinda bad handlin' this. It's his greatest treasure, y'know?" June reached into her pocket and pulled out the shining red bead she had carried on her since she had asked Law to recover one. As she threaded Ace's bead onto the hat string, she continued speaking.

"Gol D. Roger gifted it to Red-Haired Shanks who then passed it onto Luffy and inspired him to become a pirate. Maybe he even inherited Roger's will, I mean he is a "D" and honestly they're pretty similar." June tied off the hat string and centered the bead.

"I'm happy to get this to him because I don't think he actually has anything of Ace's. Unfortunately, this is the only moment I could think of to get it to him before we see him again in two years because we're 'bout to leave." She mused.

Law looked as though he was processing a barrel's worth of information, but he focused in on that last comment. "We're leaving?"

June placed the hat onto her lap and reached up to fiddle with the lavender again. "I was gonna keep it a surprise because of your prank this morning but you were nice earlier, so I consider ya in neutral territory again."

He frowned, "You were withholding information from me? You do realize this doesn't bode well for you as a prisoner, I feel like I've been incredibly lenient with you because overall you've been forthcoming and helpful up until this point."

She tsked and swatted his arm. "Don't gimme that, it ain't nothin' big. Put your teeth and claws away." June turned around on her seat to look out across the ocean then gestured for Law to do the same, when he had turned himself to face the same direction she pointed out towards the horizon.

Nearby, a group of the Heart Crew were whooping and cheering as Shachi fished; they seemed to have started a competition to see who could pull in the largest catch.

"Silvers Rayleigh is currently swimming though the Calm Belt to get here, he's gonna walk out onto the shore soon and then we'll leave before Luffy and Jinbei get back." She lowered her arm and looked to her side at Law who currently wore what she would describe as an incredibly displeased and constipated look; June laughed. "See? Nothin' too bad, but I know he makes ya uncomfortable so I kept it a secret so I could see that look on your face."

His eyes scanned the water, possibly searching for any signs of the Dark King. "If this is your idea of a joke, June-ya, it's not very funny."

She let out a mocking appalled gasp, "Excuse me, I would never."

From the group nearby, Penguin's confused tone carried over to them. He was leaning over the edge of the cliffside and staring out at the sea through a pair of binoculars. "Do you guys see that? That Sea King over there is getting its ass handed to him, what the hell is it fighting?!"

June smirked at Law and handed him the straw hat then snickered at his concerned expression. She grabbed the towels she had retrieved earlier and stood up to walk closer to the hill where she expected Rayleigh to walk ashore.

An arm burst from the waves about ten yards out from shore and gradually a body followed. Rayleigh slowly walked ashore while shaking the water out of his shorts and hair. June waved and met the man where the grass began to grow and offered him the towels. "Howdy, I'm June. That's Trafalgar Law, Captain of the Heart Pirates, and those are the Heart Pirates."

He accepted the offering with a friendly smile and a laugh then used one to start drying his hair. "Wow, thanks." They moved to sit over near where Law was currently parked with a gob smacked look upon his face. Rayleigh looked around to acknowledge the pirates around him, "Oh, hey, we all met at Sabaody Archipelago, didn't we?"

As soon as Rayleigh sat down, he was surrounded by an alarmed Heart Crew.

"How in the hell did you get here?!" Shachi gestured out towards the sea.

Rayleigh accepted the second towel from June with another smile and started rubbing his arms and chest dry. "My ship sank in the storm, and I had no choice but to swim here."

Penguin let out a shocked squawk. "A storm?! The Calm Belt is always calm, are you telling me you wrecked outside The Calm Belt then swam all the way here?!"

Rayleigh shrugged indifferently and rested the towel around his neck. "I have a good breaststroke."

Law seemed to have regained his composure and spoke up, "So, King-ya, what are you doing on Maiden Island?" He had begun to spin the hat between his hands again, June assumed it might be a nervous gesture.

"Something tells me Luffy might be here."

"What makes you think that?"

June huffed and looked down to Luffy's hat in Law's hands then back up to him. "Law, please."

Rayleigh laughed heartily and clapped June on the back, causing a small 'oomph' to escape her. "You've got a clever lady here, Trafalgar. Though…" he trailed off and rubbed his chin while staring intently at her. "There's something off. I can't seem to get a read on you, which you must know is incredibly rare."

She laughed nervously. "That's weird, there really isn't anything special about me." June tried to discretely look over to Law to gauge his reaction to Rayleigh's words. His face appeared to be a blank slate, but she was certain he was filing the information away to examine later.

Great.

She hoped he would still accept that half-brained theory she thought up about certain Haki not affecting her because of her "ability".

"Well, I don't know about that. You seemed to know I was going to be here, you had towels ready and everything."

"That's just my Devil Fruit Ability, I can see the future. Are ya suspicious of me because I'm polite?" She smirked and rested her chin atop her palm.

He raised an eyebrow and smirked back. "Seems like something you would keep a secret, little lady."

"No. I trust ya, you're here to help Luffy out." June spoke with such certainty that Rayleigh gave her pause then broke out into a loud laugh.

"Bahahaha! Well, you're right about that! If you're telling the truth, then you must know what I'm planning; I'm taking over from here." He turned to Law then, June let out a quiet sigh of relief having left the point of focus. "Trafalgar, I recommend you head out soon. If I was able to figure out Luffy's location, someone might catch on eventually. I can tell Luffy and Jinbei are in that direction so once they get back, I'll fill them in on my plan and we will probably leave soon after."

"Fine by me. He's been a headache to take care of, so I'll be thankful to have him off my sub. Tell him to take it easy for another two weeks. His wounds aren't fully healed yet and based on the display I saw earlier when he woke up, I'm sure his recovery time has been set back a bit." Law stood up and handed Luffy's hat over to Rayleigh. "Tell him I'll be very disappointed if he dies this early just because he bled out from opening his wounds up."

After a few very brief goodbyes, mostly shown as nods of acknowledgement from the Heart Crew to Rayleigh, the pirates began loading up the few items they had left around the clearing and prepared the Polar Tang for departure.

June was one of the last to start walking up the gang plank, having taken the time to enjoy her remaining few moments of peace on Maiden Island before casting off to whatever dangerous journey was in her future when Rayleigh stopped her.

"Hey, come here real quick." He stood a few feet away from the bottom of the plank with his hands in his pockets.

She hopped onto land and approached the man. "What's up?"

He stared at her for a handful of seconds, his eyebrows creased together like he was staring down a rather difficult riddle. "You don't have any Haki, do you."

It was more of a statement rather than a question, but she could see that he was perplexed all the same.

June worried her tongue ring between her teeth, she didn't know how to respond.

"All living things in this world have Haki, even a small amount, so you understand why this is concerning, right?"

"Yeah." She answered quietly, she really did understand. June understood that some people would be able to suss her out, even Law after he's trained up more; Rayleigh probably thought she was a reanimated corpse or something.

She also understood that she was practically defenseless in this world; no Devil Fruit Ability, no Haki, no anything. The furthest extent that June knew about fighting was what she knew from the kickboxing class she regularly attended at home and the fact that she vaguely knew how to handle a gun. But all of that would only be enough to defend her from an average person or a low-level marine.

Not the absolute monsters she would encounter.

"You're going to need to be careful, little lady." Those words held a hidden weight to them, June couldn't exactly figure out what he was warning her against.

Be careful who you trust? Find a way to protect yourself?

Watch yourself or else I will handle you myself?

"I know." June nodded solemnly then smiled a wide grin that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Tell Luffy and Jinbei I say, "good luck and maybe see ya soon"."

"June-ya!" Law's voice called to her. She turned to see him standing on the deck of the sub, tapping his sword impatiently on his shoulder. "Time to go! I'll drag you on board if I have to." June smiled at his irritated tone and turned back to Rayleigh.

"Sorry, he gets cranky if he hasn't had his nap. It was just nice to meet ya, Rayleigh. I don't know if I'll ever see ya again, but I'll try to keep a low profile."

And with that, she turned around and quickly ran across the gang plank to meet Law on deck. His eyes were narrowed in suspicion as she approached then he turned on his heel to enter the Polar Tang. June walked behind him and looked over the railing on the side of the sub to see Rayleigh tracking her movement.

As she walked through the threshold, June couldn't help but feel like after almost a month of peace that she was once again being placed under a magnifying glass.

Notes:

We tryna' stoke the embers of romance here y'all. I know we are tens of thousands of words and 10 chapters into this beast and there has been minimal indications of flirtation BUT! it is all according to plan.

I have a pretty good outline of what I want to happen during this time skip. Like I look at it and I think to myself, "Wow! That'd be super interesting to read." But then I remember...

Shit, I gotta write it and figure out how to get them from Point A to Point Q.

Chapter 11: 'Tude

Summary:

June has an attitude problem and Law is just a submarine dad trying to herd cats.

Notes:

I'm coming to terms with the fact that I don't know how to write a decently-sized chapter. I'm sure they exist, I've seen them; they just don't seem to live in this fic.

This chapter felt like a rollercoaster.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

It had taken about a day and a half to leave The Calm Belt. In the few hours after the Polar Tang's departure from Maiden Island, Law had decided to initiate his declared punishment on June for when she had "woken up with an attitude" two weeks prior.

She rolled her eyes and gave the captain more.

"What are ya, my dad? I ain't a child, ya can't just throw a punishment on me 'cause I woke up grumpy after bein' damn near outta my mind from lack of sleep."

It was moments like these when June heard her exaggerated twang that she really felt out of place.

She stood in front of a seated Law who was actively not acknowledging her. Instead, his eyes seemed to be attentively moving across the pages of the novel in his hand. The pair currently occupied a space near the front of the navigation deck, all around them was the bustling energy of various crew members moving around and completing tasks.

Law turned another page in his book.

"C'mon Law, I said I was sorry; I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." June bent herself downward at an angle to catch his eyes over the top of his book. "I just wake up real bad if I haven't slept enough. Ya can't seriously expect me to clean the entire clinic and the OR all by myself? That's just cruel."

He finally raised his eyes from the pages to meet her own, June saw zero empathy in that gaze.

"Become the captain of your own ship and you can make any decisions you like, June-ya. For now, you're in my submarine, using my resources, and have been living a relatively relaxed existence despite being my prisoner." He leaned further back into his chair and allowed his eyes to fall back onto the book in his lap. "Come back to me once you're finished and don't forget to disinfect the equipment, I'll know if you miss anything."

June's cheeks puffed out and a tight frown drew her lips downward as she stood back up and flounced away from him. She had made it a few paces before his amused tone called after her, "You'll find the cleaning supplies in the closet outside the mess hall, the disinfectant for the equipment is in the clinic."

Law ran a tight ship; June was often impressed.

Typically, no item was out of its place, the floors were clean enough to eat your meals on, and everyone had their jobs. No one was considered dead weight aboard his vessel; absolutely all people, and bears, aboard had a purpose.

It was difficult to say where June fit in though.

Her official title was "prisoner" however she seemed to have adopted an advisor role with restrictions. Law found use for her in the operating room and clinic but what other spots could she fill? She wasn't trusted enough to work intimately with the standard operations of the ship though June had noticed that she was often punished the same as other crew members.

Actually, it seemed she suffered more consequences than others since her arrival; most likely due to her mouthy nature and general disregard for authority.

Leading up to Luffy and Jinbei's stay on the Polar Tang the OR and clinic had been immaculate, shining, and well-stocked. Now, they were in rather rough shape despite being straightened and cleaned daily. There were flecks of blood on random spots of tile and wall, dirty linens piled here or there, waste bins full of disposable medical equipment, and used bandaging stuck underneath bed wheels.

June was a big enough person to admit that she had an attitude problem, but at least make the punishment match the crime.

The next twelve hours were spent scrubbing, disinfecting, inventorying, folding, replacing, more scrubbing, even more disinfecting, and collecting trash. With her body sore and hands raw, she looked upon her work with simmering irritation and smug satisfaction.

The rooms were gleaming; June would love to see Law try and find a flaw.

She exited the OR to shuffle across the hall to Law's suite. Thankfully, the captain was nowhere to be seen so she marched herself directly to the shower to angrily scrub the grime off her skin then dressed in loose pajama pants and an oversized shirt. June didn't realize the time until she had wandered into the mess hall to find some food before bed, but apparently it was about three in the morning according to the clock above the double doors leading into the kitchen.

Light filled the kitchen when June flipped the switch and illuminated the form of a submarine goblin with half its body buried in the fridge.

She screamed.

The goblin screamed and hit its head on the shelving in the fridge, causing a pot of leftover soup to fall out onto the floor.

A blue tint covered the entirety of the room and suddenly Law was standing in the kitchen near the ghastly figure. "Shachi, do we need to start locking the fridge again?"

Shachi groaned and stood up while rubbing his head, shame and soup covered his face and clothing. "No, captain. I'm sorry. I just woke up a little hungry, so I wanted something to eat before going back to bed but then June screamed and startled me which led to..." His sentence trailed off as he gestured to the mess around him.

Law looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at June. "Well?"

June sighed and rubbed a hand up her face, taking a second to massage her itching, tired eyes underneath her glasses before dropping the hand back to her side. "I missed dinner 'cause I was cleanin' the OR and clinic, which by the way they are absolutely sparklin' now. So, I came down here after a shower to eat somethin' before bed. The lights were off when I got in here and when I turned 'em on, I wasn't expectin' to see a goblin, so I screamed."

"A goblin?!" Shachi sputtered.

"Don't display goblin behavior and I won't call ya what ya are." She huffed.

"Alright." Law sternly interrupted them and fixed Shachi in place with a stare. "It seems like this is your fault. Clean this up and in the morning, you get to tell Blake what happened to his food."

Shachi sighed an "Aye, captain." Then left the room, presumably to get a mop, leaving Law and June alone in the kitchen.

An awkward silence fell upon the room, June couldn't exactly figure out why it was tense but didn't bother to dwell on it for too long after her stomach veralized its displeasure. She moved around the captain and the puddle of soup to investigate the fridge. She spotted and grabbed a small, covered bowl in the back then smiled when she saw a little note attached to the top that read "For June ''.

"I know I've said it before, but I think ya should give Blake a raise. It was real sweet of him to set aside some food for me." She grabbed a fork out of a nearby drawer and set her dishes on the island in the middle of the room. June opened the container and sighed happily as she took a bite of the leftover red sauce pasta. "I love his food, it's like havin' a home cooked meal."

Law stood across from her and leaned his elbows atop the island. He watched her eat a couple of bites before speaking. "Why did you do all the cleaning tonight?"

She paused and frowned at the captain. "Uhh, because ya wanted it done? I thought that was my punishment?"

"I thought you would separate it out over multiple days, you were right when you said it was a lot to do."

"Well, ya shoulda said that then." June ate another bite then took an actual look at Law, letting her eyes travel from his messy hair to his tired eyes and rumpled shirt. "Why are ya still awake by the way?"

He ran a hand through his frazzled locks and looked off to the side. "We've only just left The Calm Belt, so I was about to head up to bed. Because of the amount of Sea Kings in the water, I needed to be present. I fought off the ones in the way without any issue, but I needed to be awake until we were in the clear. Then I had to review the inventory and work with Bepo to figure out where we could park to restock."

June whistled out an awe-filled note. "You're quite the fearless leader, I didn't even realize what was goin' on. I'll be honest, I was kinda pissed at ya earlier because I felt like your punishment was a bit extreme but seein' ya all in disarray like this, I can't seem to bring myself to be mad at ya anymore." She chewed on her tongue ring and looked down at her bowl. "I, uh, did inventory in the clinic and OR so if ya want a list I can give it to ya tomorrow."

He looked back to her briefly then snapped his eyes back to the door. "Thank you, June-ya. That's actually very helpful."

"Sure, no problem." She mumbled before eating another bite.

There was that weird tension again. June didn't know what to do to ease it, so she ate in silence for a couple of minutes before looking back up at Law. He was still staring at the kitchen doors, waiting for Shachi to return.

"Hey, Law, go to bed. I'll hunt him down if he doesn't come back by the time I'm done here."

He scowled at her. "And what about you? You seem to get a bit of an attitude when you don't have enough sleep."

She huffed and bashfully flipped the noodles in her bowel over with her fork. "I know I do and I'm sorry, I'll tone it down. I realize that you've given me a lot of freedom here but that sometimes I act a bit too comfortable."

"June-ya." She lifted her eyes from the bowl and met his exhaustion-rimmed ones. "Just to be clear, I don't mind the banter, or the jokes, and the pranks are a welcome distraction. What I had a problem with was the angry name calling. I am a captain, and you are still in a precarious position despite the liberties I allow with good behavior. I expect a certain level of respect while you're here."

June blushed shamefully and chewed on her tongue ring. "Right, no, that's only fair. I regretted it the minute I said it but that doesn't make it not happen; I'm a hot head so I'll work on that."

He smiled. "See that you do, otherwise I'll be known for running the cleanest submarine in the sea."

She smiled back, relieved to see that nothing had been damaged. "Seriously, Law, go to bed. I'll make sure this is taken care of and I promise I won't bite your head off when I wake up in the morning."

Law's expression softened and he sighed. His head dropped to the side, and he began rubbing his neck to ease some of the tension held in his muscles. "Fine, but only because I think you'd give me more attitude which would lead to more punishment, and I just can't be bothered right now. I'm going to stop by the crew's quarters on my way up to wake Bepo, he'll wait for you in the office to cuff you." As he walked out the double doors, a mumbled "Good night, June-ya." carried over to her ears.

Tensions and moods lifted; she finished her bowl of leftovers feeling as though she had accomplished something even if she couldn't articulate exactly what it was. As June rinsed out her bowl into the sink, Shachi came back into the kitchen brandishing a mop and bucket.

He sighed in relief, "Oh good, captains gone. I was hiding out until I was sure he had gotten tired of waiting for me so I wouldn't get a talking to. What are you still doing here, June?"

She lifted the now clean bowl out of the sink then started drying the dish with a towel. "I just finished eating. Now, I'm gonna go to bed since ya came back. I told Law to leave and that I would hunt ya down if ya didn't show back up so thanks for makin' my job easier."

Shachi walked over to the sink and turned the faucet on, he waited for the water to heat. After drying her dishes, June shuffled over to the cupboard to place them back in their respectful homes; she could feel her eyes burning for sleep.

"So, did you find the dinner captain asked Blake to set aside for you? We had pasta tonight and I know that's your favorite kind of dish."

June paused as she closed the cabinet. "Oh, I thought it was just Blake who did that for me."

"I guess he half did. But captain seemed pretty irritated that you missed dinner, so he had Blake save you something."

She giggled and finished closing the cabinet then turned and walked towards the double doors to leave. "Well, that was very sweet of them. They both deserve raises." As she exited the doors she called back, "Good night, Shachi! I'll tell Law ya want your talk in the mornin'!"

"Oh, fuck off!"

It was two days later after breakfast that the Polar Tang could be found drifting about five miles away from Sabaody. The crew, who had been spoiled by nearly a month of fresh air on Maiden Island, had begged the captain to allow the submarine to surface so they could soak in the sunlight freely.

Currently, Law was leaning against a sleeping Bepo and watching the clouds drift through the sky. The crew was spread across the deck dozing or keeping themselves occupied with conversation and games. June sat a little way away from the captain with Tsu, Jean Bart, and Blake. The small group was engaged in a game of poker; June was losing miserably. She was beginning to build a reputation amongst the rest of the pirates of having a terrible poker face.

Deceiving and lying was not one of June's skills. Just about every emotion that she felt was telegraphed onto her face whether she wanted it or not making her an open book. Honestly, she was surprised she had made it as far as she had with The Heart Pirates though she was very certain that Law was privy to her poorly concealed lies and half-truths.

Anyway, June was losing terribly; almost all her poker chips were currently in the possession of her game mates.

"Hey June, you're kinda, uh, sucking pretty bad right now." Tsu looked over the top of his cards and smiled at her.

"Shuddup, Tsu. It's all part of the strategy." She narrowed her eyes at the cards laid on the wooden deck and compared them to her hand.

"And what strategy is that, tiny? Losing your chips in record time?" Blake grinned mirthfully as Bart flipped another card to lay face up in the row of four other cards. "I bet thirty." He tossed three red chips into the betting pool.

"Call." Tsu placed his in without a thought.

June chewed her lip and looked down at her last three chips then back to her hand. "All in." She pushed hers toward the pile with what she hoped was nonchalant confidence.

"Alright, show your cards." Bart declared. "I hope you're able to pull this off June or you're out."

Tsu was the first to show his hand. "Three of a kind."

June gasped and slapped her hand down with a squeal. "Four of a kind, baby!" She crawled forward to scoop the pile when Blake's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Hold it, tiny." And in a dramatic reveal, Blake slowly laid his cards down on the deck with a light snap. "Straight flush."

June fell back onto her rear. "Fuckin' how?!"

"Bahahaha!" Blake chortled while raking in his prize. "Skill and luck, try again when you've refined your abilities." He winked and handed his cards back over to Bart to shuffle.

Bart accepted the cards back from the players and looked over to June. "Looks like you're out, better luck next time."

June sighed and stood up, stretching her arms to the sky with a satisfied groan before letting them drop to her sides. "Welp, guess I'll have to find somethin' else to do besides embarrassin' myself in front of y'all."

Above her head, she heard a flock of wings and the sound of seagulls cawing. She looked upward and gasped as a News Coo swooped down to deposit a newspaper in front of Law before darting back up into formation and flying away with its group. As she watched the colony disappear into the distance she laughed giddily. "That was the most adorable thing I have ever seen! Do ya think they get fitted for their hats and satchels?"

Tsu stood up and watched the gulls. "I've, uh, literally never thought about it before. But we should go over to the captain and see what the, uh, word is."

Blake and Bart murmured their agreement as they finished putting the cards and chips back into their box. Within minutes, the entirety of the crew stood around Law, waiting for him to disseminate the information.

June watched his eyes quickly scan over the articles on each page then found herself growing curious when he smirked and snickered at one of the pages. He tore the last page free and removed the stack of bounty posters before handing the rest of the paper to Shachi.

Law flicked through the bounties as he spoke. "There's not much written here that we didn't already know but it seems like the Supernovas are making a dash for the New World. Also, there appears to be some vacancies amongst the Warlords and Straw Hat-ya made a showing at Marineford after we left Maiden Island. Seems like he's trying to get a message out to someone, possibly his crewmates."

As the Heart Crew crowded around Shachi to read the articles, June stood a little off to the side since she was already aware of the high points in the paper. Her eyes drifted back over to Law who was impishly grinning at her; June looked around her to make sure she was the one that devilish look was aimed at.

"Yes, you, June-ya; come here and take a seat. I want you to have a look at something."

She warily stepped closer and took a seat across from the captain. "What is it?"

He handed the torn article over to her. June accepted and her face paled when she saw a photo of Law, Kid, and Luffy standing in front of the Sabaody Human Auction House; behind Law was June, timidly clutching an iron pipe.

Supernova Rookies Make a Splash in Sabaody!

Eleven Supernova Rookies dubbed "The Worst Generation" were spotted at Sabaody Archipelago prior to the Summit War at Marineford. There was a notable appearance from Monkey D. Luffy, Captain of the Straw Hats, along with Trafalgar Law, "Surgeon of Death'' and Captain of The Heart Pirates, both of whom would later be spotted at Marineford.

The pair, along with Eustass "Captain" Kid of the Kid Pirates, were seen at The Human Auction House where chaos erupted prior to a Marine ambush aimed to capture "Dark King" Silvers Rayleigh who was reported to have been offered for auction at the time due to outstanding gambling debts. Monkey was reported to have attacked Celestial Dragon Saint Charlos prior to leading a riot and releasing the slaves contained within the building, one of which was the "Dark King". Trafalgar and Eustass aided in the riot and subsequent escape, causing massive property damage and incited mayhem among the Marine troops sent in to apprehend them.

Of note, among the pirate captains was a young, unnamed woman (pictured above) with a tattoo of a nursing cap on the back of her right arm above her elbow. She was reported to have attacked two Marine soldiers before escaping with The Heart Pirates. She was later also spotted alongside Trafalgar at Marineford aiding in the escape of Monkey and Jinbei, former Warlord of the Sea. Any information on this figure would be appreciated in aiding the investigation on the attack on Sabaody and the escape of Monkey D. Luffy and Jinbei from Marineford.

June's hands shook as she lowered the paper to look back up at Law who wore an expression as if someone had given him a spectacular gift. He waved the stack of bounties in front of her face; she snatched them out of his hand and began quickly leafing through the pages. On the pages she saw the expected raises on everyone's name and a few faces that she didn't recognize.

But then she paused when she reached the bottom of the stack.

June's stomach dropped to the bottom of her shoes and she whined out a pitiful, "Nooo."

There she was, staring back at herself; there was no mistaking that picture. That was definitely a picture of June smiling after batting away a Marine head with a wooden plank in the middle of that wanted poster.

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

"THE NURSE"

15,000,000

"Looks like we get to add you to the wall." Law's smirk had not lessened one bit, June even felt confident enough to say that it had seemingly gotten wider somehow.

"Why is it even that high?! All I did was wack a guy with a pipe!" She exclaimed in loud exasperation.

He had the audacity to chuckle. "And helped bring down a Pacifista, remember? But it may also be that high because you're being associated with me." He leaned forward to peer over the top of the bounty poster. "What's wrong? I thought you wanted to be "badass and shit"? I remember you saying that you'd make me reconsider my opinion of you if you ever got a bounty."

June glared back at Law then roughly pulled the brim of his hat down to cover his eyes. "Don't use my words against me! I was just talkin' big, I don't wanna be an actual outlaw!"

That grin didn't once falter even as he leaned back and readjusted his hat. "Welcome to the fold, June-ya."

Their conversation caught the attention of a few nearby crew members who leaned around June's shoulder to look at the bounty poster.

"Oh my god, June! Do you have a bounty now?!" Ikkaku squealed into her ear and shook June by the shoulders.

"No way!" Clione crowded over her shoulder to shove his face into the poster still clutched between June's hands. "Congratulations!"

"This is so exciting! Now you're a real pirate!" Ikkaku held June in a head lock and started ruffling her hair roughly, causing her to drop the poster and Clione to swipe the paper to ogle at it.

June pushed Ikkaku away then futilely tried to put her hair back in order. "Why are ya excited? I recall a promise that ya would eat your own food if I got a bounty."

"Uhhh." Ikkaku nervously shifted her eyes back and forth between June and Law. "I don't remember that."

"No, ya definitely did. Remember? When I accidentally drank from that "Bad Decisions" bottle?"

"Shh!" Ikkaku slapped her hand over June's mouth; she looked panicked and sweaty.

Law interjected himself into the conversation. "Is that true, Ikkaku? You should make good on your bets when you agree to something."

Ikkaku let June go and turned fully towards Law. "Captain, please! I can't just eat my foot, that's unreasonable!"

June smirked, "If the captain will assist, then I'll accept the confiscation of your dominant hand until tomorrow morning."

Ikkaku squawked and darted her head back and forth between Law and June. "You can't be serious!"

"A deal is a deal. Looks like June-ya owns your right hand until tomorrow." Law spoke as he summoned a small room around them.

Ikkaku sighed and held her right hand out in resignation. In a flash, the hand was separated and the room dissolved. The sound of Law's sword slowly returning to its sheath rang through the air ending with a metallic click. He tossed the hand to June who caught it with a giddy grin, she snickered then spoke. "This is so cool, can ya feel this?" She tickled hand's palm with her nail and the bushy-haired woman yelped, then slapped June in the arm with her remaining hand.

"Stop that! Of course I can feel it!"

June stopped with a cackle then placed the hand gently on her lap. "Don't worry, I'll keep it safe."

The commotion had garnered the attention of the rest of the crew who had gathered back around. Shachi, who still held onto the newspaper, held it up and spoke to Law. "So, captain, when are we going to The New World? Seems like everyone is getting a head start."

Law placed his hands behind his head and leaned back into a relaxed position against the still sleeping bear. "We aren't, not yet at least."

Clione's head jerked up from June's poster in surprise. "What?! Come on, why not?!"

"We will but we have to wait for our time, it's still too early for us. The One Piece isn't going anywhere, there's no need to rush." Law looked back up towards the clouds, June could see the wheels turning in his head.

Shachi waved the paper in the air. "But Blackbeard is already making moves in The New World, there's a rumor he destroyed a pirate crew and is working his way up to Emperor status!"

Penguin elbowed his way through the crew to the front. "Captain, we gotta go! We'll be beaten by everyone else! So many of the other Supernovas are heading over there to compete for the Emperor position, that could be you!"

Law sat back up and leaned forward towards the group. "Good, then they'll start taking each other out. I don't want to get involved in petty fights, not at this stage."

The Heart Crew collectively began loudly declaring their protests; Law abruptly silenced them with a loud slap of his hand to the wooden deck below him.

"Stop your complaining and just follow me!" Law's wicked smirk made a return, he leaned onto his hand and spoke with an authority that effectively captured the attention of everyone on deck. "We'll get everything we want, whatever the cost. All we have to do is work smart and take advantage of the right opportunities in front of us. Let everyone else kill each other in a scramble for that title; we are getting so close to our goal that I can almost see it. All you have to do is trust me."

There was a beat of silence before the crew erupted in a chorus of cheers loud enough to briefly wake up Bepo who mumbled out a "You can count on me, captain."

Law patted the bear's head and turned his eyes back to the sky above him.

June stared in nervous awe at the captain, she silently wondered what he was planning as his eyes remained fixed to the sky. Her own gaze wandered around her to take in the merry crew cheering and singing their captain's praises; Law's declarations bounced around her head.

We'll get everything we want, whatever the cost.

Now, June knew what Law wanted: Doflamingo's head on a platter and served with a side of rice balls; but what did the rest of the crew want?

Other than to lift their captain up to his fullest potential, that is.

Shachi and Penguin had dogpiled onto Bepo, startling the bear awake with a shout, they hugged their captain from behind and pinched his cheeks while talking excitedly.

June had a sudden brainwave.

She remembered a little extra bit of information that had been mentioned at the back of a volume: Law met Shachi, Penguin and Bepo on Swallow Island shortly after Doflamingo had killed Rosinante.

Swallow Island had been a temporary base for the Donquixote Pirates so it wouldn't be a large leap to assume that the trio had been negatively affected by Doflamingo also. She looked to Jean Bart who had just recently been broken free from his servitude at a Joker Human Auction House.

June felt like her mind was expanding as her eyes darted from crew member to crew member. She wondered if everyone on this submarine had a personal experience with Doflamingo that had brought them all together on the Polar Tang.

She was broken from her silent musings with a yelp when she was suddenly lifted into the air.

Clione and Locke had lifted her onto their shoulders while cheering. "And let's hear it for June! She got her first bounty today!"

All around her, the Heart Crew cheered and hollered as Clione and Locke danced her around the deck. June stared wide-eyed around her then broke out in a wide grin and loud laugh while waving Ikkaku's detached hand around in the air.

Ikkaku shrieked over the crowd, "Hey! Be careful with that, you bitch!"

It had taken a lot of wiggling and elbow throwing to escape the parade.

Law informed the crew he had decided on waiting until the sun went down to dock at Sabaody to dodge the searching eyes that were still on high alert after Marineford. Therefore, June was incredibly bored and needed to find something to occupy her attention. She figured that now would be as good a time as any to start up her training and exercise again.

Anything to minimize all potential chances of dying.

After stopping by the second floor to change, the third to pick up a towel, and the mess hall to fetch a canteen of water, June finally entered the workout room. She scanned the room, taking stock of the equipment available. Along the back wall there were hand weights and kettlebells of various sizes, practice weapons, and a stand with a wide variety of weighted plates.

Honestly, it looked like any other gym that she had experienced back at home. Law had done a good job stocking the room with an assortment of equipment so that everyone on the Polar Tang would be able to find something that struck their fancy.

In the back corner of the room, June found what she had been hoping for: a freestanding punching bag. She walked over and set down her canteen then kicked off her shoes next to a shelf that held boxing gloves and hand wraps. She selected a set of hand wraps and threaded the lengths of cloth around her wrists, palms, and between her fingers.

The familiar hug on her hands made her smile.

After she had finished, she browsed through the different gloves trying to find a set that fit her before landing on a bright yellow pair that were still a touch too big. June set them aside and began her warmups while grumbling about having been transported into a world full of giants.

Seriously, everyone in this damn world was six foot something or bigger; June was starting to develop a complex to go with the pain in her neck from having to look up all the time.

She worked her heart rate up as she cycled through her routine ending with her muscles comfortably warm as she lowered herself to the mats below to begin her stretches. When she felt well and limber, June hopped up and jogged over to the far wall to grab two ten-pound hand weights. After she placed the weights down near the bag and donned the gloves, June readied her fighting stance then began her dance around the bag.

Jab, cross jab

Right backhand

Right roundhouse

June allowed her mind to empty as she focused on her form and breathing, timing her exahales with each hit and engaging her core at the moment of impact.

Left hook-body, Left hook-head

Right uppercut

Left backhand

Left roundhouse

She worked through her set feeling the familiar and satisfying burn of her muscles exerting themselves after almost a month of stagnation. When she finished the set, she repeated it again.

And again.

Again.

One more time.

Then she traded her gloves for the weights and pushed her burning arms further. As her body heated and sweat began to bead on her skin, she looked around the room to confirm that yes, she was the only person currently present. After a moment's thought, June removed her t-shirt and tossed it to land near her shoes, leaving her in a sports bra and a pair of loose cotton shorts. June looked down at her attire with a small frown, she had very few articles of clothing that were adequate enough to work out in; maybe if she ever got her hands on some money, she could invest in more athletic wear.

Honestly, it would be in her best interest to get new clothes anyway. All she had were clothes intended for a vacation, not for visiting islands that were mostly ice or perpetually experiencing a tsunami.

She picked up her gloves again and started a different set aimed at her legs. June pushed on, sets then squats and kicks.

Sets then arms and abs.

Sets then legs again.

The sound of her gloves loudly connecting with the bag echoed throughout the room, her breaths left in controlled exhaled bursts with each focused hit.

After a final set at what she guessed had been about an hour and a half of work, June removed her gloves and walked over to her canteen to drain half the bottle before starting her final stretches. As June wiped the sweat off her forehead with the towel, she felt a set of eyes on her. She turned to the entrance of the room and laid eyes upon Law who was currently leaning against the doorframe with a considering expression.

Through panting breaths, June spoke. "Can I help you?"

Law pushed himself off the doorframe and approached her, he stopped a few feet in front of her and dragged his eyes over her form with a raised eyebrow.

June flushed with a frown.

She cleared her throat and Law's eyes pulled up from her abdomen where he had been inspecting the jewelry adorning the skin right above the hem of her shorts. "Can I help you, Law?"

"So, you do know how to fight." He stated matter-of-factly.

June snorted and draped the towel around her neck. "Sure, I guess. Still not strong enough to really make an impact. I suppose I could win against a regular dude though."

He hummed a low, thoughtful note. "Have you ever considered learning how to use Haki?"

She averted her eyes to the ground and turned her back to Law, moving towards the shelf to clean and replace her gloves. "I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet. I think I should probably focus on getting stronger and improving my form first."

As she removed and rolled her hand wraps, she continued. "You learned some stuff from Lao G though, right? Maybe I'll bother ya for pointers someday." She placed the wraps in her pocket to keep for herself and returned the gloves to the shelf; June figured that she was most likely the only one on the sub who could fit into this pair so they would be safe to leave out.

June turned around then yelped when she ran into Law who had followed and stood inches behind her. She rubbed her nose and looked up at the captain with watery eyes. "Fuck! When are ya gonna stop creepin' up behind me? It's gotta lose its novelty at some point."

His lips curled upwards into a half smile, "Maybe when you stop making it fun."

She grumbled and sniffed, "You're a menace, y'know that?"

"So I've been told." Law mocked.

June watched his eyes drift to a bead of sweat she could feel meander its way down the left side of her neck then settle upon her collarbone. His gaze carried a weight that almost felt overwhelming but captivating, like he was simultaneously looking at and through her.

She licked her dry lips and swallowed; Law's eyes followed the movement. "So, uh, what did ya need? I'm assuming ya found me for a reason…" June trailed off when his amber gaze flicked up to meet her own.

Her heart rate kicked up a notch when she felt his hand skim her clavicle. He lifted the end of the towel around June's neck and patted the fabric against the skin of her shoulder and neck for a moment before letting it fall back into place with a smirk.

Law's fingers traveled downward to the top of her arm to brush against the, recently healed, scar. He rubbed his thumb across the raised skin there, inspecting the section of shiny, mottled flesh. It almost looked like a disfigured rope had been laid upon her skin, the color a wide range of maroons. "I'm pleased to see that your injury hasn't impacted your range of motion."

June cleared her throat lightly, "Sure, but do I look any tougher? I do have a shiny, new bounty to match it."

Law chuckled and leaned closer to her arm, his eyes danced over the mark "No, but it certainly does add something interesting."

His warm breath fleetingly caressed her chilled skin and produced a sprinkling of gooseflesh down her arm and up across her neck.

He watched as her skin erupted in small bumps with a curious expression then dropped his hand and backed up a few steps. June felt the confusing tension lessen and her head clear more with each step backward the captain took.

"But you're right, I wanted to pick your brain for information. Meet me in my office after you clean up here." Law turned and started walking back towards the exit then paused and looked over his shoulder when he reached the threshold. "You should probably put your clothes back on though. As much as I enjoy the show, it's probably not the best idea to be walking around practically naked on a submarine full of men."

June blushed as she watched Law leave and crossed her arms over her bare midsection then huffed.

"Fuckin' pervert."

A quick clean up of her corner of the workout room and a shower later had June standing in Law's office across from the captain to discuss...something.

She didn't quite know what he wanted from her yet.

June took a bite of the sandwich Blake had, sweetly, given her when she had taken a detour downstairs before heading back up to Law's suite. She hummed happily around her mouthful; when she had seen Blake, she had proposed to him again after gratefully accepting the food.

He had rejected her, again, and with a jolly laugh that reverberated in June's chest.

Her feelings weren't hurt, she would try again. One day he would accept, and they could open that coffee bar she had talked to him about.

"I thought I told you to come here after you were done." Law was currently sitting in the chair behind his desk, arms crossed over his chest with a scowl.

June held up a single finger in pause as she chewed and swallowed the bite then walked forward and set her plate on the desk. "I needed fuel. I've been pretty well taken care of here so ya haven't had the chance to see it, but when I'm hungry I'm practically useless." She picked up the sandwich and took another bite. "I was the snack queen on my unit, y'know."

Law's frown deepened. "Don't talk with your mouth full."

She sighed and swallowed. "How 'bout ya tell me what you're wanting so I can eat in peace."

"You told me that in two years I would create an alliance with the Straw Hats and we would take down Joker together." He leaned back in his chair. "I have ideas about what I need to accomplish over the next couple of years but what I want to know is what you have seen."

June nodded with a thoughtful hum and slowly sauntered over to Law's unhinged, serial-killer mood board. She nonchalantly scanned the information, some of it was unreadable due to the paranoid amount of coding hiding the information. Honestly, she didn't know how to answer him, so June frantically tried to think of a reply while holding, what she hoped was, a blank expression.

She only had an inkling about what Law and the Heart Pirates did during the two-year gap. She knew that he collected a hundred pirate hearts which he would later trade to The Marines for the title of Warlord. She knew that he did something at Rocky Port, probably a show of power, which raised his bounty and helped with the aforementioned Warlording. She knew, just like Luffy and the Straw Hats, Law would get stronger.

Next to her in his office chair, Law verbally nudged June with an impatient tone. "Well, June-ya?"

"What kinda things were you thinkin' 'bout?" June thought this was a good plan. Keep handing the conversation back to him and keep her eyes looking at the board.

Law leaned forward in his chair to rest his elbows upon his knees, his eyes narrowed as he looked up at June with an assessing gaze. "You're dodging."

She bit her lip and allowed her eyes to slide over to him. "What d'ya mean? I'm just curious about what you've got bouncing around your noggin'."

"June-ya." His voice's timbre dipped in warning.

"Ugh, fine." She faced him head on, arms crossed and immediately defensive. "The next two years are unclear for me, I can't give ya anythin' super concrete until later."

Law stood up, towering above her and appearing incredibly annoyed with a touch of threatening. "Excuse me, I thought I just heard my supposedly future-seeing prisoner inform me that she isn't as knowledgeable as she has led me to believe."

June craned her neck to look up at the captain with wide eyes. "Hey, now. I didn't say I didn't know anything; I just can't give ya a play-by-play like I have been up until this point, well, at least not until two years from now."

"Then. Speak." Law ground out through gritted teeth.

She frowned and took a step forward, bumping her chest against Law's abdomen, she fixed her face into a glare that June hoped at least conveyed a sense of grit. "First of all, chill. I'm willin' to bet that ya already have the blueprint there in that wonderfully neurotic brain of yours. Second, I wanna help ya. Since I've been here, have I ever given the impression that I wanna work against ya? Third, it's not like you're putting all your eggs into my basket; I'm just a convenient resource to help confirm whether you're movin' in the right direction. Honestly, ya don't need me; ya just prefer to have me."

They stared each other down for about half a minute, June could feel her neck beginning to cramp from looking up so long. Her disembodied heart metaphorically pounded in her chest thinking about how Law could potentially respond to her misbehavior.

"You look ridiculous, what is that face you're making?" Law finally broke the silence.

She sighed in relief and took a couple of steps backward while rolling her neck. "It was supposed to look tough and serious, ass."

"I'm thinking it needs a little work, honestly it had quite the opposite effect." The corner of his lip lifted slightly in amusement. "By the way, are you trying to set a record for punishments on my sub? I thought we talked about respect and attitude already."

"Sure, and I completely agree with ya; but I'm also not gonna lay down and be bullied either. Ya don't have to intimidate or threaten me to make me talk."

That seemed to wipe the amusement off his face, June thought she detected the faintest hint of guilt in Law's eyes as he sat back down into his chair. "I'll be sure to remember that."

June pulled together her confidence and spoke. "Now, I have a request. If I stay silent on somethin' I'm gonna need ya to respect it. We are dealin' with the flow of time after all, I don't wanna potentially skip anything important on accident or compromise a crucial moment just because I said too much." She turned back to look at the cork board and bit her lip in thought then mumbled, "These next two years are gonna be somethin'."

"As frustrating as that is, I suppose I understand." He crossed his legs and started an impatient beat by tapping his fingers on the desk. "Before I start asking questions, I want to know why you can't see the next two years. I thought your power gave you the ability to see just about every detail of the future."

She sighed and walked back over to the desk to lean her hip against the side. "Look, Law, I'm just as frustrated as you are. Believe me when I say that I have tried to dig for information but there just isn't anythin' super detailed that I have seen; all I have is just general ideas about what will happen."

And it was the truth. Prior to her transportation act, June had been very interested in the time skip and had snatched up any information that had been available but unfortunately that had been minimal.

"You do realize your power sounds less and less impressive each time you tell me about it, right?"

June pouted and drew nonsensical circles on the surface of the desk with her pointer finger. "Well, if you're gonna be rude, then maybe I don't wanna talk anymore."

Law's fingers pulled into a fist on the top of his desk, his voice came out irritable. "What happened to wanting to talk?"

"How about an apology first, y'know, for the bullying. If ya mean it, I'll spill." She looked up at him through fluttering eyelashes and a small, mischievous smile.

A pause, he looked bewildered; perhaps he wasn't quite used to being challenged. Then that look morphed into amusement, June could see the tension melt off his shoulders which produced a feeling of satisfaction within herself. "Alright, June-ya, I apologize for bullying you. Would you also like a thousand belly? A back rub?"

"Hey now, don't be offerin' back rubs that ya don't plan on deliverin' on." She flashed a wide smile and leaned across the desk to grab the folded newspaper in front of Law. June straightened up and opened the paper, scanning the first few pages. "Let's talk about these three Warlord openings. What d'ya think about that?"

"I think the Warlord system is incredibly flawed. I am unsure what the World Government thought would happen when you give the strongest pirates a position of power but obviously it is backfiring if Crocodile-ya and Joker are anything to go by."

"Today, my dear captain, I will tell you two things." She closed the newspaper and set it on the table beside her then held up one finger. "The first will be the future list of Warlords that will be as follows: Dracule Mihawk, Bartholomew Kuma, Boa Hancock, Donquixote Doflamingo, Buggy the Clown, Edward Weevil, Trafalgar D. Water Law."

That seemed to catch his attention. Law leaned forward onto his elbows balanced on his knees and spoke. "Now why would I do that? Being a Warlord means being a lapdog for the World Government which is something I'm not itching to become."

She tapped her lip in mock thought and hummed. "Hmm, but what if you learn something over the next two years that would really give ya an opportunity for attack on Doflamingo? What if becoming a Warlord opens up access to a specific room ya have to be in to move forward on your plan?"

There it is, that glint. A certain spark she could see shining in his eye when thoughts turned to plotting and scheming. She had seen it above deck after his short speech when he had been looking towards the clouds. June tried to push down some of the excitement she felt seeing him work through this new information.

"I'm hoping that the second thing you tell me is what I'll learn."

"It's nice to hope for things." She teased and held up two fingers. "The actual second thing I'll tell you is that your ticket into the Warlord club is not an offered one like everyone else's, you'll have to work for it. You'll go to them and offer something only you can provide, and you'll also need to broadcast a show of power."

"Do you know what these things are?"

June bit her tongue ring. "The offer, yes. The other thing, very vaguely but I'm sure we'll figure it out."

Law leaned back into his chair and looked thoughtfully at the ceiling. "Is there anything else you can tell me right now or would we be getting too close to oversharing territory?"

She thought for a moment. "I suppose I could tell ya what some of the Supernovas are up to right now and I can update ya later when it's more appropriate." June flipped open the newpaper again to a page that featured pictures of all the Supernovas. She went down the line, pointing at each photo and giving a brief update.

"Luffy is with Rayleigh. Zoro is with Mihawk. Apoo is in the New World feeling overwhelmed. Bege should be meeting Big Mom soon. Hawkins fought someone named Brownbeard. Uroge is also in the New World, seems like he's trying to find his way. The Kid Pirates are working up to have a go at Red-Haired Shanks. Jewelry Bonney was taken hostage by Blackbeard and handed over to the Marines. X Drake-" June paused and looked back up at Law. "I think I'll skip him for now."

Law's eyebrows lifted. "Now that's interesting. I've had my theories about him since I heard he defected from the Marines to become a pirate, now I'm wondering if I was right."

She flipped the newpaper closed again and silently picked a piece of dirt from underneath her fingernail. "Hmm."

"We need to work on your poker face. If you're going to keep withholding information from me, you need to at least make it a challenge to figure out."

June gaped.

At least she had her answer now on whether or not he was aware of her concealing and fabricating details about herself.

"You're nosy. I'm just gonna start straight up lyin' to ya when I don't want ya to know somethin', what d'ya think 'bout that?"

He chuckled. "I don't think you have the capability to tell a convincing lie, June-ya."

Maybe he knew more about her than what she had previously assumed.

The rest of the evening had passed as expected.

June spent time with the crew and ate a delicious dinner then shortly after midnight, the Polar Tang had snuck through the roots of Sabody to park itself on the same hidden grove they had been at before. It was located in the more lawless section of the archipelago so there was minimal risk for being spotted.

The plan was to wake early and restock the sub before departing as quickly as possible. Law had a lead on a group of pirates who had stolen a ship's worth of Joker's black-market weapons and the Heart Captain was aiming to track them down for information.

June was hadn't decided yet if that group was brave or woefully stupid for stealing from Doflamingo.

In the meantime, it was currently about two in the morning. The crew, and prisoner, currently residing inside the Polar Tang had been asleep for little more than an hour. June had found it difficult to give herself over to sleep due to the muffled noise of popping Sabaody bubbles outside in the grove.

She was beginning to feel a wave of blissful unconsciousness settle upon her like a warm blanket with a startling noise filled the air of Law's room.

Da-Ding!

Da-Ding!

Da-Ding! Da-Ding! Da-Ding! Da-Ding! Da-Ding! Da-Ding! Da-Ding! Da-Ding! Da-Ding! Da-Ding!

June's eyes flew open.

There was no possible way she was hearing the sound of her phone notifications going off, she must be experiencing some sort of trauma or stress induced hallucination. She heard Law groan awake and sit up in his bed.

"What the hell is that?"

She was trembling, June tried to force her voice to steady. "L-Law, c-can you p-please let me out?" Her wrist had been attached to the couch frame, like it had every night for about a month, with sea prism stone handcuffs. Everything in her wanted to thrash, scream, and break the metal frame to get to her phone but she needed to remain still otherwise her lie would be exposed.

"Do you know what that sound is?" Law nearly threw himself out of the bed and stormed over to her couch, suspicion weighed heavy in his voice.

She looked up at him, eyes wide and pleading in the moonlit room. "It's my p-phone. P-please, can I see it?"

His eyebrows drew together in a scowl. Law summoned a room then walked over to his bedside table and opened the drawer. Reaching his hand in, he pulled out her phone. He stared at the lit-up screen, eyes reading the notifications on the face. "Who is Miranda?"

June began frantically begging, "Please! Ya have'ta let me out, I need to answer her! She doesn't know where I am and-" she hiccuped, the pillow underneath her face felt wet. She realized that she was crying.

Law slowly turned to June; expression filled with confusion. Perhaps it was because she had never sounded so desperate to him, not even when she first came aboard the ship. June had never begged for anything, not even her life.

He summoned a room.

The second that June had felt the weight of the cuffs leave her, she ran across the floor and snatched the phone from Law's grasp. Shaking hands unlocked the screen with a fingerprint to the back of the device, frantic eyes read the notifications.

286 Unread messages

57 Missed calls

8% Battery

A very, very faint signal.

She needed to get above deck.

June sprinted out of the room into the next, threw open Law's office door and made a mad dash towards the exit of the ship. She pushed open the double portal doors and ran out onto the wooden deck, panting.

She dialed Miranda.

June clenched her eyes shut and listened to the ringing, she heard Law run out of the sub behind her. "June-ya, you can't just-" He sounded pissed, she didn't care.

"June?!"

She sobbed with relief, "Miranda!" June could hear her crying over the phone.

"Where have you been?! You disappeared and we couldn't find you! Where are you, are you ok?!"

"I'm so sorry. I wanted to call ya but-"

"J-ne? Y-re cu-in -ut. Where are y-u?!"

Cold, heart-stopping panic licked up her spine. "I'm fine! Ya don't need to look for me, I'm safe!"

"J-une?! I can b-re-y he-r you!"

She clutched her phone in a whiteknucled grip. "I'll find my way back to ya! I'm safe! Don't worry!"

The line went dead.

Hopelessness, helplessness, powerlessness, grief, anger, dread.

Countless emotions threatened to crush June underneath an unstoppable tidal wave. Every desperate feeling she had repressed over the past month bubbled to the surface and screamed out of her.

She realized she was actually screaming, howling her pain and frustration at the moon. June screamed until all the breath had been forced out of her lungs and even then, she pushed for more, choking on nothing. Tears ran in continuous twin rivers down her face to trace a path down her neck and soak into the collar of her shirt.

June coughed and gasped for air, her free hand clutching at her burning throat.

Her watery vision zeroed in across the water and widened when she saw a familiar rainbow mist hovering above the sea and gradually disappearing about two-hundred yards away from the sub.

June broke out into a full-on sprint towards the railing.

She could go home! She could see Ann and Miranda; they'd know she was fine, and June could pick up her life where she had left off. She could forget every horrific thing she had seen and experienced, pretend it was all a dream.

She reached the railing and prepared to leap.

Strong, tattooed arms wrapped around her torso, pulling her back onto the ship. A deep voice yelled into her ear. "You can't swim, June-ya! Calm down! Even if you could, you'd get stuck in the roots of the archipelago!"

June thrashed against her restraint, reaching out towards the mist and watching helplessly as it gradually faded. She became more frantic, scratching and kicking at the person behind her as the mist dissolved across the surface of the water. "You don't understand! I hav'ta get back! It brought me here, it can take me back!" her voice sounded hoarse and cracked.

It was gone.

The reflection of the silver moon laid across water, no longer distorted by the apparition.

She went limp against the body behind her, whimpering. June felt herself get lowered to the hard planks below, long legs spread out on either side of her frame to accommodate her; the arms still held on tight.

"They're all I have, and they don't even know what happened to me." Her whispered voice sounded small and weak, she looked up behind her at the bewildered captain. "They probably think I've been kidnapped and am about to be murdered which I suppose isn't too far from the truth." She laughed hysterically yet humorlessly, eventually dissolving back into a quiet sniffling.

June looked down at the arms wrapped around her abdomen and felt her heart drop at the superficial, bleeding cuts she had left behind. She began sobbing again and rubbed Law's hands between her own, "I'm so sorry Law, I didn't mean to hurt you I just-" she trailed off with a hiccup.

The arms tightened around her, pulling her back flush against Law's chest, the captain rested his chin atop her head.

"What are you-"

He interrupted her with an even, calm command. "Match mine."

June's eyes widened in surprise then slowly closed. She focused on Law's steady, calm breathing, felt his chest rise with each inhale and then fall with each exhale. She worked to match her quickened, ragged breathing with his, counting each of the strong heartbeats she could feel behind her left shoulder in between each breath.

"Five things you can see."

She lifted her eyelids and took in her surroundings, darting from one object to another. June forced her eyes to slow enough to take in her surroundings. "Uh, the water, the moon." She stopped to sniffle. "Railing, stars, your legs."

Law breathed in deeply, she followed. June could hear the smirk in his voice when he spoke. "Four you can feel."

Her breathing had evened out, but her mind still raced.

It was difficult to focus. She paused to think for a moment, feeling the different sensations pressing against her person. June allowed the sensations to pull her head from the atmosphere back down to rest between her shoulders. "The wind, the deck, my phone and your legs." She focused in on Law's slow and steady heartbeat behind her; felt comforted by the warmth radiating off his body.

He pinched her side and made her squeak, his chuckle vibrated pleasantly through June's crown down to her feet. "This must be working if you can tell jokes; three you can hear." Law took another deep breath that June mimicked.

She could feel her pulse slowing, her mind clearing. "The water against the hull, my voice, your breathing."

"Two you can smell."

She suddenly felt exhausted. Her muscles were gradually relaxing leaving June boneless in Law's hold. "The sea." June inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. "And sandalwood."

He stopped; June could feel him tilt his head in thought. "I don't have anything for taste."

June hummed and whispered, "That's fine." She turned around in Law's hold and met his concerned gaze. "I'm sorry I hurt you and for all of this, really. I guess everything I've been holding in burst outta me."

He quirked an eyebrow up. "You do realize I've had much worse than a few scratches, right? I'm sure I'll live." June felt Law's thumbs rub the sides of her waist before his grip tightened minutely. "If I let you go, are you going to try and jump off the sub again?"

June blushed in embarrassment, "No, I should be fine. Thanks for stopping me."

Law slowly released his hold then scooted backwards to sit cross legged. He stared at her for a near uncomfortable amount of time before he spoke. "So?"

"So?" she croaked.

"Care to explain all of that?"

June wiped her face with a hand, "No, not really."

"I hardly think that's fair since you seem to know so much about me and my crew, yet I hardly know a thing about you." He rested his chin on a fist propped up by his knee. "Plus, I think I deserve something for saving you from drowning."

She pulled her knees towards her chest. "Nothing about this is fair, Law."

"This is me asking nicely, June-ya." His voice was low and firm.

"Well, are ya asking because ya care or are ya asking because I'm suspicious?" June hugged her legs tighter; a few stray tears escaped her eyes to land on her knees.

She could see Law sizing her up, comparing benefits and risks, deciding where she fell on his scale of trust.

"You're going to have to give me something, there's just too much here that doesn't add up well."

June bit her lip. Her sluggish brain kicked into overdrive, weighing the potential outcomes against each other. She could tell him the truth, the whole truth, but that would come with a slew of risks including breaking the fragile rapport she had built with Law. And aside from that, how believable would it be that she came from another reality, that the only reason why she knew the things she did was because everything around her had been fiction?

She just couldn't risk it. While trying to think of a cover, a fleeting memory of Wano danced across her memory.

June took a deep, cleansing breath and rallied all of her will power to fabricate a believable tale.

"I'm not from Baterilla."

Law scoffed. "That's a given."

"Where I'm from, think of it like a secret country or a hidden island. It's very hard to get to so our civilization is isolated. It can be pretty dangerous to travel through the borders so it's extremely rare for us to leave."

Law scowled, "Go on."

"I, uh-, sorry. It's just very ridiculous. I wasn't lying when I said I had laid down for a nap then woke up outside your sub." June turned to look out at the water where the mist had been. "The last thing I saw before I fell asleep was a rainbow mist hoverin' above me just like the one that had been out there."

"Why was your phone making all of that noise?"

She faced Law again, he didn't seem too convinced. June figured sticking as close to the truth as possible would be best. "My country has its own technology; we don't have snails there. I'm guessin' when the mist appeared my phone was able to pick up a weak signal so it started receiving messages that had been sent but couldn't be delivered 'cause I was cut off."

"So, because you were able to get a signal, you called Miranda?"

June nodded.

"Who is Miranda?"

She could feel the tears building up again. "My cousin. Her and my friend, Ann, are really the only family I have so I wanted them to know I was safe, but the call dropped."

Law stared at June for a few moments, watching as she wiped at her eyes.

"Where is your country then? Is it really in the South Blue?"

June barked out a wet, humorless, laugh, "I have no idea. I've never left it so I have no clue where it could be, there are no maps showing it in relation to any of the Blue Seas."

"You have terrible luck if that's true."

"Yeah, but that's why I got so desperate when I saw the mist. I think that's gonna be my only ticket home."

Law leaned back onto his hands, staring contemplatively at the night sky above him. "If you're telling the truth then I guess that all makes sense." His gaze snapped down to look at her. "I have no way of verifying this though, so nothing has changed."

June sighed in relief and rested her head on her knees, closing her eyes as exhaustion itched at the edges of her consciousness. "That's fair."

They sat in silence, June listened to the wind blowing over the eerily calm sea. Every once in a while, a slight breeze would blow in her direction and she would catch the soothing scent of sandalwood. It eased any lingering feelings of anxiety left within her. Despite the stress she felt around the captain due to having to carefully curate her words, June felt comforted having him nearby in this moment.

She also felt horribly guilty.

"You can't sleep out here, June-ya." He murmured close to her ear. She didn't realize Law had moved closer to her, probably to check and make sure she was awake.

"I can if ya let me." She opened her eyes and met Law's own. The moon had caught in his dark hair and amber eyes, it danced across his skin and emphasized his tattoos. June decided Law looked beautiful wearing moon light, it made him look ethereal.

He smirked and even that impish trait of his was charming in the right light. "I feel like you'll regret it when you wake up in the morning with a sore neck."

She smiled up at him. "That's just because you're a pain in it, I call the crick in my neck Traffy-D."

Law huffed out a laugh. "You're really clever, June-ya." He stood and offered her a hand, she accepted.

If she held on longer than was necessary, he didn't mention it.

"Thank you, for everything tonight. I'm impressed, ya picked up my tricks pretty quickly, maybe ya have a future in psychiatrics." she elbowed him in the side as they walked back towards the entrance to the sub.

"I appreciate the compliment, but I don't think there are too many people I could do that for."

June giggled and she thought she could spy the corner of Law's mouth pull upwards.

She looked over her shoulder one last time across the water, straining her eyes for a glimmer of a rainbow. "I guess I should appreciate bein' one of the lucky few then."

Notes:

There was this one time, a couple of years ago, when the screen of my phone gave out. I contacted my phone provider and they sent me a replacement but I had to wait to send the old phone back because it was fully charged and there was an alarm that would go off everyday at the same time. I couldn't turn off the phone, I couldn't turn off the alarm, so I just had to wait for the battery to die.

It took about a month and a half for the thing to finally give out so I could send it back. I didn't realize how long a charge could last if you aren't messing with the phone at all.

Anyway, I used this experience to justify the end of this chapter. :)

Chapter 12: Syrup Trap

Summary:

Law's favorite word is "No" and him and June have a realization. But also, this autumn island seems weird, right?

Notes:

I really lived in that corner of my brain that makes OCs for this one.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Waffle Still was an island located just beyond Arabasta on the Grand Line.

It was a beautiful autumn island that stunned June with a warm color pallette of reds, oranges, and yellows. Everywhere she looked were piles of crunchy, dry leaves that she couldn't resist hopping in. There were plots of land dedicated to pumpkins, squash, and potatoes; and if she listened closely, June could hear the gentle thump of acorns falling to the ground.

The island could honestly be featured on a postcard with a generic tag line like 'Thinking of you!' or 'Wish you were here!'.

There was a downside to the island though, the subtle bite of autumn air had June's skin perpetually broken out in a layer of gooseflesh and every few minutes, the wind would hit just right causing her to shiver. She was rather sensitive to the cold and her only jacket was a thin windbreaker that did little to protect her from the slight morning chill.

In the month it had taken to travel to Waffle Still, June still hadn't been able to purchase any new clothing through no fault of her own; she was still woefully broke.

Another gust of wind blew through her clothing and ruffled her hair, she bounced up and down in a futile attempt to warm herself.

"You doing alright, June?" Clione asked.

"Yeah, m'fine. I just don't tolerate the cold too well." June rubbed her hands together and kept walking forward down the cobblestone street.

The Heart Pirates were on a mission, they had followed the trail of a group called the Birch Pirates who had, foolishly, stolen an entire ship's worth of weapons and materials from one of Doflamingo's black market trade ships. The information had eventually led them here, to Waffle Still. Law had reason to believe that their base of operation was located on the island and so today, the Heart Pirates had donned civilian clothing to go undercover and covertly gather more details from the locals.

During breakfast that morning, Uni, Clione, and Locke had stopped by the captain's table to call dibs on taking June with them to their assigned area of the island to search for clues. She had been about as confused as Law at the request but as soon as the captain had granted them permission, the group had disappeared while cheering before June had a chance to ask them why.

Currently, she and the trouble trio were walking up the hill leading into the main square. Various shops lined the edge of the street and at the end, she could see a moderately sized bar and a quaint inn with a park tucked behind it. As they entered the village proper, another breeze blew into June's face causing her teeth to chatter.

"Alright!" Locke blurted out abruptly, causing the group to halt. "I've had about as much as I can take watching you try to vibrate through the ground." He planted a hand between June's shoulder blades then guided her into a nearby clothing shop.

She stumbled over her feet as they entered through the front door. "Woah! Hey! What're ya doin'?!"

"I think he wants you to get a better coat, June. We're going to be outside for a while" Uni closed the door behind them.

"I don't have any money though." June turned quickly and swatted Locke's hand away.

"Don't worry about that, you can pay me back by helping us out." Locke turned her around then pushed her towards a rack containing a variety of coats.

June sighed and crossed her arms at the rack. "See, I actually wanted to ask ya'll 'bout that. Why did ya ask me to come along today?"

"You're going to help us with a special surprise." Clione explained while wrapping his arm around June's shoulder.

"A perfect prank and gift." Uni added then began digging through the coats.

"One for our favorite captain who is growing a year older tomorrow." Locke supplied while smirking down at June.

"Why me though? What'dya have in mind?" She asked skeptically. Though the idea of pranking Law was incredibly appealing to her, she was still held a healthy amount of suspicion when it came to these three men. Just within the past week they had glued Tsu's hand to a wrench and turned Penguin's suits pink.

"Because you, my dear captive friend, were the spark that created this idea. Also, you seem to have a robust appetite for tricks based on what we've seen from your prank war with the captain." Locke explained and clapped her on the shoulder. "While we're hitting up the shops for info, we're going to be on the lookout for the best rocks."

Uni handed June a heavy, sherpa lined black jacket. "Here, try this on."

She put on the jacket and took a second to enjoy the warmth, it was a bit long in the sleeves but otherwise it fit well. "Thanks, it's good." June spoke as she zipped up the front. "Are y'all gonna tell me what you're doin' with the rocks?"

Clione put his arm around June's shoulder again and began guiding her to the checkout. "It's a work in progress, we've got a lot of ground to cover today so we need your ideas once we're done."

As they approached the counter, a portly woman with kind features smiled warmly at them when they approached.

"Y'all're really annoyin' ya know that?" June groaned.

Locke and Clione laughed while Uni ruffled her hair.

The woman behind the counter spoke, her voice was sugar sweet. "Hello! I hope you found everything ok. Is it just the jacket today?"

"Yes, miss." Locke spoke while fetching his wallet out of his back pocket.

"Excellent! That'll be 6,000 belly. It looks perfect on you, young lady, and it'll definitley keep you warm. You must be from a warmer climate; I saw you shivering when you came in."

"Sure am!" June grinned.

"Yeah, we're just passing through. We've never been to an autumn island before, Waffle Still is very beautiful." Locke began counting out the bills. "Actually, we heard a rumor that a pirate group has been spotted around here, the Birch Pirates I believe? Do you anything about them? They sound pretty scary."

The woman's smile fell from her face, her voice grew cold. "No, I don't know anything about them." She snatched the money out of Locke's hand and counted the bills. "If that's it, you're good to go. Have a nice day." She dissmissed them curtly.

June's eyebrow lifted; she was shocked at the sudden shift in tone. The group muttered their thanks and farewells then left the shop; Locke ushered them around the side of the building to talk in an alleyway.

"That was weird." Uni whispered.

"Yeah, maybe she doesn't like talking about pirates?" Clione speculated.

"Or maybe she knows somethin' she didn't wanna share with us." June added.

They thought in silence for a moment before Locke spoke up. "We should keep moving, hopefully we can find something to bring back to the captain. We'll split up into pairs and conquer each side of the street. Let's meet at the park near the inn when we're done."

The group followed Locke out and split up, Uni and June on the left and Clione with Locke on the right. They kept at it until all the shops had been cleared, each person they spoke to gave them a similar reaction as the woman in the clothing store. By late afternoon when they had returned to the sub, they had learned nothing more than was already known when the Polar Tang had touched down on Waffle Still.

Well, except that the villagers either really hated talking about pirates or that they were all collectively hiding a secret they didn't want outsiders to know.

"Alright, it's time for everyone to give report on what they learned. We'll start with Clione, Locke, and June-ya's group since they went to the town square today." Law sat alone on top of the captain's table, his voice sounded all business and pulled the attention of the room to him.

Everyone was currently occupying the mess hall. As soon as the crew members had been collected from the island, he had called everyone to the room to hear what information had been gathered since he had been unable to go into town with the chosen groups that day. June could tell this had been frustrating for him to give over control, but it had been the right call; Law's face was leagues more recognizable than any other person's on the sub.

Aside from maybe Bepo.

He had sent out three small groups: one to the town square, one to the docks, and one to the residential area. And while he waited for everyone to return, the captain laid in wait underneath the sea just like they were now.

Locke spoke for their table, "They're an odd bunch, very friendly and open but the minute we brought up the Birches they all shut us out and denied knowing anything."

"Yeah, it was really weird. Everyone was like that, even some of the kids that we ran into at the park." Clione added.

Law nodded, he appeared to be digesting the information. "Penguin and Shachi."

Penguin spoke, "Nothing abnormal about the docks and we didn't spot any sign of pirates. When we talked with some of the workers down there, they did about the same as the people in the town square; very friendly initially but then clammed up when we started asking questions."

"Ikkaku and Tsu." Law spoke with a frown.

"These people are suspicious as hell." Ikkaku huffed. "It was the exact same over at the residential area, I think they know something and are hiding it from us."

"They had some, uh, nice houses though." Tsu added with a snicker.

Ikkaku slapped his arm. "Oh shuddup, I saw you chatting it up with that one red-haired girl."

Law interrupted them, "So, what I'm hearing is that we have learned nothing today except that the villagers here might be hiding something." He was outright scowling now and seemed distinctly underwhelmed by what they had brought back to him.

"To be fair, Law, they were actin' pretty suspect. You shoulda' seen what the lady at the clothing store did; it was like her whole personality flipped." June interjected.

The room waited in silence for Law to decide on how to move forward.

Law took a deep breath and sighed, "I'll send a couple of you out again tomorrow to see if we can shake any information free. And tomorrow night-"

"Is your birthday so we're going out!" Shachi interrupted the captain with a cheer, the rest of the room erupted with applause and shouts of agreement.

The captain held up a hand to silence the crew.

"No."

What a simple word that was, one syllable, yet it threw the whole room into a loud, raucous uproar; June had to cover her ears.

"Captain!"

"Don't be like that!"

"You do this every year!"

"Let us celebrate!"

"There could be lady bears!"

Law watched the room with an unfazed expression then held up his hand again after a minute. The room went silent again, though there were some scattered grumbles here and there; June unmuffled her ears.

"I have reconsidered."

The room erupted again, this time into cheers; Law rolled his eyes and dropped his hand to the table with a loud slap to quiet his crew. "Not to celebrate! If we still aren't able to learn anything by tomorrow night, we might be able to lure them out if we make a showing. If this is where the Birches are based, they're not going to appreciate another group of pirates moving in on their territory."

"So?" Locke leaned forward in his seat.

"We'll go to the bar." Law answered, crossing his arms across this chest.

"And?" Shachi asked, his cheshire grin pushed his sunglasses up on his face.

The captain smirked, "And we'll do what pirates do."

This time June's hands were already on her ears, she laughed as the room around her began to whoop and holler. As the Heart Pirates gradually quieted, Law dismissed the meeting then left the room to return to his office until dinner.

Clione climbed atop their table and began hushing the rest of the crew then spoke in a whisper. "Shh, shh, shh! Okay everyone gather around, he's gone. Now, we all know what tomorrow is and we also know that our captain hates gifts and any birthday pleasantries, but we have a plan."

He gestured for the rest of the crew to surround the table then knelt on the surface and began emptying his pockets along with Clione and Uni. When they were finished, there were a pile of rocks along with variety of paints spread across the table. June reached into her own pocket to pull out a bundle of brushes then placed them on the table with a grin.

June looked at the crew and spoke in a low voice, "So this is the plan…"

They all collectively worked on the project for about two hours, whispering and snickering quietly until the entirety of the Heart Crew, along with June, had deemed their project perfect. June had moved around the group, helping where she could and assisted Bepo with the finer details of his portion when she realized he had difficulty holding the thin brush in his paw.

Everyone left the mess hall one pebble heavier while wearing a wry, secretive grin.

The sun warmed June's skin.

It buried itself within the threads of her clothing and lit up an endlss field of red behind her closed eyelids. She hummed a slow, calm tune to the sky as she laid back on the deck of the Polar Tang and enjoyed the sea breeze caressing her skin.

The night had passed into the following day. Most of the crew had stayed back from Waffle Still aside from Penguin, Shachi, and Tsu who were assigned to covertly comb the island and find a potential base before talking with the villagers again. It was estimated that they would be gone for most of the day, so the rest of the Heart Crew was drifting a few miles offshore while they waited.

Slide. Click. Slide. Click. Slide. Click.

June propped herself up onto her elbows and opened her eyes to look at Law who currently sat next to her. He was fidgeting with his sword, slowly raising the blade out of its scabbard an inch with his thumb before pushing it back down with a click.

She sat up completely and crossed her legs. "You seem anxious."

"Do I?" He asked dully.

"Or at least very unhappy and impatient because you gotta stay back."

Law hummed an agreement.

Slide. Click. Slide. Click. Slide. Click.

The quiet metallic sound was difficult to hear over the roar of the ocean, but it sang a nervous tune. June looked Law over for a moment, she thought about how she might feel in his place. For him, there was a lot riding on the potential information he could learn from the Birch Pirates; it could even be the lead that guides him to Doflamingo. And since June had confessed that she wasn't as omniscient as she had previously led him to believe, the stress of having to hand over control to his crew, even if they were trusted implicitly, was probably immense.

"You stopped humming." Law spoke monotonously, eyes fixed ahead on the distant shadow of Waffle Still.

"Huh?"

"Why did you stop?" He turned his gaze to June.

Oh.

June reached between them to pick up her phone which was currently connected to a solar charger. Since that night last month when her phone had picked up a signal, Law had allowed her to bring it above deck to charge once every couple of weeks.

With his supervision of course.

Since that night, there hadn't been any more sightnings from the rainbow mist and subsequently no further notifications. Law didn't seem to be interested in the device since it wasn't making any noises or receiving notifications like it had been, but that may be because he wasn't aware of everything it could do.

June scooted closer until their shoulders touched then unlocked her screen.

"What are you doing?" He frowned and looked down at her then at the phone she held between them.

"Helping." She tapped and swiped at the screen a few times then smiled when the song she had been humming began to play. The soothing sounds of an acoustic guitar coupled with a woman's voice filled the air around them.

Law leaned forward to get a closer look. "You did tell me you could play music on it, but I wasn't sure how it worked. Did you call someone to have them play? I thought you couldn't get a signal unless the mist was nearby."

"Hey." June whispered. "Stop bein' so paranoid, I have some stuff saved on my phone because there were a lot of times when I didn't have a signal, but I still wanted to listen. Just enjoy it for a bit."

The music swelled and flowed. As the chorus began, she hummed along with the tune; Law chuckled.

She looked up at him, "What are ya laughin' about?"

"You're always off key." He looked down at her, the stress creasing his eyes had released and now all she could see was amusement.

June smirked and nudged him with her shoulder. "Or maybe I'm just addin' a little bit of spice to it."

"Seems too flat to be considered spice." He mocked.

She gasped exaggeratedly. "See if I ever do somethin' nice for ya again, fuckin' rude is what ya are."

The music faded out and a song featuring a funky bass line and soulful guitar began to play.

"How many songs do you have on it?" He looked back down at the screen.

"Just my favorites, maybe a couple hundred." She considered.

He looked back up at her with disbelief. "You have a couple hundred favorite songs?"

June grew a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Sure, music has always been something I would cling to when things were shit."

"When things were shit?" He parroted.

She nodded solemnly. "Yeah, sometimes that happens."

"Are things shit now?" Law asked.

June was surprised that he would ask that; maybe this was his way of checking in with her after her meltdown last month. Ever since that night, they hadn't talked about her display or how she felt. They had discussed new rules regarding the phone, sure, but there hadn't been a conversation on whether June was still walking on an emotional tightrope.

She thought for a moment then answered, "There are a lot of unideal aspects to my situation right now; I miss home, I miss Ann and Miranda, and I sometimes feel very misplaced. But I think despite that, things aren't shit right now. I like the people I'm surrounded by, I have food, I have shelter, and I feel safe."

"I feel like you have a relatively low bar for comfort compared to most people." He mused.

June laughed, "I suppose I do."

They sat in comfortable silence, listening to a wide range of music. Sometimes Law would comment on whether he liked a specific sound or crinkle his nose in displeasure which would produce a giggle from June before she changed the song.

After about an hour and a more than half killed battery, Law announced that it was closing in on the time to pick up the group from Waffle Still. June silenced the music and gathered the charger then stood to follow Law back into the sub.

His shoulders seemed loose in comparison to earlier when they were practically at his ears, the grip on his sword had slackened, and the stress that had been held in his features had eased into a relaxed, neutral expression.

June thought that draining her battery into the red to help shed Law of that weight was a much worthier way to spend the energy than waiting for a rainbow that may never show.

The captain was unhappy, they could tell.

Maybe it was the crossed arms, maybe it was the glare, maybe it was because he had just said, "I don't like this."

Either way, the whole crew was reading him loud and clear.

Penguin, Shachi, and Tsu had just given their report to the room. They had questioned some of the villagers then swept the island to see if they could find the Birch Pirates' base with minimal results to show for it.

No new information had been learned, but Law seemed to be the only one vexed by this. Everyone else was excitedly chattering amongst themselves about how they now get to go to the bar.

Law reined the attention of the mess hall back to himself, "It looks like everyone is already aware, but now we are moving onto Plan B. We will all leave for the island in a few hours at sunset, I'll need at least three people to stay on board to guard the Tang while we're gone."

"I'll stay, I don't imagine that they'll be able to do much to overwhelm us if I'm here." Jean Bart volunteered.

Two other hands raised in the air. One was Taro, who worked in the kitchen alongside Blake. He had sad, drooping eyes, a goatee, and a tuft of fluffy brown hair atop his head. He was a quiet man; he hadn't spoken more than a few sentences to June since her arrival and seemed to keep to himself. Taro specialized in baking, and his cakes were something that June had begun to develop cravings for.

The other was Ridley. He was a tall, robust man with shoulder length blonde hair and a brazen personality. Ridley was a handyman of sorts, he performed maintenance and repairs on the plumbing and machinery outside of the engine room; he also performed much of he cleaning in his downtime out of a drive to keep his hands busy. June had gotten to know him fairly well since she had started taking over parts of his job as a result of the punishments Law had been handing out to her.

Law nodded. "With that settled, I want to review the objective for tonight. The goal is to create enough noise to lure out the Birches if they're here. No terrorizing the locals but feel free to drink and get loud."

"Oh, don't worry about that, captain! Mission or not, it's still your birthday!" Clione yelled from the back of the room.

Cheers and applause, June was starting to realize how excitable this group was. Law gave an exhausted look to the room and met eyes with June who smiled widely then gave him a thumbs up. He silenced the crew by thumping his sword on the ground a few times while drawing out a long, tired sigh through his nose.

"This isn't about celebrating, keep an eye open for anything suspicious. We will find them tonight and we will get answers. Everyone, meet me on deck in two hours." With that final order, Law broodily left the room. He seemed to do that a lot; abruptly end a meeting, throw out an order, then exit without a further comment.

June thought it was a shame that he got thrown back into a bad mood after such a nice afternoon.

Ikkaku ran across the room and skidded to a halt in front of June's seat. "June!"

"Yeah?" She blinked up at the wild-haired woman.

"We're going out tonight!" Ikkaku seemed to be almost vibrating.

"Yeah?" June drew out the word, her upwards questioning inflection was exaggerated, hoping to pull the point out Ikkaku.

"As women of the Heart Pirates-"

June interrupted her, "You're the only woman of the Heart Pirates."

"Whatever." Ikkaku waved her hand dismissively. "As women who are pirates, I think it's our duty, nay, our right, to get some tonight."

"Some…what?" June's voice was laced with confusion.

Ikkaku bounced her eyebrows suggetively and dropped her tone. "You know, some."

Realization dawned on June's face which quickly morphed into interest. "I'm followin' ya, what's the plan?"

"You and I are gonna transform ourselves from frumpy to fuckable. I don't know about you, but it has been entirely too long for me." Ikkaku grabbed June's hands to pull her into a standing position. "June, would you do me the honor of helping me with my hair?"

June squeezed the woman's hands between her own. "It would be my pleasure, Ikkaku."

"I'm gonna get the rocks from the people staying behind, meet me in my room in a few minutes." Ikkaku released June's hands and began practically skipping over to Jean Bart.

"I'm gonna get some stuff then I'll be there!" June called over her shoulder as jogged out of the room then up the stairs to Law's suite.

When June entered the office area, she saw Law standing in front of his board presumably reviewing the information he had on the Birches. He looked over his shoulder to acknowledge June when he heard the door open and turned back to the board.

She paused for a moment to look upon his back then sighed, there was that tension again. "Heya, Law."

"Hn." He didn't turn around, his eyes remained fixed ahead.

June exhaled a disappointed breath then walked into the bedroom and pulled her suitcase out from underneath the couch. She unzipped the top and clicked her tongue while contemplating the options before her. After a moment of thought, she selected a few articles of clothing, dug a pair of shoes out from the bottom, and grabbed her makeup bag.

She may have also snagged a condom or two from the front pocket.

Suitcase rezipped and pushed back into its home, June then made a stop by the bathroom to pick up a few products and a spray bottle to help smooth her and Ikkaku's curls. Now brandishing an armful, June walked through the office again to leave when Law stopped her.

"What're you doing?"

She stopped in front of the door, feeling as though she had been caught with her hand in the metaphorical cookie jar. She turned to meet his questioning gaze.

"I'm headin' down to meet Ikkaku, we're 'bout to get ready for tonight." June answered.

"What do you need all that for?" He gestured to the pile clutched in her arms.

June smirked. "Girl stuff."

Law's eyes narrowed.

"It's nothin' bad, you'll see." She turned around to open the door then talked in a rush over her shoulder as she walked out. "We might be late to the bar but don't worry, we'll be there. Bye!"

"Stop right there, June-ya." His voice called after her.

"What was that? Can't hear ya over the sound of the door-" She dropped the sentence as the door clicked closed then began running down the hall while laughing aloud to herself.

Being the only female member on the Polar Tang had its perks. Ikkaku was given her own room which resided on the third floor across the hall from the two rooms used to house the men. It wasn't a large room, maybe about half the size of Law's, but it was big enough for a bed, a trunk for her clothes and belongings, a full-length mirror, and a small shelf showcasing various palm-sized sculptures Ikkaku had made from scrap metal.

Over the past two months, June and Ikkaku had gradually developed a budding friendship. June would even occasionally spend the night in her room when they were between islands. Because as fun as it was being chained to a couch in the same room as Law, sometimes her back needed a break even if that came with sharing a slightly too small bed with another person.

The only way that June was allowed to do this though was if Ikkaku locked them in the room using the key she would then wear around her neck while she slept. This was fine, it wasn't as if June was itching to wander the Tang at night and face potential punishment by exploring off-limits sections of the sub; she was usually out like a light the minute that she laid on the mattress anyway.

Ikkaku jumped up from the bed and ushered June into the room as soon as she had walked through the door frame. June dropped her items on the bed then plopped down, Ikkaku began to speak excitedly.

"By the time we're done here, you and I are gonna be turning heads so fast that necks are gonna break!"

June twisted open the spray bottle and added a dollop of conditioner then closed it and shook vigorously. "Well let's get started then, Law ain't gonna be too happy with us if we're late." She opened a space between her knees and gestured for Ikkaku to sit on the floor between them; Ikkaku took her spot and June began to work.

"Did'ya see anyone in town that caught your eye?" June asked as she dampened Ikkaku's hair.

Through the mirror in front of them, she could see Ikkaku's eyes wander off to the side as she recalled the different faces on the island. "There was this one guy running a produce cart in town, he had pretty nice arms. There was also this girl down at the docks who looked like a real tough bitch."

June lifted the top of Ikkaku's hair to get to the hidden layers. "Maybe you'll see them tonight."

"What about you? Did you see anyone?" She asked.

June hummed a thoughtful note then exchanged the spray bottle with another filled with gel, she began combing her slicked fingers through Ikkaku's strands. "Honestly, I wasn't paying attention."

Ikkaku nodded. She was silent for a few minutes while June finished and started twisting the curls into shape.

"What about on the Tang?" She suddenly asked.

June felt her face heat, she ducked her head low to prevent Ikkaku from seeing her in the mirror.

No such luck would be granted this day. "I see that blush! Spill it, who have you been looking at? Don't make me shake it out of you." Ikkaku's lips pulled into an impish grin.

"You do realize that Law would wring my neck if I started sleepin' with crew members, right?"

"Is it Locke? Tsu? Penguin?" She prodded while ignoring June.

"C'mon Ikkaku, why can't we just talk about normal stuff? Like the weather." June whined.

"Honestly, June, what is even the point of being the only two women on this metal tube if we can't occasionally objectify the men in it?" Ikkaku huffed. "Shachi? Is it Shachi?"

"That goblin? Maybe as a last resort." June laughed.

"Is it Uni? I'm pretty sure he has a bit of a thing for you." She was absolutely relentless.

"What, really? You must be imaginin' things 'cause I don't see that at all." June started scrunching Ikkaku's hair to add volume.

"That's because you're dense as hell. A man would literally have to be standing naked in front of you with a rose in his teeth for you to even recognize they might be interested." Ikkaku snickered.

"Excuse me, you're makin' some pretty strong accusations for someone who has only known me for two months." June huffed.

"What can I say? I'm good at reading people." She nudged June's knee with her shoulder in jest. A few moments passed then Ikkaku spoke again. "Is it captain?"

June chose to not even dignify that with a response, instead she stood up and moved to sit in front of the mirror to start working on her own hair. "Start scrunchin', that's your life now until it dries."

A shocked gasp sounded behind June; she saw Ikkaku scramble to sit next to her through the mirror. "It is the captain, isn't it?! That's fucking crazy!"

She kept working, keeping her eyes locked onto her hair. The cold, wet strands chilled her ears and dripped onto the shoulders and chest of her shirt.

"You know, I can see it. He does seem to play with you more than the other crew members, but I just assumed that was a power move to assert dominance over the prisoner." Ikkaku spoke thoughtfully.

June tore her eyes from the mirror and frowned at Ikkaku. "I want ya to listen to the words fallin' outta your mouth and recognize how fuckin' insane you sound."

"Sure, but he is nice to look at, isn't he?" Ikkaku waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

June blushed and frowned harder, choosing to remain silent.

"I mean, not for me of course because I've lived with him for so long and the thought of anyone on this submarine naked makes me gag; but if that's what you're into, I won't judge."

"Can we please just finish getting' ready?" June griped.

Ikkaku cackled and stood up then started unzipping her boiler suit. "Fine. But I'm not gonna let you out of this. I'm gonna start keeping an eye on you two crazy kids, this is just too juicy to not watch."

"There's nothing to watch!" June yelled sharply. "And keep scrunchin' your damn hair, 'else you're gonna ruin my work!"

Ikkaku laughed more and tied the arms of her suit around her waist leaving her bare, aside from a bra, from the waist up. "I'll be the judge of what's worth watching." Ikkaku pulled on a black tank top with the Heart jolly roger printed in yellow on the back. "Man, I wish I could wear literally anything else aside from this suit tonight, but your man would probably have me scrubbing the floors if I didn't wear my uniform for this; I'll make it work though."

June grumbled and kept spraying down her hair, her face had yet to recover from the flush. "I'm gonna let ya take a real close look at my fist if ya keep runnin' your mouth with your nonsense."

Law was working on a buzz.

After another fruitless day where he had yielded zero leads on the Birch Pirates, he felt like his birthday was the perfect excuse to drink his frustration.

He knew they had to be here. All other information he had been able to gather from reports off island told him that this was where the Birches had been spotted multiple times over the past year; their base had to be here on Waffle Still.

Also, he couldn't help but notice that his rebellious prisoner along with one of his engineers were painfully late. It was moments like this when he wondered if potentially gaining an edge on his enemies was worth the hassle of keeping June around.

Law drained half his mug to drown his increasingly sour mood.

"Woah there, captain. You can't get wasted before the night really begins." Shachi reached over and pushed the mug back down to the table from Law's face.

Penguin, Shachi, and Law were currently occupying a half booth in a corner of the bar. The Heart Pirates were playing their part well and loud, announcing their prescence with laughter, dancing, and drinking. There were a few locals mixed in with the crowd, warily staring down the pirates as they nursed their own drinks. They seemed most concerned with Bepo who was standing near a table talking with Uni. Law supposed that was fair, it wasn't too often someone saw a bear in a boiler suit casually drinking beer.

Penguin leaned forward around Shachi to speak with Law. "Captain, do you think this'll be enough to lure them out?"

Law tapped a single impatient finger on the table and stared at the exit across the room from him. "If it isn't, then I guess I'll just have to lead my own search, won't I?"

"Do you mind if I find a friend for the night before you tear up the island?" Penguin asked.

He tore his eyes from the door to land a glare on the man. "We aren't here for pleasure or fun, we are here for a reason."

"C'mon captain, it's been so long since we've been able to cut loose even a little. It can wait until the morning if the Birches don't come out, right? Don't make me beg because I'm not above it." Shachi beseeched.

Law looked around the room to his crew mates, they did look like they were enjoying themselves. He thought over the past month and realized that in his single-minded mission to hunt down the Birches, he hadn't allowed anyone a real break since before Sabaody. Maybe allowing a single night for a morale boost wouldn't be the worst thing Law could allow.

He sighed then turned his eyes back to Shachi and Penguin. "One night. Everyone has one night to enjoy themselves and in the morning I will cleave this island in two if I have to."

Shachi cheered and pumped his fists in the air, Penguin fell silent, he appeared to be staring at the bar with an astonished look.

"Oh shit." Penguin spoke under his breath. "Ikkaku and June really know how to clean up."

Law turned his head to the bar where he saw the duo placing their drink orders, his eyebrows lifted in surprise.

Has June's ass always looked like that?

His eyes fell to the floor, starting at her heeled ankle boots and slowly working his way up her fishnet clad legs. Law's eyes paused to trace her strong thighs which guided him upwards to her shapely rear which was currently barely covered by a short, tight black dress.

That dress hugged each dip and curve, accentuating an hourglass figure that had Law wanting to tear the rest of her clothing to pieces so she would be forced to live in that outfit. June leaned forward over the bar to talk with one of the tenders which caused her dress to ride up the back of her thighs slightly; that's when Law realized those fishnets were held up by a garter belt.

His mouth suddenly felt very dry.

Law wanted nothing more than to tangle his fingers in those tights and dig his fingerprints into the soft skin underneath while he bit at the juncture where her hip met her thigh.

June's head turned to talk to Ikkaku while they waited on their order and Law was finally able to see the full picture.

Typically frizzed and wild curls had been tamed to appear soft, loose, and mussed to rest on her shoulders. Bright, bespeckled honey eyes were enhanced by smoked out browns and reds. Her cheeks were flushed from what Law assumed had been her short walk through the autumn air and her full, smirking lips were rosy and glossed; the entire look had given June a kiss-bitten, recently ravaged appearance.

She was absolute sin that had been masquerading as an occasional coy temptation.

Up until now, Law knew that he held at least a minor attraction to the woman. He would occasionally indulge in harmless flirting or a momenary wandering eye; but now he realized that this ran a tad deeper than just a basic fleeting appeal.

This felt entirely off-limits and dangerous.

Shachi whistled a low note. "It's been a while since I've seen Ikkaku put together like that, I wonder what those two have planned."

Law didn't answer, his eyes seemed stuck on June's swaying hips as she walked over to the table, a pint of beer gripped in her hand and a wide grin pulling at her lips. Now that he had discovered there was a problem, he could figure out a plan to eliminate whatever this was.

June and Ikkaku landed at the table, placing their drinks down with a dull thud. They whispered to each other and laughed at a private joke before June spoke to the group.

"In honor of Captain Captor's birthday tonight, I wll be findin' a mildly interestin' man to fuck. I never got my vacation so I figure now would be as good a time as any."

Now there was an idea.

How long had it been since Law had enjoyed a night of tension-relieving sex with a woman who he would forget the name of the next morning? Maybe if he did, it'd clear up this craving he's having. However, there was a problem with something June had said.

"You know you're not allowed to go anywhere without a crew member, June-ya. You can't leave the bar."

June locked eyes with him and took a sip of her beer, Law's eyes watched her tongue poke out to lick up a bead of her drink from her bottom lip. "Who said anythin' about leavin' the building?"

Law raised an eyebrow at her. "This bar doesn't have an inn attached to it either."

"That's what closets, backrooms, and bathrooms are for, Law." June winked; Law could feel that craving gnaw at him.

Penguin gasped. "June, I didn't know you had it in you!"

"That's the problem, Penguin, I don't. But if the night goes accordin' to plan, then I will." She answered cheekily.

Shachi leaned across the table towards June. "Maybe we can help each other out then."

She looked the man up and down with a considering eye then took another sip of her drink while shooting an amused glance to Ikkaku. "Get permission from the boss man, then we'll talk."

Shachi turned his gaze towards Law then waggled his eyebrows and tilted his head towards June; Law gave him a deadpan look. "No."

He leaned in close to Law and whispered pleadingly. "Come on, captain."

Law understood, he really did. The thought of those fishnet clad thighs wrapped around his waist was appealing enough to make him consider breaking a couple of rules.

"No." He was unsure if he said that to Shachi or to remind himself that he was stronger than his baser urges.

Shachi sat back with a frown. "I'll remember this next time I wake up during the night wanting a snack and I won't feel bad when I raid the fridge."

June cleared her throat to interrupt them, "Well, with that settled. I thought it would only be polite if I offered the birthday boy my first dance of the night." She extended a hand and wiggled her fingers at Law.

He stared at those fingers; they might as well have been tiny, red warning flags waving in the air. He briefly imagined what her body might feel like pressed against his, what her skin tasted like, what sounds she would make when he-

"No." Law's eyes dropped to the bottom of his glass. Maybe he should slow down, obviously he's been impaired.

June tsked and pulled her hand back. "Don't ya know any other word besides "no"?"

The corner of Law's mouth quirked up. When he opened his mouth to reply, her hand shot out to place a single finger on his lips to stop him.

"I swear, Law, if ya say it again I'm gonna have a conniption." She threatened.

He spoke against her finger, "Wouldn't want that, I can't think of anything else for you to clean."

She huffed out a laugh and pushed up on the tip of Law's nose, causing his head to tilt backward slightly before she pulled back. His eyes traced her smiling lips and bounced from each unique freckle to the next on her cheeks. In that moment, he decided that his favorite one was the spot living on the corner of her left eye that crinkled with her joy.

"Enjoy your drink, I'm gonna find someone who actually knows how to have a good time. If ya change your mind, come find me; ya gotta let loose eventually." And with that, June lifted her drink and wandered off to one of the other tables.

Law watched her walk away for a second when the sound of a stifled snort pulled his eyes over to Ikkaku who was concealing a poorly restrained laugh behind her hand; he raised an eyebrow at her.

"What was that?" Penguin asked.

"A terrible idea." He gave a pointed look to Penguin and Shachi indicating he was done with the conversation then lifted his mug to pull another mouthful of his drink.

As Law licked the foam off his tingling lips, he looked around the room to see if he could find something to satiate him.

"Hey fellas, how's your night goin'?" June asked as she approached one of the tables in the middle of the room currently occupied by Locke, Clione, Uni, and Bepo.

"Woah, hey June! I almost didn't recognize you." Clione answered. "We're just enjoying the night before we're called to action. What about you?"

"I'm tryna' find someone to dance with me before I go on a mission of my own, any takers?" June held her hand palm up a few inches in front of her.

"You're on a mission, June? Did captain ask you to do something?" Bepo asked.

She laughed, "No, nothing like that; this is more of a personal goal. Do you wanna dance, Bepo?"

He looked around the room and sighed. "I don't think there's enough space for me. Sorry, maybe next time."

She reached up and patted the bear's cheek. "I'm gonna hold ya to that, Bepo." June turned to address the table again. "Alright, I'm gonna start voluntelling someone if no one grabs this hand." June lifted her hand up again. "Uni? You've got good moves, how 'bout it?"

Uni vigorously shook his head; she could see the signs of a blush creeping over his bandanna and onto his ears.

She pouted, "Really? Ya catch some nerves or sometin'? How about you, Clione?"

"Afraid not, June. I'd probably break your toes." Clione didn't look up from the hand of cards he was holding, currently engrossed in the game he was playing with Uni.

June huffed and rolled her eyes to Locke. "Looks like you're up, I didn't realize dancin' with me would be such a chore."

He smiled then chugged the rest of his pint. He set the glass on the table as he stood. "That's not it at all, you're just intimidating. I mean, who has ever heard of someone asking a pirate to dance?"

She set her own half-filled tankard down and allowed Locke to grab her hand. "But not to you, is that right?"

Locke began to lead her out onto the dance floor. "Of course not, how could I be scared of someone who I could probably throw halfway across this room."

"So, you're telling me that Law is scared of me too?" June smirked up at the man.

"Nah, captain just doesn't dance." He shrugged.

They found an open spot among a small crowd of dancing pirates. The three-man band playing nearby began a new, upbeat song full of lively notes and energetic rhythm. Locke grabbed one of June's hands then placed his other on her waist, he grinned down at her as he started dancing her backwards with bouncing steps. He led her expertly through the crowd, moving them in circles as the music began to build.

June laughed as he twirled her then she moved in close to take the lead and dance him around the floor, weaving through dancing bodies as they went. He chuckled as she spun him in dizzying circles. Locke caught one of her legs then lifted her off the ground to dip her headfirst towards the floor, June gasped as her world inverted then squealed as he spun her once more. She felt the blood rush to her head and a giddy feeling take hold in her chest as she heard the song begin to reach it's peak.

Locke righted June and lifted her by her waist so she was above him, June planted her hands on his shoulders for balance. She looked around the room in awe then beamed down at him. "I guess ya weren't lyin' when ya said ya could throw me across the room."

"Don't be so shocked, we gotta be able to keep up with the captain after all."

June was slowly lowered to the ground as the music mellowed into its final notes, they swayed to the rich sound of a piano. Locke ended the dance with a bow, June curtsied with a giggle, then he offered her his elbow to escort her back to the table.

"Where'd ya learn to do that? Ya really surprised me." June asked.

"I used to have to take lessons when I was a kid. It's been a good way to impress the ladies when we've been on shore." He explained.

"Well consider me impressed, I might have'ta snag ya again before the night is up." She mused.

"Hmm, maybe. But I can't have you on my arm too much, might give the wrong idea if I start talking to someone."

"Fine, I guess I won't cramp your style too much." She sighed. "Thanks for the dance though, it warmed me up; I didn't wanna risk ruining that jacket you got me today."

"I should be thanking you, now I've got a couple of eyes on me." He threw a wink over to a brunette sitting at the bar who waved coquettishly back.

They had reached the table and June pushed Locke in the direction of the bar with a laugh. "Go get'em, just be sure to still be here for the reveal."

He threw a thumbs up over his shoulder as he sauntered over to the woman.

June went to pick up her drink when she noticed a set of eyes watching her from behind the bar, the man they belonged to flashed her a sly smile and she figured that maybe this could be a promising encounter.

"I'm gettin' a drink." She stated and began her walk to the bar.

"But you've still got some right here!" Exclaimed Clione.

"Keep it!" She called back.

June took her seat on a wooden barstool in front of a bartender with stormy, gray eyes and long, sandy hair half tied up to keep the strands out of his eyes. He was handsome, seemed confident, and June would say that at least on the surface, he appeared mildly interesting.

He placed his hands on on the surface of the bar and leaned his weight in. "Hey, I'm Amon. How can I help you tonight?"

"June. And I don't have any money. I figured I should come over and introduce myself to the person leering at me from the bar." She smirked.

His smile grew. "Sorry, you were just putting on such a performance that I just couldn't look away. How about one on the house then, for being a creep?"

"I'll take ya up on that, just a beer then. Thanks."

He pulled out a glass then filled it under the tap and placed it neatly in front of June. "So, what's your story? You don't carry yourself like any pirate I've ever seen."

June traced the lip of the glass in front of her with a finger. "How 'bout ya go first?"

He chuckled and leaned his elbows onto the bar. "Wow, tough crowd. Well, I help run this bar with my dad, Tobin, over there." Amon pointed his thumb over his shoulder to a brick house of a man with a stern face and a graying head of hair paired with an impressive salt and pepper beard. "I've been on this island my whole life so unfortunately there isn't too many interesting things I could tell you. However, I do enjoy experimenting with different brews and living vicariously through the travelers that wander into my bar; otherwise, I'm pretty boring."

"You made this?" June lifted her drink.

"Yeah, we got some pecan and nutmeg going on in there. Shocking, I know; coming from an autumn island and everything." Amon rubbed the back of his head bashfully.

She swigged her drink and took a moment to taste the flavors then swallowed. "Y'know, it does taste like a harvest festival in my mouth, so I'd say ya did a good job."

"Thanks! Though I bet my dad would say you're gonna give me a big head. But now, I think it's your turn. I stand by what I said earlier, you don't seem like the normal kind of pirate we get here. Most of them are either like that stand-offish guy in the corner or they're like that one talking to Iris, full of swagger and bravado."

June averted her eyes to watch her thumbs stroke the sides of the drink in her grip, wiping away the condensation from the glass and allowing water droplets to travel down into her palm. "Well, that might be because I'm not a pirate. I'm more of a temporary passenger or an advisor."

She looked up to meet Amon's stare, he tilted his head to the side and spoke. "How cryptic. I wonder how you started traveling with a band of pirates then."

"That's kind'uv a long story. I was a nurse originally, specializing in psychiatrics; though I don't do too much of that anymore. But I help out where I can."

"Wow, June, I think you might be one of the more interesting people I've talked to here."

"Wow, this must be a very boring island." She mocked.

"Do you see why I might be interested in a beautiful "not-a-pirate" spinning around my bar then?" He smirked. "I'm pretty sure that's the liveliest thing I've seen in a minute and I'm not quite sure why you're sitting here rather than continuing on out there."

She crossed her arms and leaned onto the bar. "Being stuck on a submarine full of pirates, could you see why I might be interested in a "pretty boring" bartender?"

Amon laughed heartily, "I guess I could, but hopefully I'm not so boring that you'll lose interest. So, what's your crew doing here on Waffle Still? There's not much going on here." He asked.

"Oh!" June gestured vaguely over to Law. "That stand-offish guy in the corner over there is the captain. It's his birthday today so the crew decided to drag him out, we happened to be in the neighborhood."

"Is that right? And what about you? Do you have any plans tonight?" His eyes dragged none too discreetly over her form before landing back on her eyes.

June smiled. "Maybe I was interested taking a crash course in brewing."

"We could head to mine in a while and I can give you a tour?" He asked.

Her smile shrank. "Ah, see, I can't actually leave the bar but, maybe ya have some stuff ya can show me in the back?"

She could see a heat in his stare and June felt her interest pique. Her gaze traveled Amon's toned shoulders down his muscled biceps to his strong forearms before snapping up to his eyes.

"You know," His voice was low and husky. "I think I might just have something in the storeroom that you might be interested in."

June bit her lip to supress a suggestive smile "Sounds like a plan, when are ya free?"

"How about after a round of birthday shots for your crew; maybe it'll get that captain of yours to lighten up." He grabbed a serving tray from underneath the bar then laid it out flat. "On the house, of course." Amon said with a cheeky wink.

"Ooo, someone's feelin' generous." June grabbed another swig of her drink.

He shrugged. "I gotta thank your captain for bringing you here somehow."

June hopped off her stool with a laugh. "Alright, lady killer. I'm gonna round 'em up, see ya in a minute."

She walked to Law's table, a bounce in her step, and acknowledged him with a "howdy captain" before pulling out and standing on a free chair.

Law looked up at her. "What exactly are yo-"

"Shots at the captain's table! Ya'll better line up!" She yelled across the bar.

Loud sounds of delight called across the room before the rest of the crew rushed the table. June plopped back down in the seat and shot a wide grin at Law's baffled expression.

"Nice! How'd you swing that, June?" Penguin asked.

"I"ve got my ways." She said smugly.

After a couple of minutes, Amon was working his way through the crowd, handing out shot glasses to each Heart Pirate; except for Bepo who received a small bowl. Amon made his way to the table and handed Law a glass then turned to June and gave her the last one on his tray with a wink and a smile.

Ikkaku leaned into June's space to whisper in her ear, voice tinged with mirth. "How mildly interesting."

June pinked and out of the corner of her eye she saw Law look from her to Amon with an odd expression.

Locke's voice called over the chattering crowd. "Alright, I think it's time for a grand reveal! Heart Pirates, on the count of three! One! Two! Three!"

"Happy birthday!" The entire crew shouted loud enough to rattle the windows; each individual member thrusted a hand-painted rock in Law's direction.

June beamed as she watched his eyes zip from rock to rock. Each one had been painted to resemble a crew member with varying degrees of accuracy. She watched as his seemingly permanent scowl began to soften as his eyes slowed down to begin taking in the details of each one.

He looked to her then, "Why do I feel like you had a part in this?"

"Because that would be the right assumption." June reached into the top of her bra and pulled out a rock of her own, she had painted it to look like Law featuring a wry grin. She offered it to him on her palm and leaned in closer with a knowing look. "Y'know, 'cause of your rock collection."

Law lifted it from June's palm to examine closer; he mirrored the rock's expression and huffed a laugh.

Shachi stood up and shouted, "He loves it! Celebration drink!"

Everyone downed their shots and cheered as a small, burlap sack was passed around for everyone to throw their stones in until it reached Law who dropped his own into the bag and pocketed it; June felt warm joy blossom in her chest.

A low voice spoke into June's ear. "Do you want to see that backroom now?"

She looked up and met eyes of stormy gray framed by long strands of sand. "Lead the way." June felt a swift smack on her ass as she stood up and heard Ikkaku call, "Get it!"

June turned around briefly to send her a rude, single-fingered gesture.

Amon guided her through the crowd and behind the bar to a door. He opened it then gestured for June to walk ahead of him with a bow; she giggled and walked through.

Inside was exactly what June would expect from a storage room at a bar. Shelving, wooden kegs, some boxes, and crates. Amon shut the door behind him and strolled to the front of her as she took in her surroundings.

"Welcome to where ideas are born, and my back suffers." He held his arms out as if presenting the space.

June slowly sauntered over to a wooden crate while feigning immense interest. "Wow, I can really feel the magic." She lifted herself up and plopped herself on the crate. "Walk me through your process, how d'ya come up with your ideas?"

He took a step towards her. "Usually, it starts with a craving." June watched his eyes trail up her legs.

Another step. "I usually can't get it out of my mind until I can figure out what it is I'm wanting to taste." His inspecting gaze paused at her collar line for a moment before continuing up to meet her eyes.

A final step and he was there in front of her. "But when I do, I don't stop until I get the perfect flavor."

"Sounds complicated." She murmured.

"Not really, I'm pretty good at what I do." He lifted his hands to gently grasp the sides of June's face.

"That's a big claim, I hope ya can back it up."

Amon gave her another sly smile and as a response, leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. His kiss started soft and slow but quickly began to gain in heat and pressure as he leaned into her.

It definitely felt good however, June just wasn't as into it as Amon was; this was more of a "means-to-an-end" sort of situation for her.

She had an itch that needed a good scratch and living as a captive in close quarters with the Heart Pirates had hindered her finding relief. June allowed her eyelids to fall shut as she tried to lose herself to the touches and caresses of the man currently sensually moving his lips against her own.

Her mind began to wander.

June listened to the laughter of the Heart Crew outside the door, heard the music ebb and flow as Amon slid his hands down from her cheeks to her neck.

She wondered if she'd be able to convince Law to dislodge that stick from his ass and give her that dance; he really needed to learn how to relax.

June's hands slowly traveled up from Amon's chest to thread into a mess of unruly, dark hair. She clutched the strands and elicited a deep sigh from the man. She pushed back against the kiss and nibbled his lower lip. His mouth opened, and a curious tongue met her own with a playful lick.

She wondered if Law even knew how to dance.

Wandering hands tattooed with morbid promises dragged down her form to roughly grasp her hips and pull her close, June moaned softly then wrapped her legs around his waist.

June tugged at the hem of Amon's shirt, they separated long enough for him to roughly remove it; she heard it land somewhere on the floor before his lips began to trail teasing nips and kisses down her neck. She lightly scratched her nails down his chest and felt muscles sporting the image of a large, familiar smile quiver and flex under her fingertips.

Law would probably move stiffly, awkwardly. He seemed like the kind of guy that had trouble coordinating his long limbs to a rhythm. June imagined that he would probably step on her toes and scuff her shoes.

Calloused hands rubbed her thighs before pushing her dress up. June buried her face into his neck and inhaled a gasp when the heel of a palm ground against her apex. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she inhaled. He smelt like spiced rum with a hint of sweat, which shouldn't surprise her, but why had she been expecting something different?

Something rich and earthy.

A loud crash came from the other side of the door, the muffled sound of splintering wood and breaking glass had June rearing her head back and opening her eyes out of shock.

She met a lustful, hazel gaze and wondered why she felt disappointed that they weren't amber.

"What was that?" June pulled her body away.

Amon tried to pull her back by her hips. "It's probably nothing, sometimes pirates get a bit wild when they drink.

Several dull thumps and the sound of more glass shattering reached June's ears.

"That doesn't sound like nothin'. As rowdy as they are, I don't think they'd do that much damage for no reason." She pushed him away and hopped off the box then pulled down her dress as she walked over to the exit.

June opened the door a crack to peek through. It took a handful of seconds to realize what she was seeing but when she had, it only took two to understand the series of events that had led up to it.

The Heart Pirates were spread across the room, unconscious. Some had draped over tabletops, others were slumped in their chairs. A handful of unlucky ones had fallen on the floor, clipping tables and smashing mugs on the way down. June guessed the first sound she had heard had been Bepo who appeared to have taken out an entire table on his way down.

Her jaw clenched as she observed the men that had been watching them throughout the night tying the crew's arms behind their backs and legs together before carrying them out the front door. Amon's father attached a set of what appeared to be sea stone handcuffs to Law's wrists then threw the captain over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. As Tobin walked out the door, another man who appeared to be a dock worker stopped him in the doorway.

"Is that him?" He asked gruffly.

"Yeah. If he wakes up before we get there, the cuffs should keep him docile." Tobin grunted.

The dock worker walked around Tobin to look at Law. He roughly removed Law's hat and tossed it carelessly to the floor where it landed amongst the piles of glass and debris. He gripped Law by the hair and turned the captain's head to look upon his face then dropped the grip, the dock worker wore a look of disgust.

"Why in the hell did they have to come here? I'm fuckin' sick of pirates!" His voice was filled with disdain.

"It feels like one group gets taken out and three more take their place." Tobin sighed then began walking out the front door again. "Keep going, we need to move them before they start waking up."

The dock hand mumbled his agreement and lifted Penguin.

June quietly closed the door and turned around to face Amon. He looked pleased, almost like he was expecting praise. She crossed her arms and cocked her hip. "So, you knocked them out with somethin' in those shots. Why? D'y'all work for the Birch Pirates? We know they're here, or maybe this whole town is part of some wacky scheme of its own?" She asked coldly.

Amon's smile dropped a centimeter. "What a weird way to say thank you, you're welcome by the way. I see that hole in your chest, it's hard to hide something that big that's missing. Obviously, you've been forced onto that ship and that pirate out there took your heart from you, I'm saving you."

He began to slowly saunter over to June who held her glare. "When you all arrived yesterday and started asking questions, we knew immediately who you all were. We keep close track of the bounties here and even though yours is new, you're still pretty recognizable if you know who you're looking at."

Amon stopped inches from her and reached out to begin stroking her arm with his knuckles. "You were right though; the Birch Pirates are here. They set up a base about six months back, took our town hostage and stole our food. They terrorized our people, made us do their dirty work too; you should understand some of what that's like. We finally made a deal with them, they give us back the island and stay in their own corner if we bring them any pirates that land here."

"Don't touch me." June slapped his hand away. "My heart is absolutely bleedin' for y'all, but you just knocked out all of my friends and ya expect me to be thankin' you?!" She spat.

"You're different, June! You're not a pirate! And the Birches? They're going to turn over the Heart Pirates to the marines and collect on the bounty." He grabbed her shoulders and stared intently into her eyes. "You're free now."

She pushed his arms out and away from her. "What the fuck did I just tell ya about touchin' me?! Back the hell up, ya don't know shit about me or them!"

June ducked around him and paced to the other side of the room, she chewed on her lip while she frantically tried to think of what she could even do in this situation. "I gotta get back to the sub."

"Didn't you hear me? That asshole doesn't own you anymore and I'm not letting you leave this room. By the way, I still haven't heard a "thank you". Why don't we get back to what we were doing before and we can call it square?"

June sputtered out a mirthless laugh. "This little arrangement ended the second Bepo's face met the floor." She pointed at the exit behind Amon. "I'll be leavin' through that door, and you'll let me, otherwise I'm gonna kick your ass to get through it."

"Not gonna happen." He walked over to a shelf by the exit and picked up a length of rope stored there. "I think you've been stuck with them too long, you should hang out here for a while and cool your head."

June took a deep breath and relaxed into a fighting stance with two fists up to guard her face. "Amon, I'm gonna give ya one last chance before I go through you."

Amon put his arm through the center of the coil of rope to wear it across his chest as he advanced. "I'm not a fan of hitting women, but if I need to knock you out and tie you up to make you see reason then I will."

"Suit yourself, it's your concussion."

His arm shot out to grab at June's shoulder, she ducked and dodged to the right then hit him in the stomach with an uppercut. Amon violently exhaled all the air in his lungs as he curled inward to grab his stomach. As his head came down, June put both her hands on the back of his head and assisted his face in slamming into the top of her knee. She felt the crunch of his nose breaking before landing a kick to the center of his chest, sending him splaying out onto the floor on his back.

Amon coughed violently and began gasping for air, blood covered the lower half of his face and started soaking into his shirt.

"Stay down." June planted a boot to his chest, keeping him down with half her weight to his solar plexus when he tried to sit up.

He looked up at her, rage colored his features. Amon grabbed her ankle and with a shout, he pushed June's leg upward causing her to twist around and lose balance. Her back was exposed as she tripped forward a few paces. June felt Amon wrap his arm around her neck in a choke hold.

He spoke next to her face, his garbled words sprayed flecks of blood onto her right cheek. "Fucking bitch, maybe I should hand you over with the rest of them."

June's vision began to turn spotted and her head light as she struggled to regain her footing. She grabbed Amon's arm, digging her nails into his flesh as she worked to create space for her neck. Finally, she was able to shift her weight enough to plant her feet flat on the floor. She dropped her chin to her chest to create a larger gap in the hold then quick as a flash used both her hands to push Amon's elbow up and over her head, knocking him in the nose in the process.

She stumbled off to the side and caught herself on the wall, catching her breath and clearing her vision while she listened to Amon let out a string of curses. She quickly turned around to set her fighting stance, eyes watering and shoulders shaking from forcibly subduing her coughing.

Amon advanced on her again, fist pulled back. He threw a wild punch at her, anger and frustration making him reckless. She dodged to the left which caused him to fall off balance as he whiffed by her face.

She saw an opening.

June threw her left elbow into the side of his head; Amon crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

She leaned over, planting her hands on her knees to coughed harshly then stood up straight to rub her aching neck. "Damn June, ya really know how to pick 'em." Her voice sounded hoarse; she coughed again.

June checked his breathing and pulse then removed the rope from Amon's shoulders and used it to tie his arms behind his back. She turned him on his side and used his discarded shirt to prop his head up.

"Looks like your bleeding is slowing down, asshole; lucky you."

There was a knock at the door.

"Amon? Are you in there?" The voice of a man called.

June panicked as she quickly tried to think of a way to get the man to leave. She scurried over to the wooden box on the other side of the room. June swallowed her pride as she began to slap the surface in a constant rhythm.

"Oh, Amon." She moaned breathily. "Right there, fuck, don't stop!"

June heard the man on the other side of the door sigh. "Amon, you gotta stop sneaking off when we do this. We're heading to the Birches, see you when we get back."

She moaned again, loudy, and carried on as she listened to the retreating footsteps on the other side of the door. When June was sure he was gone, she stopped then kicked the box out of embarrassment and anger.

Just exactly how many times had Amon done this? Sweet talked a woman then let his village haul off her crew to the Birch Pirates.

She moved to the door to leave, then paused when she looked down to grab the doorknob and spotted her mostly bare legs paired with her hardly combat appropriate dress. June thought for a moment then walked back over to Amon and smirked down at his unconscious body.

One pair of stolen pants rolled up to fit on her legs and tied at the waist with a pair of fishnet stockings later, June was peeking out the door leading back into the bar. The villagers and Heart Pirates had been cleared out leaving behind fractured wood, broken glass, and spilled booze. She slowly stepped out, shards of glass crunched underneath her boots as she walked to the center of the room while carefully watching the exit. As she passed Law's hat, she picked up the discarded article and shook the debris from the fabric. Hat clutched in hand, June made her way to the door then slowly poked her head outside and looked for any approaching person.

The town square of Waffle Still was eerily silent.

Previously bustling, energized cobblestone streets were now empty and darkened.

As June exited the bar, she fixed her gaze down the hill to the docks where the Polar Tang had been anchored. She figured that the best idea would be to gather Jean Bart, Ridley, and Taro then free the rest of the crew. Her heart pounded and her breath quickened as a thrill of fear shot through her chest.

The Polar Tang had been overtaken. Large, thick vines had coiled itself around the exterior of the submarine and suspended it high above the water. The vessel swayed in the wind, the Polar Tang looked almost like a large, sad yellow flag waving in the air.

June buried her face into Law's hat and let out a string of muffled expletives ending in a frustrated scream. She dropped the hat to her side after a couple of seconds, her eyes pointed at the ground. Her head tilted to the side and she crouched when she spotted what seemed to be cart tracks leading off the street and behind the bar. June stood and began running after the tracks, she followed the trail out of town towards a dense forest far back on the island.

Ahead of her she spotted the cart, filled to the brim with Heart Pirates being pulled by two horses and led by Tobin with a group of men. June quickly ducked into a bush and watched the cart approach a wall of trees. The edge of the forest seemed near impenetrable; the trees stood so close together that it seemed impossible that the cart would be able to enter. When Penguin, Shachi, and Tsu had investigated the island earlier in the day, they had found the forest and reported that it was unbreachable due to the thick foliage.

Tobin pulled an item out of his pocket and brought it to his lips. Three loud bursts from a whistle pierced the air and echoed off the wall of the forest. Seconds later, the trees in front of the cart shook then sank into the ground revealing a dirt path. Tobin and the men pushed forward, leading the cart into the dark heart of the forest. June, panting and sweating, watched as they disappeared into the shadows and the sounds of the creaking cartwheels had faded.

She hopped out and jogged over to the wooded opening. She stared down the path, listening for any noise. There was nothing, not even a cricket. June chewed on her tongue ring and weighed her options.

She could chase after the cart and find the Birch Pirates' base or she could sit and wait, hoping for the Heart Crew to escape and find their way out of the forest. What would she do if she found the base anyway? What could June possibly do if she was put up against an entire crew of pirates, at least one of which obviously had some sort of Devil Fruit Ability?

Her internal debate was cut short by the sound of shaking leaves.

June's legs pushed her forward onto the dirt path without a thought and suddenly, the trees previously hiding the entrance into the forest had returned, effectively trapping her. She turned around and ran her hands over the tree trunks, she could barely squeeze her arm between them with how close they stood by each other. June turned around to stare down the path, faintly illuminated by stray beams of moonlight filtering through the branches above her.

She swallowed her apprehension and pulled Law's hat onto her head as she began her careful walk into the forest. She figured that if she wasn't going to get laid tonight, she might as well try to raise hell for the people who had ruined her plans.

June was starting to feel like a pirate.

Notes:

...And then she got lost in the woods never to be seen again.

The end. :)

Chapter 13: Sad Smiles

Summary:

June considers launching a solo rescue mission and is terrible at planning, Law finds more opportunities for doctoring, the both of them are kind of a disaster.

CW: Minor reference to sexual assault

Notes:

Spoilers on SMILEs and lineage factors towards the middle.

This chapter did not want to quit, I could have written 20k just on this alone. Shit was ridiculous and took forever to type out.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The sound of wind gently traveling through blades of grass playfully caressed Law's ears.

Looking around, Law saw that he was sitting on a hill underneath the shade of a tree overlooking an endless seafoam green field. His crewmates were spread out before him, lounging in the tall grass and laughing gleefully at a clear, purple sky above them.

"Hey."

A soft voice called to him, like an echo speaking over an incredible distance.

Someone sat next to him.

Law felt heavy, his body disjointed from his consciousness. As hard as he tried, he found that he was unable to turn his head to acknowledge the person but despite this, he didn't feel panic. In fact, he felt relaxed.

This must be a dream, Law thought vaguely. He couldn't remember the last time his sleep wasn't plagued with fire or the stench of decaying flesh. The wind picked up again, he silently watched the expansive field sway and dance like waves in the ocean.

Law felt fingers comb through his hair, he hummed pleasurably at the feeling. A woman's voice murmured into his ear.

"This isn't real, but ya already knew that. Ya need to wake up, Law. You're in danger."

He shook his head; he didn't want this to end. Everything before him, everything he was feeling at this moment was perfect.

A hand gently took hold of his chin to turn his gaze toward the hazy image of a woman next to him. Law couldn't make out her features despite only sitting inches from her, it was odd. All he could see were constellations of stars decorating her face, there was an especially bright one nestled in the corner of her left eye.

Her hand traveled upward to cradle his cheek, Law leaned sluggishly into the touch and sighed. Why should he do anything right now? He would be perfectly happy to live in this moment forever.

The woman laughed; it was filled with such joy that it sparked a feeling of giddiness in his chest.

"See, I knew ya were putting up a front. You're just as cuddly as the rest of us."

Law wanted to speak, to deny those claims with a sarcastic remark but his mouth felt full of cotton. This was fine though, ultimately this moment was his alone and he could indulge in it as he wished. It felt like he was reaching through molasses in order to lift his hand to grasp the one on his face, he slowly turned his head to plant a soft kiss to the palm.

The woman scoffed.

"Don't be sweet with me, ya need to wake up. We all need ya out there, I'm probably losing my mind or worse."

Her thumb traced the outline of his lower lip.

"Please come back." She whispered pleadingly.

Law was jostled awake when the cart hit a rock on the dirt path, the details of his dream were quickly muddied and forgotten. He groaned lowly, his head felt like it was splitting open, bile rose in the back of his throat. The world swayed and turned in on itself as the sound of rattling wooden wheels pierced his eardrums painfully. Confusion took hold, he didn't recognize where he was or recall how he ended up in this position.

He felt weak, unnaturally so. Panic replaced confusion as reality began to settle into his consciousness. Law's head bobbed forward, he heard the rattle of chains behind his back, felt cool metal against his wrists. Sea stone handcuffs, he assumed.

Law weakly lifted his head to take in his surroundings properly. He was in a large, wooden cart attached to two horses. The gray-haired bartender along with two dock workers were leading the horses through a dark, dense forest. All around Law were the bodies of unconscious Heart Pirates in a similar state as him. He counted the members and saw everyone that had been at the bar was currently present.

Wait.

Counting again, he ran over the attendance list in his brain. No, they were all here, but his impaired mind couldn't shake the feeling that someone was missing; he counted once more.

Amber eyes widened in silent realization as they darted from person to bear to person. Where the hell was June?

Ear ringing pain erupted behind his eyes as Law forced his brain to remember.

They had been at the bar, there had been drinking and music. June had gone off to dance before returning with the younger bartender who had served shots to the crew. There was gifts, merriment, then everyone drank their shots before Law watched June disappear into a backroom with the bartender.

Then nothing, and he awoke in this cart.

It was obvious what had happened. There had been a sedative mixed in with those shots for reasons that Law could only speculate on. He felt confident in assuming that the secretiveness of Waffle Still was linked to the Birch Pirates. This cart must be moving to the Birches and that meant nothing good for him and his crew.

But what had happened to June? A twinge of cold worry made a home in his chest. If the whole town was in on this plot, then so was that bartender which could mean any number of things may have happened to her. Law silently swore that when he saw June again, he would have her scrub the entirety of the Tang from top to bottom with a toothbrush.

The cart pulled into a large clearing, in the center it looked as if a large tree had grown into the shape of a two-story building. By the light of the moon, he could see stacks of wooden crates against the side wall labeled with the Donquixote Pirate jolly roger. Outside the building stood a group of men, twenty-three in total, Law assumed them to be the elusive Birch Pirates. They were an unkempt bunch, dressed in greens and browns and covered with leaves and dirt.

They were all fools.

Gradually, the cart came to a stop, a middle-aged man donning a green waistcoat with thinning, brown hair sauntered cockily over to the older bartender. Keaton Birch, captain of the Birch Pirates and wielder of an ability that allowed him to summon a vast variety of plant life with the snap of his fingers.

"Ho, Tobin! Seems like you've got quite the catch for me this time!" Keaton shouted.

The bartender, Tobin, remained silent. He stared down at the captain with obvious disdain before turning to lead Keaton to the back of the cart. Law visually tracked them as they walked to stand next to him, he pulled his face into a neutral expression when his eyes met Keaton's.

Keaton cackled loudly, the sound bounced off the forest and created another cascade of pain that bounced around Law's head causing his eyes to water.

"Well, well, well! Look at who we have here, the famed Surgeon of Death. And his crew too! We're gonna get a hefty amount of coin when we hand you lot over."

Law grunted to clear his throat and licked his dry lips; his voice was hoarse. "You must be the biggest group of idiots I have ever seen."

"We must be doing something right if we have the Heart Pirates trailing after us." Keaton sneered. He snapped his fingers, thick vines sprouted out of the ground, grabbing each member of the Heart Crew to place them on the ground near the cart. Keaton addressed his crew then, "Lock them up in the cells down below, two to three each except for Trafalgar. He can get the spacious one closest to the staircase, we gotta be hospitable after all."

Law rolled his eyes, he watched as his crew were none too kindly carried or dragged away.

"I'll be taking my leave then. We held up our end and we expect you to keep your word." Tobin spoke gruffly as he moved to grab the horses by their reins.

Keaton waved him off dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, sure. If you can manage to pull your mayor out of the bottle, give him my thanks."

Law was lifted and thrown over the shoulder of a man who smelt of stale sweat and dirt. The blood rushing to his head caused Law's head to pound painfully. He winced and watched as the villagers, along with the cart, disappeared back into the inky, black forest. His watering eyes must have been deceiving him though, because Law could swear he saw his hat ducking behind a tree.

June was in over her head.

Seriously, what did she think she could do? Following that cart through the woods was a terrible idea. At this moment, she was peeking out from behind a tree, watching the Birches carry the Heart Crew inside. Anxiety pooled in her chest; her mind empty of ideas aside from the urge to sprint out of the forest.

She quickly ducked back into her hiding spot as the cart passed.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips when it disappeared into the shadows of the forest, she looked back toward the clearing just as Law got hoisted up on a large man's shoulders.

Someone tapped her shoulder.

June whipped around and reflexively threw out a backhanded fist; a large hand wrapped around her clenched fist to halt the attack. Her eyes widened as a thrill of fear shocked through her system when she met Tobin's harsh eyes.

"You were with Amon." He stated simply, his gaze took in her appearance, June fought back a terror filled shiver. "Those are his pants, is that also his blood on your face?"

"I uh-, well, you see-" She stammered.

"Speak, girl. Or is your tongue only good for sticking down the throats of men?" He ordered.

Fear turned to irritation. "June, actually. Amon tried to tie me up, I fought him and took his pants. He's fine aside from a broken nose. Ya took my friends, so I followed to…" June's sentence trailed off. She didn't have a plan, not even a whiff of one.

Tobin glared down at her. His eyes flashed up to look at the clearing then back down to June. He released June's fist to grab her shoulders and pull her further behind the tree.

"Can your crew get them off this island, girl?"

She blinked, shocked at the question. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. "June, my name is June. And what are ya gettin' at, exactly?"

He released her shoulders then. "The Birches. Can you get them off this island? Your kind are a menace and we want them gone."

"Ya could just say please, no need to be an ass 'bout it." June huffed.

"I could just hand you over now and be done with it." Tobin's tone dipped into threatening.

"Look, ya must know that I'm not gonna promise anything." She explained. "I'm not even a pirate! I'm just traveling with the Heart Pirates, they're good people. I don't even know what I can do to help, but I have'ta try." Her voice wavered lightly; the hopelessness of the situation began to press into her.

Tobin stared her down. June figured this was it, he would hand her over and that would be the end of her journey.

"Keaton has the key to your captain's cuffs, he keeps them on a hook by the door to his room. Don't make me regret telling you that, girl." He curtly provided in his gravelled voice as he walked away.

June stared at his retreating broad back, stunned as she processed the interaction.

"My. Name. Is. June." She whispered exasperatedly after him.

Spying back out into the clearing, June saw that both the crews had been moved indoors. She gnawed at her lip, contemplating her options again.

Back to town and wish for the best? Sneak into the base and try to find that key.

Hide in the forest and wait to see if something happens? Swallow her fear and try her hand at a rescue.

June took a deep breath as she stepped out of her hiding spot. She took ten confident steps toward the building while whispering an encouraging mantra aloud to herself.

"You can do this; you can be sneaky. You can do this; you can be sneaky. You can do this; you can be sneaky."

She ran back to her safe spot and crouched behind the tree, head between her knees. "I can't do this." June whined pitifully; frustrated tears pricked at the edges of her eyes.

As she began her downward panic spiral, a slideshow of images played behind her eyelids. Bepo reading her comic book. Penguin napping with her on deck. Shachi making fun of her food. Ikkaku and her whispering to each other in bed. Tsu smirking at a hand of cards. Blake brewing coffee. Clione leaning his head on her shoulder as she read the paper. Uni handing her a jacket. Locke lifting her in the air.

Law gently threading a sprig of lavender into her hair.

June groaned, knowing what she was going to do. Standing straight on trembling legs, she tried her walk again. Before she could give herself a chance to hide, June crouched low and jogged over to the front of the building to duck below a window.

Inside, she could hear muffled sounds of boots and rowdy conversation. June slowly leaned up to look in through the window, there was no one in the front room. She could see one closed door leading out. There was a staircase immediately inside, she figured that Keaton's room would be up those steps but couldn't be sure unless she took the plunge and opened that front door.

June was beginning to lose her nerve. Fighting a single scumbag was one thing but sneaking into an enemy pirate base was another, more threatening beast. A racing, disembodied heartbeat began a frantic tempo in her ears; she counted her shallow, shaking breaths.

In. Two. Three.

Out. Two. Three.

Alright, this is happening.

Or maybe June could still make a run for it.

The sound of creaking, wooden wheels echoed into the clearing. June's head quickly swivelled around to face the entrance of the woods; another cart led by a different group of men was closing in. Through the shadows, she could see Jean Bart's slumped form bobbing along on the back of the cart.

"Mother fu-" June whispered as she scrambled to open the door. She crawled up the stairs, at the same time the downstairs door slammed open. Loud male voices echoed up the stairwell as she cleared a corner at the top. She took a second to listen to the footsteps tromping around outside, Keaton could be heard loudly greeting the arriving cart.

June let out a breath she didn't realize she had held.

Well, she was committed now.

Standing from her seated position against the wall, June warily moved to the other side of the room. Absorbing her new surroundings, she saw that the staircase had led into a meeting room. A table made of smooth bark occupied the center, covered in spilt tankards and bottles of unmarked liquor. Chairs made of vines with plush moss cushioning the seats were strewn haphazardly around the room. The walls were decorated with maps and pirate bounties, some had the bounty amounts circled with red ink, others had the faces marked out with a harsh 'X'. There was a copy of Law's bounty circled multiple times surrounded with exclamation marks.

June saw two more doors leading out of the room. She moved to inspect the one at the back, scanning the wall for a hook with a key; neither were there. As she turned toward the other door, the thumping of boots climbing stairs made her freeze.

Heart in her throat, June quickly entered through the hookless door, she pressed her ear against the wood as the boots entered the meeting room she had just exited.

"We're gonna be rolling in it tomorrow, captain! We should do something to celebrate, we've had a lot of wins since we landed here." One of the Birch Crew excitedly spoke.

Keaton laughed. "Hell yeah! And once we sell off what's in those boxes outside, it'll be nothing but luxury for the Birches."

There was a sound of chairs scraping against the floor then a few, dull thumps; they must have sat down.

"There's something itching at me though. I was pretty sure there had been one more person with them, a woman. They told me The Nurse, you know, the one with the new bounty, had been in town asking questions with the rest of them." Keaton mused.

"Maybe they're wrong? She wasn't on the sub either when we searched it." The second voice spoke.

"Or maybe she's still in town. Who's that guy, Tobin's kid? He has a habit of spending "quality time" with some of the women before they get brought here." There was a tone of irritability in Keaton's voice.

June felt a sense of smug satisfaction having left Amon with a broken nose.

"Maybe we can sweep the town again? She does have a bounty so it would add to what we get tomorrow." The other man suggested.

"We'll do it tomorrow on our way out, it's not like she has a way to get off the island. If we don't find her, so what. She's just a drop in the bucket compared to what we would get for the rest of them, she's not even a confirmed member of their crew."

June figured that was her cue to move, she turned away from the door to look down a short hallway. She walked heel-to-toe down the corridor, it was empty aside from a door leading out the side and one at the end. Each step felt like she was walking through the forest again; twigs bent underneath her weight, the smell of earth surrounded her.

She reached the first door and found an empty hook beside the frame; this must be the captain's room. And of course, the key was missing.

Wonderful. Fantastic. Super helpful.

June looked back down the hall at the door she had come through. Keaton just went from having a, hopefully, empty dungeon to housing an entire pirate crew. Ideally, this would keep the Birch Captain busy long enough for June to dig through his room for a few minutes to search for that elusive key.

She entered the room, holding onto a foolish wish that the key would just be laying on the floor. While this was an unrealistic expectation that June was unsurprised to see remain unfulfilled, she was relieved to see that the captain's quarters was rather sparse in the way of furniture which should make this search relatively quick.

The room looked as though the forest had moved indoors. Vines of ivy hung from the ceiling, creating curtains sectioning off the bed from the rest of the room. The bed itself looked like a pile of leaves held up by a tangle of branches; the sight of it reminded June of her exhaustion, both emotional and physical. The soft greenery looked more comfortable than the lump-filled couch back on the sub.

June shook the thought from her head and focused instead on searching through a bedside table that looked like a stump. She made her way around the room, checking under rugs made of moss to digging through a bookshelf built into a tree. She was about to investigate a dresser that looked like a bush when she heard Keaton speaking loudly in the hallway.

"I'll be out to make a cage for the big guy in a minute! I spilt my drink on me so I gotta change!"

Panic.

June frantically looked around the room for a suitable hiding spot. She dove underneath the bed, checking her limbs were hidden. Just as she had pulled her left foot underneath, the door opened. She quietly muffled her breathing by covering her mouth and nose with a firm hand as she watched Keaton's feet move him over to the bed. She screwed her eyes shut, convinced that she had been found when the sound of a belt buckle being undone rattled through the room.

Keaton dropped then stepped out of his pants, he walked a few paces away to dig through his dresser. June silently pulled the pants towards her underneath the bed to dig through the pockets. She found some coins, an acorn, and some twine in the front. Shaking hands flipped the article to search the back.

Her fingers brushed against cool metal.

As Keaton padded around the room, June removed a key from one of the back pockets. It was small, black, and appeared to have the same markings engraved in it as Law's handcuffs. She let out an excited, shaky breath as she turned the key over in her hands; now all she had to do was sneak down to Law's cell and free him. Easy, she was already halfway there.

Large hands roughly gripped June's ankles and pulled.

She shoved the key into her mouth as her body was yanked out from underneath the bed.

Keaton flipped June over onto her back, his hand moved quickly to hold her down by the throat; June's bruises sang with discomfort. Recognition flitted across the captain's face when he met her eyes.

"Well, lookee here. I didn't realize nurses made house calls and I don't remember sending for one." His mouth pulled into a sneer. "What are you doing hiding under my bed?"

June chose silence, the key weighed heavy on her tongue.

"Maybe you were hoping to get a look at a proper captain before we throw yours to the marines?" He chuckled darkly then snapped his fingers. Vines grew out of the ground to gather June's wrists together in front of her, binding them together tightly.

Keaton forcefully pulled her up to stand and pushed her towards the door.

"Well, you've seen me. Now, it's time to see yours." He pulled open the door and marched June down the hallway with a heavy hand to the back of her neck. "He's a bit of a pushover, didn't expect that. He's got such a reputation, but he rolled over the second we put him in that cell."

They walked down the stairs at a quick pace, her hands flew out to grasp the railing for balance. Keaton reached around to slap her hands away, the grip around her neck tightened. June let out a yelp when he pressed down on a particularly sore spot.

"Not much of a talker, are you? That's actually pretty nice, most of the time when we do this all I hear is "No!" and "I'll give you anything you want!". But your crew hasn't made a peep since I had a talk with your captain. He called me an idiot; you know?" He spoke patronizingly.

Keaton walked her through the front room then through the back door into what looked to be a treasure room. Chests full of coins and bags full of priceless items lined the walls and spilled out onto the floor. June tripped over a decorative sword; Keaton allowed her to fall onto her knees.

Three men who had been sitting at a table near an open doorway to a set of stairs leading down stood.

"What's this, captain?"

"A rat, take her down to a cell. These Hearts are making this too easy for us, it's like they want to be caught." Keaton laughed as he walked out of the room.

June was beginning to get tired of these long legged, tall men rushing her down stairs.

One of the more burly, unkempt Birch members led her down the steps into a dark, damp room featuring long rows of holding cells. She shivered, chilled by the stale air surrounding her. Her boots sank into the mud beneath her feet. The dirt walls surrounding her were crumbling, pieces of earth fell from the ceiling to land in her hair.

This place seemed like a safety hazard.

The weight of the small, metal key in her cheek held June's focus until she noticed a familiar captain in the first of the cells to her right. Law was sitting on the ground leaning against the front corner of his cell, appearing deep in thought. A reckless, impulsive plan formed in her mind within seconds; the key was of little use in her possession given that she was about to be locked away. But if Law had it, then the Hearts would be almost guaranteed a successful escape.

June coughed lightly.

She watched Law lift his head and sluggishly turn his torso toward the bars, June was relieved. Apparently, the cuffs were of lower quality if he was able to make small movements. She noted that the bars were wide enough to stick her face through.

"June-ya?"

Well, it was now or never. Hopefully, Law wouldn't stay upset with her; this was a terrible idea.

June quickly pivoted around and thrusted her knee as hard as she could upwards into her guard's pelvis, he went down with a sharp cry. As she ran over to Law's cell, she could hear the thundering sound of boots running down the stairs.

She internally cringed as she began to speak. "Law! Are ya ok?! I can't believe they've done this to ya!" She dropped to her knees in front of the captain and quickly reached through the cell bars. She grabbed hold of his shirt, yanking him downwards before Law could even respond and met him in a surprising kiss.

His eyebrows shot up; a look of shock echoed in his amber eyes. June lightly bit down on his lower lip, hoping he would grant her access, but he remained wholly unresponsive.

The Birches were closing in, June didn't have time to explain or else she would risk the enemy finding out about the key.

She quietly growled with irritation and released his collar. Her bound hands quickly moved laterally and downward until she landed approximately where she would expect his nipple to be. June pinched, hard, forcing a gasp out of Law. Once his lips had parted, she immediately pushed the key into his mouth with a relieved sigh. She could see his brows pull together in confusion before a look of recognition shone on his face.

Law pulled slightly back to disengage before mumbling, "I'm also relieved to see you safe, June-ya." His voice was laced with amusement, his smile showed a faint glint where he held the key between his molars.

The Birches were behind her.

Two men roughly grabbed June by the arms to throw her on the ground, Law's hat flew off her head. The man she had incapacitated stood above her, red-faced and with a heaving chest. A bright rage burned in his eyes.

June briefly wondered if her plan was worth it.

Her neck snapped painfully upwards as she was dragged by her hair down the hall. June yelled and cursed loudly, her hands flew upward to grab onto the wrist attached to her hair to pull up and stabilize, her legs scrabbled on the floor in a fruitless attempt to gain footing. She was tossed carelessly into a small cell with a yelp; her head was pounding.

The pirate kicked June harshly in the side while yelling. "Fucking bitch! What did you think was gonna happen?! Huh?! All that just to make out with your damn boyfriend?!"

He leaned down to grab June's face roughly in one hand, making her lips pucker and her jaw ache. "I wonder what makes you so special. I'll have to get a taste before we hand you over for that stunt you just pulled."

June glared hatefully at the pirate standing above her then turned her head suddenly to the right and bit down on the webbing between his pointer and thumb, the taste of bitter iron hit her tongue. He yowled before ripping his hand back to slap her harshly across the face. June fell backward, unable to catch herself. Her head hit the floor, a loud ringing burst in her ears, a feeling of nausea overwhelmed her senses. Black spots bloomed across her vision as she fought the bile crawling up her throat.

The man cradled his injured hand to his chest. "Damn it! You fucking drew blood; you better not be carrying any diseases!" Storming out of the cell, he pulled the door shut behind him with a loud clang. "I'll be back, and you better believe I'll make you suffer before I hand you over!" His threat echoed down the hall.

June groaned as she rolled over onto her knees, head planted to the cold ground cradled between her hands.

"June?! Hey! Are you alright?!" A voice called from the cell next to her.

She weakly turned her head to the right to look at the dirt wall separating her from the cell over. "Penguin?"

"Yes! Are you ok?!"

June rolled over onto her back to stare at the ceiling through narrowed, tear-filled eyes. "I'm fine, we should be getting out of here soon."

As if on cue, she heard the pirate who had kindly deposited her into the cell scream; June snickered cruelly. Within seconds, she heard the Heart Pirates being released from the cells and Law barking out an order for everyone to begin their assault on the hideout. Her cell was opened last, Law marched in and June noted that he had confiscated the pirate's sword.

June pushed herself up with a whimper, Law rushed over to kneel next to her.

"Are you alright? It sounded like he got a few hits in." His eyes scanned her form, searching for any new injuries.

"Yeah, m'fine. My head is killing me from when I hit the floor, he also got a good kick into my side. How're ya doin'?" She took a second to look him over through watery eyes. Aside from the smudges of dirt here and his hair looking more wild than usual, Law appeared untouched.

"Me?" He asked exasperatedly. "I'm perfectly fine. It looks like out of all of us, you got the worst of it. This was all pretty reckless of you."

June laughed which quickly turned into a cough and groan. "But it worked, right?"

Law frowned. He summoned a small room then switched her cuffs out with a nearby dirt clod.

"I supposed it did." He admitted tiredly. Law offered her a hand, when she accepted and struggled to stand, he placed his other hand under June's armpit to help steady her. "When we get back to the sub, I'll have to check you over. You might have a cracked rib or a concussion."

June stumbled a few steps as they began to exit the cell, she leaned more heavily into Law's side for support. "Shouldn't ya be out there with the rest of the crew?"

"No, they should have it handled. The only reason why we were captured in the first place was because we were drugged." He guided her towards the exit. "Although, I'm wondering how you ended up here. The last time I saw you, you had gone off with that bartender."

"Ugh, don't even bring him up." June tiredly leaned her head against Law's chest.

Looking at the ground, June saw that her friend had been reduced to a pile of fleshy cubes. However, his crotch had been left mostly intact; there was a distinct boot print smeared into the fabric.

Law pinched June's injured side, eliciting a yelp from the woman. "Hey! That's kind'uv tender, ya ass!"

"You should have waited, what were you thinking coming here?! We would have escaped and found you but look at what happened because you got impatient." He scolded harshly.

"Yeah, well, I woulda' felt worse if I hadn't done anything at all. Maybe I should've left ya if this is the thanks I'm gonna get!" She spat back.

June was panting by the time they had reached the bottom of the stairs, cringing at the pain in her side. "Law, I don't think I can do stairs right now." She spoke in a small voice.

She both felt and heard the irritable sigh escape him before he murmured a room into existence. Within a blink, they were standing outside. The Heart Pirates had initiated an impressive counterattack, several crewmates had stolen weapons to use against the Birches. The majority of the opposition were incapacitated on the ground, a few were vigorously clashing against the Hearts.

Keaton stood in the middle of the action. His snapping fingers summoned whipping vines from the ground to restrain and whack at the Hearts. June watched as Bepo's furious kicks were slapped away by a vine. A large plant featuring a purple flower shot seeds like a dart at Bepo. The seeds stuck to his suit and exploded into a cloud of noxious powder causing the bear to become disoriented and stumble backward into a spiny bush. Nearby, Penguin was tied to the ground with a trailing rope of thorns. Shachi had been cornered against the wall right outside the building, he frantically hacked away at an approaching wave of cockleburs.

Law nudged June to sit on a nearby barrel then unsheathed his stolen sword. He summoned a room, spread wide enough to swallow the surrounding area to just beyond Keaton.

"Takt."

The burrs were thrown towards Keaton who dodged the plants with ease, he let out a mocking laugh.

"What was that, Trafalgar? You missed me by a mile!"

Law looked wholly unimpressed and over it.

"Shambles."

He switched with the cockleburs, appearing behind Keaton and removing the opposing captain's hands before he could even think to snap. Law ground his heels into the separated hands, Keaton wailed out in pain; the offensive plants around him began to wilt. June watched as Law held the tip of his sword to the back of Keaton's neck.

"What was that, Keaton? You left yourself wide open." Law mocked cruelly.

Penguin wiggled free of his restraints and jogged over to June. "Hey! You look terrible!"

"Wow, thanks Penguin. You really know how to flatter a woman." She grunted as she readjusted her position on the barrel.

"Sorry, I'm just happy to see you're ok. I saw that guard drag you by my cell and heard what went down, you doing alright?"

An image of a pile of human cubes on the floor forced itself into the front of her mind. "Better than he is." She muttered.

June's eyes trained on Law, his sword was still unfalteringly poised at the base of Keaton's skull. The Birch Captain was now in tears, begging for his life. Law was deathly calm, his expression gave away nothing; he remained unswayed by anything the man in front of him was offering.

Money. Booze. Treasure. Women from the village.

Keaton hissed, suddenly snapping his mouth shut with a click. A thin trail of crimson crawled around the front of his neck to land in the dip of his clavicle.

"Tell me about those boxes you stole." Law commanded.

The Birch Captain inhaled a shuddering breath. "They're just crates we stole from a black-market ship! It's weapons and some weird containers, that's it! We were gonna sell them off for some extra coin!"

"So, you don't realize who they belong to? I'm surprised you've survived this long without a brain to rattle around between your ears. Honestly, it's a medical miracle."

"It's some guy named Joker, right? What's so special about him? He's just an underground nothing peddling weapons to warring countries." Keaton sounded unsure of himself.

" Joker is a codename, you damn clown. You stole from Doflamingo . You recognize that name, right? Or do I need to spell that out for you too?" Law spoke condescendingly.

Keaton's eyes widened; all the color drained from his face leaving him ghostly. Even despite the distance, June could see the bone-chilling fear that had overcome the captain. All around the clearing, the Birches who had remained conscious were speaking fearfully amongst themselves.

What does this mean for them?

If Trafalgar was able to track them down, Doflamingo must know about their slight against him too.

"Honesty," Law interrupted the voices around him. "I was only interested in taking those crates and continuing on my merry way but now I don't know. You've drugged and imprisoned my crew, probably made a mess of my sub, and look at poor June-ya over there. I feel like it's justified that I get some sort of repayment."

June blushed as she felt all eyes in the clearing land on her; raking over her swollen cheek, her split lip, the necklace of bruises she wore around her neck. She frowned at Law who looked at her consideringly. His eyes meandered down to her cheek, then her lip, to her neck, finally landing on her chest. Law appeared to have an epiphany as he bored another hole into her chest with his gaze.

Her arms flew up to shield her torso. "Hey! Focus on your own thing!"

Law met her eyes and smirked, a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. He thrusted his free hand forward into Keaton's back, popping his heart out onto the ground. The man fell to the side, gasping for his lost breath as Law stepped around him to pick the organ off the ground. A devilish grin broke out across Law's face as he released the room and brushed some dirt off the heart cube using his shirt.

"Everyone!" His voice carried over the open area. All the Heart Pirates stood at attention, awaiting their orders. "Restrain and line them up. Then search the hideout from top to bottom for items to bring back to the ship, our belongings should be in there somewhere too. Penguin, bring June-ya to the side of the building where all the crates are."

"Alright June, time to giddy-up." Penguin squatted low in front of June, implying that he wanted her to climb on his back.

She sluggishly climbed onto his back then let out a pained groan when he stood up and began walking around the side of the building. "Slow down Pengs, it feels like you're bouncing my brain off my skull." June whined.

"Would you be surprised to know that isn't the first time a woman has said that to me?" Her mount chuckled beneath her as he slowed his pace. June flicked the back of Penguin's ear, pulling a yelp from the man.

"You're fuckin' disguistin'."

They approached the stolen boxes; by June's count there were twenty in total stacked in five columns. The Donquixote smile chilled her, she wondered what exactly they would discover hidden in those menacing crates.

As Penguin carefully deposited June on the ground to stand, Law walked around the corner of the building. One hand tossing and catching Keaton's heart, the other carrying Keaton's detached hands.

Penguin gestured grandly to June, arms sweeping wide with a sarcastic bow to her. "Here you go, captain. One little lady with no sense of humor."

"Thank you, Penguin. Go help the rest of the crew with tying up the Birches. Also, I'd like you to write the names of each person in the dirt in front of them."

"Aye, captain!" Penguin saluted Law enthusiastically then jogged away.

Law approached her, holding out the hands and heart. "Hold onto these for me. Since you're out of commission, this is your job until we're done here. If you see one of those hands try to snap, just give the heart a squeeze."

She reached out to accept the parts, a slight feeling of disgust tickling her senses. "Always happy to help." She commented dryly.

"That's not the only thing you're going to do. We're going to have a look through some of these boxes and you'll finally give me some of the answers I've been looking for when we find something interesting." His tired voice almost sounded giddy as he visually counted the boxes.

Law pulled out five small pebbles from his pocket, he tossed them on the ground a few feet apart from each other. He summoned a room then swapped out the five crates from across the top row. Using the sword on his hip, Law pried open the tops one at a time. June followed him down the line as the contents were gradually revealed, looking upon collections of various, lethal weapons in each container. When Law removed the top of the last crate, inside were odd looking metallic containers, each with a label depicting different animals.

Law reached into the crate to pull out a container with a label featuring a picture of a lion, his face pulled into a scowl as he tried to figure out what exactly he was looking at. June searched through her memory, looking for an answer.

Her eyes widened when it clicked. A shocked gasp escaped her lips, pulling Law's attention to her.

"Fuck, Law, we gotta destroy these before Doflamingo gets his hands on 'em." June whispered harshly.

He stepped closer to her; interest painted across his face. "What are these? Why do you look more worried now than when you were with that pirate?"

"Because we should be runnin' as far away from this island as possible." She explained in hushed tones. "If these are what I think they are, they're bad news and Doflamingo is gonna wanna make a personal visit here."

"What are they?" Law turned the container over in his hands.

"I-" She stammered, nerves beginning to grip her again. "I don't know if it's safe to talk about right now."

"No. I've waited long enough to get any sort of useful information from you, I refuse to wait a minute longer." Law spoke coldly.

"Fine, I guess this is happening now." June splinted her side as she inhaled a shuddering breath. "If these are what I think they are, then what you're holdin' is distilled Lineage Factor pulled from animals. Doflamingo uses those to create sometin' called SAD, which is a substance that he infuses into apple trees on Dressrosa to create artificial Zoan fruits called SMILEs. They're very risky, only ten percent of the fruits actually work and even then, they turn people into half human, half animal messes. The result of the other ninety percent are what I would describe as torture."

"Doflamingo isn't a scientist, who does he have creating all of this for him? And for what reason? It's not like he's been feeding them to his family, and I haven't seen anyone with these SMILE powers anywhere." Law questioned.

There was the wall; June was unsure if she could go any further with the reveal. Honestly, she almost felt like she had been pushing the limit but telling Law as much as she already had.

June shook her head. "I don't know how much more is ok to say. But you're right, he has someone making the SAD for him then it gets shipped to Dressrosa. Ya were also right when ya said he doesn't use the fruit for himself. Doflamingo hands it off to his boss who, as far as I know, has a monopoly on its use."

"His boss?" Law's eyebrows rose high towards his hairline. "Who is he working for?"

She chewed on her tongue ring, choosing silence.

"It's got to be an emperor, there aren't too many people out there that he would report to. The government is out, these ingredients wouldn't have made it to Waffle Still under Joker's name if they were involved. Where is this SAD factory then?"

"You're puttin' me in a tough spot, you're gonna have'ta wait a little longer on that."

A noise similar to a mix between a displeased groan and a sigh pulled from deep in Law's chest. "I'm not sure if you understand how exhausting and frustrating it is to know that someone right in front me has all the answers but refuses to give them to me."

"Because you're not ready. Look me in the eye and tell me that ya wouldn't head straight to that SAD factory right now if I went ahead and told ya where it is." She challenged. "Ya promised to back off if I said I can't say anymore, well here it is. This is the limit for now. I don't enjoy saying no to ya either."

After a long silence, Law's face broke out into a sinister grin; he lifted the container to June's eye level. "We're keeping these."

"What the hell do ya mean?! Didn't ya hear anythin' I just said?"

"I did, very closely. Why would I destroy something so valuable that I can use as a tool against Doflamingo?" He looked at the item in question as if it held the answer to all his problems, June supposed it did.

"Besides," Law continued. "destroyed or stolen, will this damage Doflamingo if he can't get these back?"

June licked her dry lips. "Definitely, he will have a lot of explainin' to do to his boss."

"Then it's decided." He tossed the container back into the crate then sealed the top. "We need to look through the rest of these to see if there are more."

"Do ya mind if I take a seat while ya finish up? I'll keep an eye on your treasure while ya work." She lamely waved Keaton's heart and hands in the air.

"Fine, I suppose you deserve a break." Law snarked as he lifted June gently onto the crate he had just closed. June hissed through gritted teeth, face pulling into a grimace.

"I'm requestin' some painkillers when we get back to the Tang."

"I'll get you sorted once we get back to the clinic. In the meantime, I should at least check to make sure you don't have a concussion, the rest can wait until later."

Law moved to stand directly in front of June, hands on his hips. "Cognitively, you seem fine without a formal assessment and I haven't noticed any changes. How does your head feel?"

"Throbby, but gettin' better. I think that's mostly from the guy pullin' me down the hall and givin' me a good wallop to the face." June absent mindedly rubbed her cheek where she had been slapped, the skin felt warm to the touch. She was pretty sure she'd be sporting an impressive bruise later.

"Any nausea?"

"No, I was nauseous when my head hit the ground but that went away."

"Light or noise sensitivity, changes in vision?"

"Nope."

"Did you pass out?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Alright, look at my nose and tell me when you see my fingers enter your field of vision."

June focused on Law's nose as he held one finger up on each hand then held them in the air behind her ears. He slowly moved his right hand forward until she said "Now." then moved his left forward until she spoke again.

Standing up straight, he continued his assessment. "Follow my finger, keep your head still."

Law proceeded to move his finger across her four quadrants of vision, watching her ocular movements before slowly moving his finger forward to touch her nose. June's eyes crossed, he watched her pupils constrict slightly.

He placed one hand over her left eye, "Tilt your head back and look at the moon, I don't have a light."

She followed the order, staring up at the large, bright celestial body above her. June was certain that she would never get used to how different the night sky looked in this world; it was beautiful, full of twinkling constellations and indigo tones.

Law removed his hand and compared her pupils. "Close your eyes for a second."

June obeyed, she felt him place a hand over her right eye. "Open."

The moon here was so bright. Sometimes if the Polar Tang was in the right spot on the Grand Line on a clear night, June felt like she needed to squint when she looked up at the moon.

Law's hands reached around to tenderly prod at the back of her head. He pulled his hand back after a minute. "Alright, you can relax." She looked forward to see Law, arms crossed across his chest. "I'm fairly confident that you don't have a concussion, but you're going to have a large bump for a while."

"Thanks, Doctor Trafalgar. Even though you're kind'uv an ass when you're a captain, ya always do right by me when ya doctor." June grinned and leaned back onto her hands, she wondered if it had been a trick of the light that made it appear as if his ears had tinted red.

There was an empty pause before the captain smirked, "We should talk about that kiss later, June-ya." Law spoke, ruining the comfortable mood.

June began to choke on her own spit. Coughing and holding her side, she groaned after regaining her composure. "Look, I couldn't think of another way to get it to ya without those assholes seeing it! I panicked!" She could feel her face burning, she covered her cheeks with her hands. "I'm gonna throw myself in the ocean."

"I didn't realize you were looking for an excuse to kiss me; I'm flattered, really. I had no idea your feelings were that strong for me, I hope this doesn't affect our working relationship." Law's grin widened as he needled more at the woman in front of him that was beginning to resemble a steamed tomato more than a person.

"I take back my compliment, you're a hack." June huffed, nose in the air looking away from Law. She crossed her arms over her chest like a petulant child.

He laughed heartily as he began walking towards the rest of the crates. "I'll be over there. If you need to give the crewmembers anything, try using your hands next time. I feel like you might give them the wrong idea if you use your preferred method."

June was stunned, Law had laughed. A full-bellied, open-mouthed guffaw. It was so uninhibited that any sarcastic response she had was blown from her mind.

In her awe, she couldn't help but think to herself that Law's laugh was a very pleasant sound; deep but bright, which was much different from the dark and mischievous chuckles he usually put forth. She also noticed that she felt irritatingly warm at the thought that she had been the one to pull that noise from him.

Despite what he had endured this night, Law was in a good mood. He had just finished searching through the rest of the crates, there had been another filled with Lineage Factors. Now, he was inspecting the haul his crew had pulled from the Birches' hideout. Piles of food, weapons, and treasure were laid out before him. Among the treasures were coin purses filled with belly, Law assumed these had been the villagers'.

He bent down to begin emptying out the coin purses onto the dirt. As he worked, Law's mind began to wander, he thought about the information that June had shared with him.

This was the breakthrough that he had been waiting for. Finally, June was beginning to open up some of that knowledge that she had been keeping hidden. Even if she only provided half the story, it was still more information than he had been able to gather by himself in quite a while.

Right now, what he wanted to know was where this SAD factory was. Perhaps if he could figure out who manufactured it, then the location should follow. There weren't too many notable scientists that Law knew of and there were significantly fewer who actively studied Devil Fruits. There were even fewer still that didn't work for the World Government.

Law had a hunch.

This would need to be someone who has a history with research in Devil Fruits and is currently working outside of government control. Now, there is only one notable scientist that Law knew of that was widely known for his research on Devil Fruits.

Doctor Vegapunk.

It was highly unlikely that Vegapunk was involved in this, Law knew for a fact that he exclusively worked with the government. Also, based on what June had stated, it was an imperfect product with only a ten percent success rate; Vegapunk wouldn't authorize the distribution of something so flawed. It was much more likely that someone on his research team, or someone who used to be on his team, was responsible for the manufacturing of SAD.

Now this was a lead.

If he could get his hands on a list of Vegapunk's research team, maybe he could suss out just who was working with Doflamingo and figure his way from there. Until he could follow through on this hunch, Law would continue trying to pull information from June. He knew this would probably be as fruitful as trying to pull blood from a stone, but he would at least try.

Speaking of June, while he was thankful that her quick thinking and resourcefulness came through for Law and his crew, he would need to speak to her about her tendency for the reckless though.

That woman.

She gave him more headaches and stress than he had been prepared to deal with when he decided to take her heart. She was able to hold her own with the minimal fighting experience she had, that was apparent now. But she had put herself into several dangerous situations tonight despite the overwhelming risks.

When he had entered June's cell, Law had honestly been expecting the worst based on what he had heard after she had been dragged away. He had worked quickly to remove his cuffs; a sense of frantic urgency had filled him the second she had been ripped away from the bars of his cell. Law could be honest with himself, he took a little too much enjoyment in cutting that Birch Pirate into pieces.

Law's thoughts stuttered; his hands paused while untying another bag.

Now that was an odd series of thoughts. Why did he feel such urgency watching his prisoner getting dragged away from him? Law's instinctual response would be that she was no use to him dead. But that didn't feel exactly right.

Law felt his eyes pull towards the woman in question, he watched her sitting upon the box he had planted her on. She was currently talking with Shachi who had just finished tying up the Birches, he was laughing at something June had said.

Law's eyes narrowed as his memory pulled him back to what she had said to him after he had assessed her.

You always do right by me when you doctor.

Those words had ignited that irritating, fluttering feeling of pride in his chest. Daily, he got recognition for his pirate exploits, but he had only ever gotten a handful of compliments for his work as a doctor. Also countless grumbles from his crewmates for checkups and inoculations. This all shouldn't be too surprising, he typically used abilities to effectively dismember rather than heal.

He had felt the sudden need to crush that warm, fuzzy feeling. Thus, he had brought up the kiss, knowing full well that June would turn prickly and throw barbs at him.

The "kiss".

It was honestly an ingenious plan given how June had thought of it on the spot, although her acting was less than convincing. For whatever reason thinking about that moment left Law feeling, what exactly? Satisfaction and curiosity with a twinge of disappointment.

That's…not ideal.

He can deal with physical attraction, that's a normal thing he can ignore. It's something that wouldn't potentially derail his plans. But emotional attachments? Disgusting. How did that even happen? Law was a logical man, always moving forward brain first, this whole business of emotions was already encroaching on his rationality. He would simply have to smother those feelings.

The frustrated captain felt a frown pull at the corners of his lips as he watched June smile at Shachi while pointing at the pile of treasures behind Law. June's eyes met his and a look of befuddlement pulled her eyebrows inward. She lifted her hand slowly to wave at the, now glaring, Heart Captain. Law saw her speak a few more words to Shachi who turned towards him and stiffened, a look of nervousness covering his face before he began running towards the clearing, waving goodbye to June.

Huh, oops.

Law honestly had not minded Shachi keeping June company since he had finished his task but if Law's inadvertent thoughtful glare had sprung the crewmember into action to find more work, then that was fine.

This whole topic with June felt hazardous, he should put it down.

"Captain!"

Law turned his head towards the voice. Goby, his hyperactive, white-masked helmsman was running out of the building to him.

"I found your sword! And your hat!" Goby was waving the items above his head excitedly as he approached the captain. Goby was prone to becoming excitable, Law could sometimes swear he saw a happy tail wagging behind him, much like a dog.

"Thank you." Law quickly extended his hand above the jubilant crewmember's head to catch his sword, fearing that it would fall out of the scabbard and onto Goby's head. He grabbed the hat next, pulling it onto his head.

Goby bounced on his toes in front of Law. "We're about finished inside, what would you like us to do now?"

Law dropped the sword he stole onto the pile of weapons next to him then laid his own at home on his shoulder, the weight familiar and comfortable. "Gather the crew and have them meet over by our new friends, we're going to head out."

"Sir!" Goby saluted before running back inside, Law could hear him yelling out the order to the rest of the crew.

Law turned on his heel to begin walking back over to June who appeared to be falling asleep sitting up. His previous thoughts were shoved into the back of his mind, he was now wholly focused on ruffling the Doflamingo feathers.

Law had stolen the Birch Pirates's hearts, twenty-three in total. Each one had been none too gently stuffed into the coin purses Law had found along with each pirate's name scribbled onto a torn scrap of paper. He then forced Keaton to take down his forest and hideout. After the trees had sunk into the ground, Law tightly bound the still detached hands together.

The villagers had watched the Heart Pirate parade meander its way through town, the early morning sun lighting the path. The crew members carried armfuls of bounty stolen from the Birches, paying careful consideration to the two black-market crates. The pain in June's side had lessened considerably before the walk; she took that as a sign that perhaps nothing had been broken, just bruised.

As the crew passed the bar, they spotted Tobin standing on the doorstep. Law approached the bartender and passed off Keaton's hands to him.

"Don't untie those unless you want to end up back where you started. I ask that you don't contact the marines for a couple hours after we leave as a courtesy, so we're a good distance away." It was less of a question and more an order Law gave.

Tobin didn't acknowledge Law, instead he gave June a curt nod. "I suppose you're good for more than just seducing men, girl." He acknowledged gruffly.

June just sighed.

Amon exited the bar behind his father, the skin around his eyes and nose was blackened with a deep bruise. His nose had been set and he had managed to find another set of pants to wear. As June approached him, he flinched. She maintained eye contact as she removed the pants she had stolen off him, leaving her only in her dress. June reached into the front pocket to remove Amon's wallet before handing over the article of clothing.

"For emotional damages." She stated simply. Amon didn't argue, though he gave her a scathing glare as he snatched the pants away from her hand.

They left quickly after that, boarding the Polar Tang at the docks. Externally, it looked fine however, the interior of the submarine had been pulled apart by the Birches who had searched the vessel from top to bottom for valuables. Law sent the driving crew down to the navigation deck to have the Polar Tang depart from Waffle Still, the rest were assigned to clean up.

He dragged June to the clinic then.

"Take a seat." Law ordered.

June pulled herself onto the increasingly familiar exam table, she watched Law as he washed his hands and loaded up his rolling table. After a minute, he pushed the table over to her then held out a cup of water with a mint green painkiller.

She wordlessly took the medication as he grabbed a chair to sit in front of her.

Law took the empty glass from her and set it aside. "So, I know where the mark on your face and the cut on your lip came from, but what about those bruises on your neck?"

"Amon got me in a choke hold."

He blinked, face neutral. "Was this consensual or…?"

June's face ignited. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Law chuckled, he picked up a washcloth that he soaked in a bowl of water and soap then wrung it out. "I'm not here to shame you if that's what you're into, I just need to know each injury and where they came from." He leaned forward to begin wiping the blood off June's cheek and neck. "You didn't answer."

"No, it wasn't consensual." She answered through clenched teeth.

He finished cleaning off her face, a small frown pulled at his lips. "There's no injury where the blood was."

"Most of the blood wasn't mine." June answered simply with a shrug.

Law traded the washcloth for an ointment that he applied to the cut on her lip. "You're going to have some bruising and tenderness on your lip and cheek for a few days. Use this on the cut until it heals." He put the jar away and lightly began palpating her neck. "You seemed to be able to move your neck and head around fine, how is it?"

She sighed; his cool hands felt wonderful against her bruised skin. "It's alright, just feels like a bruise."

He pulled his hands back to grab a blanket off the table, tossing it onto her lap. "Cover yourself, pull your dress up, and lay back. I need to have a look at your ribs."

June grumbled, face heating again as she covered her lap. She slowly pulled and held her dress up to her armpits then laid back onto the table, avoiding Law's eyes.

"I didn't realize you were so decorated, what are those?"

She felt him thumb one of the black rhinestones on her lower abdomen, June chewed on her lip. "They're called dermals, it's just jewelry. There's a small metal plate under my skin they attach to."

June pulled back a shiver when she felt his thumb circle the dermal once then skim his hand up her side to gently prod at her ribs.

"Turn over so I can get a better look."

June turned over onto her right side, staring at the wall. She gasped; her hand flew up to grasp the side of her breast when Law's hand suddenly ducked beneath the back of her dress to unclasp her bra.

Her head snapped to the side to land a scathing look at the smirking captain. "You coulda' fuckin' asked."

"I suppose, but this was quicker." Law leaned in closer to inspect the skin he revealed. "You have a tattoo of a snail? Why there?"

"I dunno, Law. Why do ya feel the need to be annoyin'? Because I liked it."

He started firmly feeling the bones underneath the bruise. "It's cute."

June turned her head back to face the wall, she was starting to fear this blush wouldn't tamper down. "Just keep workin'." She mumbled.

"How does it feel? Any trouble breathing?"

"It's a bit sore, that's it."

"Alright, I think you're fine." He pulled his hands away. "Go ahead and put yourself back together."

Law scooted his chair back a few inches to allow June room to sit back up; she glared at him as she reclasped her bra and adjusted her dress.

"Anywhere else I need to look?" He asked.

"Maybe my right knee." She removed the blanket off her lap to set aside. "I might have gotten a cut there but I dunno, there's a lot of blood."

Law rolled himself closer, grabbing the washcloth again. He gently rubbed the cloth up and down the top of June's thigh, washing away the dried blood and closely inspecting the skin for any abrasions. "Seems like you've got a pretty impressive bruise forming here."

"That's probably from me breakin' Amon's nose."

He looked up at her, an amused glint sparked in his eye. "You did that to his face?"

"Yeah, he was tryin' to keep me from leavin' after y'all so I had to, uh, subdue him." She huffed. "I told ya, most of this blood isn't mine."

Law dropped the washcloth in the bowl next to him, trading it out for a dry towel. He soaked up the rest of the rust-colored water on June's leg then allowed the towel to fall off her thigh onto the table next to her when he was finished.

Law gently placed his hand over her thigh and tenderly ran his hand over the bruised skin above her knee; his fingers slowly curled halfway inward, tickling her flesh with his nails.

June's breath hitched at the sudden caress.

"Did you do it?" He asked suddenly.

Her eyebrows pulled together at the question. "Did I do what?"

His palm pushed more firmly into her skin, his fingers splayed out to gently grip her. Law's hand slowly inched higher. "Have sex with him."

She glanced down at Law's hand, watched it travel up her leg then lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. There was something there, a simmering heat that she hadn't expected to see; June shivered.

She figured that Law was just trying to get a rise out of her. Make her uncomfortable in this odd game of chicken until June finally ended it with a literal slap to his wrist and a flustered insult. Looking within herself, June found that she enjoyed his touches and wanted his closeness. She remembered the night previous, how her wandering mind had conjured hazy images of tattooed hands, amber eyes, a cruel smile.

"No, the sound of Bepo's face breakin' a table kind of ruined the mood." She answered, her voice wavered.

June should probably stop him, this seemed like a bad idea for both parties.

But she just couldn't find it in her to do that.

Law stood to wedge himself between her knees. "That's good." His fingers played with the hem of June's dress that had ridden high up on her thigh.

"Is it?"

He hummed an affirmative while pushing his fingers underneath. He continued until his hand rested just below where her thigh became her hip. June felt lightheaded, she could feel her pulse quicken, the muscles in her legs relaxed to accommodate his form. Something about this interaction felt electric, like they were magnets being pulled toward each other.

Law drew small, feather-light circles into her skin with his thumb. He leaned in close to place his mouth next to her ear. June felt goosebumps erupt down her body when his lips brushed against the shell.

"You need better taste." He whispered before his hand clamped down into the meat of her thigh, causing her to scream when she felt an uncomfortable, buzzing pressure shoot through her thigh.

June's legs immediately tried to close but she only managed to bracket her thighs around Law's hips as she tried to push him away; her hands flew to his own to try and pry open his iron grip with no avail.

"Ah-hahaha! Law! Fuck, I'm gonna fuckin'-! Asshole!" Her yelling and laughter was muffled by his chest after she had convulsed forward and buried her face in his shirt.

Law's other hand held down her free hip as he pulsed his grip in the hand causing her discomfort, she squealed and writhed against him.

"Stop!" She yelled between hysterical laughter. "You're the fuckin' worst!"

His amused voice spoke into her ear. "This is for being reckless, again. You're gonna have to learn eventually, June-ya."

"Fine! I get it! Ah-hahaha! Knock it off!" Tears had begun to bead on the edges of her eyes, her cheeks hurt from the involuntary grin her face had been stuck in.

Law finally relaxed his grip, June gasped for air. Her face remained buried in his chest as she brought her breathing under control. "I hate you." She muttered into the fabric.

"That's fine, as long as you stay alive."

June pulled back to meet his eyes. "Were ya worried about me?"

He didn't answer but June could feel the hand on her hip travel up to grab her waist.

"I'm fine, ya know. Ya don't need to worry about me, I'm tougher than I look."

Law stared down at her for a moment, June watched as the gears in his head began to turn. He suddenly released her to back up, moving to push the table back over to the sink to dispose of the mess. June couldn't help but feel like she had been swept up in a whirlwind only to be left dizzy and disoriented after it had passed.

She watched him pour the bowl out into the sink and wash his hands. Hands that she had allowed to be up her dress to grip her. June felt her face heat again; she subtly pulled her dress down on her legs.

A knock at the door.

"Come in." Law answered while drying his hands.

Ikkaku entered, an impish smile pulling the corners of her lips up; June narrowed her eyes at the crew member.

"Captain, we need you down in the navigation deck to decide on where we're heading."

"On my way." He tossed the towel in his hands into a nearby bin. "Clean this up before you leave, June-ya. I give you the go ahead to continue on as you were, you're fine."

June watched the pair leave the room. After she was sure they had moved a fair distance down the hall, she buried her face in the abandoned blanket next to her leg to let out an embarrassed scream.

This was terrible, absolutely awful. She needed to figure out how to bury whatever this was that she was feeling, it only spelt disaster.

Law stared at himself in the mirror.

He had been readying himself for bed while mentally reviewing the night when he had to pause at the memory of being in the clinic with June.

Just what the hell had that been?

Honestly, he hadn't meant for it to go that far. Law had expected June to push him away, to grow out her thorns and throw an exasperated insult at him. But she had allowed him to come closer, to touch her. At first Law had figured she was calling his bluff, participating in the game he had been playing through the duration of his exam to see who would step away first.

Then he felt her shiver beneath his hand and he realized something. June had liked it, she had wanted him close. Law discovered that he hadn't wanted to step away either.

Law recognized he was in too deep when he felt her skin erupt into a layer of goosebumps beneath his fingertips. He had needed to find a way to diffuse the tension, hit the panic button and escape before things escalated further.

So he had…tickled her.

Law rubbed his hands down his face, a feeling of embarrassment washed over him. Maybe he would pass away in his sleep so he wouldn't have to remember that moment again.

He could still feel the warm pressure of her thighs on his hips, hear how loudly she had laughed. That little freckle on the corner of her left eye had crinkled in a way that he enjoyed.

He was right, this was entirely off limits and dangerous.

Two days after the Heart Pirates' stay at Waffle Still, Law, Shachi, Penguin, Bepo, and June would be eating breakfast together just like any other regular morning on the Polar Tang.

Bepo would be falling asleep at the table, June and Shachi would bicker with each other, Shachi would laugh at them.

Law would read the paper, as per usual, while drinking his coffee but on this day a troubled expression would make a home on his face for much of the day. There would be an article featuring Waffle Still and a picture of the island from a bird's eye view.

It would be unrecognizable.

The buildings would be reduced to rubble, the ground torn up. Deep, uniform grooves in the earth that scarred the island would meet at a central point approximately where the Birches' hideout had been. There would be no survivors from the mysterious incident, and it would be reported that whatever event had occurred had taken place within hours of the Heart Pirates leaving Waffle Still.

Notes:

Well, well, well. What a ride. I decided to piss off the neuro people with my minimal understanding of a neuro assessment. So many ups and down here, wins and losses. I love this chapter though, it was fun to write for several reasons.

Chapter 14: Hyperpyrexia

Summary:

June is sick, she seems to be the one keeping Trafalgar's Traveling Clinic in business, Ikkaku is a pal, and Law has a crisis on a bathroom floor.

CW: Respiratory illness and the tests and treatments that come with it

Notes:

This chapter is dramatic, but I feel like it was necessary. Thinking about June being placed in this world, I feel like now would be about the time something like this would happen. Ignore the lack of realism here, I'm leaning pretty heavily into how in One Piece the diseases and medicines go from zero to a hundred in the amount of time it takes to sneeze.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

On Monday, June awoke with a headache and some mild congestion. This didn't strike her as odd; she had been experiencing near constant colds since the first month she had been brought to this world. They usually only lasted a couple of days, maybe four at the most, and were easily managed with adequate hydration, rest, and the occasional stolen decongestant. June wasn't worried, she figured that eventually she would start developing an immunity to the various illnesses of this world given some time.

It was always in the back of her mind that she should ask Law to start up some sort of preventative treatment, maybe an immunization schedule, but the plan was usually buried by whatever activity was on the docket that day. As she sat up on her couch with a good morning stretch, June silently promised herself that today would be the day she would talk to Law.

Speaking of the captain, he had been oddly absent over the past couple of weeks since Waffle Still and the business in the clinic afterward. Well, maybe that wasn't right. Law had been around, but he had definitely stopped interacting with June as much as he had before. Whenever she thought about the clinic and inevitably remembered the feeling of his hand rubbing her thigh, the press of his body against her own, June felt an odd combination of excitement and embarrassment.

God, and the look in his eyes. He had looked like he wanted to devour her right there on the exam table.

June blushed; it was too early to be thinking about all of this. Obviously it had been a fluke, a combination of stress and adrenaline pushing them both to act differently.

She shook herself from the memory and got ready to go down to the mess hall. Awkward feelings or not, she needed to seek out Law today to talk about this problem she had.

The promise was quickly forgotten though when she sat down for breakfast and Shachi launched a spoonful of scrambled egg at her face, hitting her eye dead on.

On Tuesday, June noticed the fatigue. Her joints felt stiff as she progressed through her workout, hindering each of the punches and kicks she threw at the freestanding punching bag. She was having difficulty catching her breath between each set, so she ended her session earlier than planned at just an hour of work. Hands on her knees, panting, June decided to have the talk with Law today after she showered.

He had been exceptionally hard to find the past few days. The only sightings June had seen were brief glimpses in the hallways or across the mess hall talking with another crew member. Honestly, this man was becoming more elusive than Big Foot. Maybe if she found a camera, or camera snail, June could get a blurry photo that she could sell to the newspapers for some extra cash.

However, the plan to catch Law was swiftly forgotten again when she decided to take a nap after washing the sweat off.

On Wednesday, June felt miserable. Her head was pounding, the air around her felt uncomfortable; she had also developed a cough that made her chest and ribs ache. June snuck into the clinic to measure her temperature and was unsurprised to see a low-grade fever on the readout. She opened a cabinet holding a variety of medicines she had yet to completely learn, digging around until she found a bottle that was labeled as an antipyretic-slash-pain reliever.

The Polar Tang had landed on an island today to restock, and Law had gone ashore to assist with the inventory before June had even woken up. June figured he would be gone until after the sun had set, he usually would probe the local gossip for valuable information on each island they landed on after his tasks were completed.

June decided to try and catch him after dinner before bed when he got back.

In the meantime, she self-quarantined in Law's room for the day with some light snacks. She didn't want to potentially spread whatever she had to the rest of the crew and figured that since she and Law shared the same space, he had already been exposed. He didn't seem to be feeling any different than usual when she had seen him over the past few days though, perhaps he had lucked out.

Unsurprisingly, June never got a chance to see the captain. Her fatigue had gripped her in the late afternoon and when she had laid down intending to only nap for a few short hours, she ended up sleeping through the night into the next morning.

Early Thursday morning before the sun had risen, a shiver was what woke June. She felt on fire, yet the room was freezing; a cold sweat had soaked through her clothing and dampened her brow. Her entire body ached, each breath she exhaled rattled. June couldn't inhale completely without a sharp pain shooting through her chest.

Relief came in the form of a cool hand draping itself across her forehead, her eyes fluttered open. Law was crouched in front of her, his signature scowl pinching his face. June's mind felt sluggish, her thoughts were difficult to conjure and quickly slipped through her reach when she tried to latch onto one.

There was something she had meant to tell him, but for the life of her, she couldn't recall it.

But he was here and that was good enough, just having him close made June forget the discomfort for a moment.

"'Mornin', Law." Her voice was weak, it sounded like coarse static.

She ducked her head into the blanket covering her, a series of harsh, wet coughs wracked her body; the hand on her forehead pushed her hair back out of her face. When the episode passed, June opened her eyes again to look at Law, she thought he looked nice today. He obviously had just woken up, his hair pointed in all directions, his half-lidded eyes were lined with exhaustion.

There was movement on the fringe of June's eyesight, the thick lines decorating Law's chest and clavicles were dancing. Cora's smile widened when she met his tattooed eyes on Law's sternum. June giggled when he winked cheekily at her.

She reached up to grab Law's hand from her hair then pulled the appendage down to chill her neck. June let out a happy sigh at the feeling of coolness against her heated skin and hugged the arm attached to the hand to lock it into place.

"Hope ya had good dreams, ya deserve somethin' nice." June mumbled deliriously.

"You have a fever, June-ya. I need to have a look at you to see what you've caught." Law's voice sounded rough from sleep.

"Mmm, yeah. I do feel a temperature now that ya mention it." Her eyes slid shut, fully intending to doze away.

The hand resting on her neck gently shook her back awake. "I need to take you to the clinic so I can figure out what's wrong."

That sparked a sense of shame and dread within her. June's eyes opened to look at Law through an unfocused stare, his form was blurry and distorted. "No, m'fine. I just need some Tylenol and sleep. I gotta go to class n' work today."

Cora spoke, his smile receding into more of a grimace. "You're not looking so great; you should listen to Law."

It was sweet of them to be worried about her, but she didn't have the time or money to get looked at today. Or ever, June thought morosely. One day that'll change but that's why she couldn't afford to fall behind on her classes or call in to work.

Law stared at her, extreme puzzlement marring his expression.

"By the way, what're y'all doin' in my car? There's no room for all 'uv us, did y'all just get here?" She mirrored his confusion, her words slurring.

"June-ya, something is seriously wrong. I need to have a look at you in the clinic."

"No!" She weakly pushed Law back, Cora grumbled when her palm met the center of Law's chest. "I can't, there's no way I can afford that. I still need to buy food and-" Another fit of coughing interrupted her, she covered her mouth with the blanket again while gripping her chest.

Law seemed at a loss for words. June felt bad having to reject his suggestion, but it just wasn't feasible at this time. She reached out to grab his hand again, this time placing it on her flushed cheek. "I 'preciate the concern but 'm fine. Don't ya have clinicals today or somethin'?"

There was a long pause where Law seemed to be thinking of a solution. "What if I could promise you a free visit?" He asked, unsure if this would be a good compromise.

June groaned; he was so persistent. All she wanted to do was catch a few more hours of sleep before she had to get ready. "M'not sure I trust free services, those usually have too many strings attached." She mumbled. "'Sides, ya know I can't just take a day off."

"I could bring you to the clinic I work at, call in a favor, I'll even look at you personally. Please, one day won't set you too far back, you need to take care of yourself." Law pleaded softly; his thumb rubbed her cheek.

"You can trust him, he's a good doctor. Law wouldn't be pushing for this if he didn't think you needed it." Cora spoke, his voice filled with concern.

Cora was right, Law must think she was in rough shape if he was practically begging her. June let out a crackled sigh and laced her fingers between Law's. "Ok, but only 'cause it's you askin'."

The heart framing Cora's lined face thumped, his wings fluttered happily.

June tried not to think of the lectures she's miss or the money she was losing as Law slowly sat her up. Dizziness gripped her senses at the position change, she moaned as a feeling of nausea flooded into her. Law lifted her into a bridal carry when she fell back onto the couch after standing. She buried her face into his neck, focusing on her pained breathing to calm her rolling stomach as Law walked them out of the room.

Her narrowed eyes looked around the rooms they passed through. How did they get from her car to what appeared to be an office so quickly? The setting was familiar, but she couldn't recall ever having been here before. Feelings of complicated fear and uncertainty held her heart in a vice. She gripped Law tightly for comfort.

"Law, somethin' is wrong. I dunno where we are." June whimpered into his neck.

He adjusted his grip on her to open a door. "I know, but we're going to figure it out. Don't worry, I'm here with you."

Another door opened, the exam room of the clinic they entered also looked familiar. June searched through her memory, but she couldn't remember ever having visited Law at work before. He slowly placed her on an exam table, without his body against hers June felt freezing again. She shivered violently; the room spun in a disorienting way. She had to close her eyes to fight off the sickening pull she felt.

June could hear Law rushing around the room, opening cabinets and roughly slamming drawers. The sounds were overwhelming, they created an irritating ringing in her ears. A dizzying series of sensations pressed uncomfortably against her skin. A blanket being thrown over her, a blood pressure cuff wrapped around her arm, a pulse oximeter attached to her finger, a thermometer placed under her tongue.

Her watering eyes tracked Law's face as he read the numbers off the screen the devices attached to.

"Fuck." He mumbled to himself.

June sluggishly looked up to the screen. The numbers she saw were less than ideal, incompatible with life if she had to exaggerate a little.

Blood Pressure: 94/56

Heart Rate: 115

O2 Saturation: 89%

Temperature: 41.7 C

She should probably email her professors; it was starting to look like she would be missing her morning lectures.

Law quickly disconnected June from the machine to lift her off the table, he practically ran with her back across the hall. She closed her eyes again as the world twisted and turned and opened them again when solid ground met the bottom of her thighs. Looking around, she saw that Law had brought them into a bathroom.

He plugged a stopper in the bottom of a bathtub then turned on the faucet.

"Stay here." Law ordered firmly.

June nodded as he ran out of the room. It was an odd request, where would she go anyway? She had no idea where she was and had accidentally left her phone in the car before they left for the clinic. June slowly lowered herself down to lay on the cold tile, deciding now would be an ideal time for that nap she had wanted.

All she needed was some good sleep and all of this would fade, the sound of running water lulled her away.

Rest, dreamless rest.

Her nap was interrupted by a rough shake and a shout. "June-ya! Wake the hell up, you aren't allowed to sleep right now!"

June's eyes blinked open. Law was crouched above her, he seemed rattled. Well that just wouldn't do, he was always so stressed; she reached up to pat his cheek with a clammy hand. "Ya worry too much."

He stared exasperatedly down at her. "And you're a pain!"

"Look at him, he's deflecting. He's always been really bad about that." Cora interjected, one of his wings reached up to wrap affectionately around Law's neck.

June's hand fell from Law's face to plant itself on top of Cora's mouth, she shushed him with a strained laugh.

Law turned off the faucet and pulled her into a seated position then began rummaging through a bag he had brought back. She watched detachedly as he drew blood, swabbed her throat and nose, started and attached an IV line to a bag of fluid.

When did that IV pole get here?

A woman with wild, brown hair carrying two large buckets of ice ran into the bathroom. She must have been in a rush this morning because her uniform had been haphazardly zipped up. When this new person laid eyes on June, there was an expression of worry that she hadn't expected to see from a stranger.

"What's wrong with June?" The new face asked.

"Whozzat, Law? One 'uv yer work buddies?" June slurred.

"Ikkaku, put the ice in the bath then drop her in. I'll be back after I grab a few things, make sure she doesn't drown." Law ordered.

A lot of movement happened simultaneously, June could hardly keep up. Law left again in a rush and his friend did as she was told. She lifted June up with an apology then slowly lowered her into the ice bath. What little air June held in her lungs was forcefully pushed out with a thready scream when the water touched her; it felt like millions of needles had punctured her overly sensitive skin. She couldn't move, each twitch of her muscles ignited a fire in her flesh.

What was her name? Ikkaku? She had positioned herself in a seated position behind June to straddle the lip of the tub with June between her legs. She reached into the water to grab June's arms and lifted them out to drape them over her thighs, holding June up to prevent her from sinking fully into the water.

Soothing fingers combed through her tangled, matted hair. Whispered apologies filled the room along with June's pitiful crying.

Law's rushed footsteps stormed into the room, a portable vitals machine along with an oxygen tank in tow. He gently placed a nasal cannula on June's face then turned the knob on the tank.

"How is she doing? I heard the scream."

"The bath is really hurting her, captain. What the hell is wrong with her? She doesn't even recognize me." Ikkaku's voice trembled.

"I won't know until I run some tests, but we need to focus on bringing down her fever." Law hooked up the machine then started pointing at the different numbers on the screen. "If this number doesn't reach ninety-five in a few minutes, add another liter of oxygen. Pull her out of the tub when this number reaches thirty-eight point nine, towels are in that cabinet over there. Call me on the snail if anything gets worse. Keep her awake, I'll be back after I set up the tests."

June's stuttered voice halted Law as he moved to leave the room. "W-wait. Y-ya s-s-said y-you'd-d b-be w-wit-th m-m-me."

He paused, a shadow of guilt making a home in his eyes. He walked back to kneel next to the tub at June's eye level. "I have to analyze your samples to figure out what's wrong, I'll come back wh-" His sentence ended abruptly, his brow furrowed. Law slowly reached out to gently grab June's chin and turn her head more towards him, eyes trained on her lips with a stunned look. "I'm an idiot."

"N-nuh-uh." She argued feebly.

"Shut up, June-ya." He grunted while digging through the bag again. "I want you to take three really deep, quick breaths then give me a good cough."

June did as he asked, fighting the pain in her chest. On the second breath, more rib crushing coughs overtook her; Law held a small tube in front of her lips.

"Spit."

Ikkaku gagged as she watched June follow the command. "That's fucking disgusting."

"Shut up, Ikkaku." Law capped the tube then held it up in front of his eyes. "It's blue."

"That doesn't seem healthy." Cora commented, looking up at the sample.

"I don't know much about medicine or whatever, but that's not good, right?" Ikkaku added.

Law stared at the contents of the tube, contemplating. "Perussi, consuming fire."

"What's that?" Ikkaku asked.

"It's supposed to be an eradicated disease. I don't think there's been a confirmed case like this in about three-hundred years." Law put the tube aside and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "It doesn't make sense; she shouldn't have caught this."

"Why not?"

"Because everyone living right now carries a natural immunity to it, the most we might get is an exceptionally uncomfortable cold if we catch it. June-ya's entire family line would need to literally have never been exposed to it. She would have-" Law groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "She would have needed to be born in a place completely cut off from the rest of the world and all its diseases."

"Oops." Cora's smile receded.

"Are you sure that's what she has? I mean you said it, this disease should have been wiped out. I'd never even heard of it until now." Ikkaku looked down at June.

"I-I've had a-all m-m-my s-sh-shots th-though. A-and n-never get s-s-sick." June stuttered out.

"But you haven't had any exposure to the diseases outside of your country and you haven't been immunized for anything out here. I can't believe I missed this." Law massaged his eyes with the heels of his palms, possibly to stave off an oncoming headache. "I guess I was hoping that you were lying about where you came from."

"W-what're ya s-sayin'? I'v-ve h-hardly even-n l-left th-the c-cit-ty." June argued.

"No, you're underwater in the Grand Line right now." Law mumbled tiredly.

"O-One P-P-Piece?" She was having trouble following what he was saying. None of this was making sense to her, why was he talking about a fictional series right now?

Law sighed.

"Can you treat it though? I don't think she's going to make it to the next island if you can't." Ikkaku interjected.

"I think I can do it with the medicine we have right now and chest percussion to get the infection out. But this is going to keep happening until I can start some preventative treatment. I need to confirm this is perussi but she has all the symptoms: hyperpyrexia, hypoxia, delirium, hypersensitivity to temperature, blue sputum…" Law trailed off. "Have you been hallucinating, June-ya?"

"W-wha?" June was lost, what would make him think she was hallucinating?

"You're a psych nurse, please don't make me explain what a hallucination is. I need to know if you've been seeing or hearing things because that's one of the final stages before potential coma and death." Law explained in a rush.

"No." She answered confidently.

"Are you sure?" Cora asked her, his wings made a wide sweeping motion across Law's chest and shoulders.

"Why do you keep looking at my tattoo?" Law's voice pulled June's attention back to his face. His eyes stared into hers, searching. "You said "y'all" earlier when you woke up. I'm not the most familiar with your slang but you usually only say that when talking to more than one person. Who else were you talking to?" He pressed, leaning forward over the lip of the tub.

"Y-you?" She was unsure what the correct answer was. June was starting to feel like she was in trouble; a pit of vague worry grew in her stomach.

"And? Come on, June-ya, don't lie to me."

She bit her lip, eyes falling back down to Cora's face. He grinned widely and nodded.

"C-Cora." She whispered.

Law's head reared back as if he had been slapped. "Cora?! What the hell?!"

"I'm so proud of him, look at what all he figured out with just a little blue gunk." Cora preened.

June smiled weakly. "H-he's g-g-good." She agreed.

Law's hand gripped her chin again, forcefully pulling her gaze back to his face. "Stop looking at my tattoo, whatever you're seeing isn't real." He looked up at the vitals screen again. "Forty point five. We need that number lower before I'd feel comfortable taking her out of the tub but she…"

His voice began to fade out, his face blurred. June blinked rapidly in an attempt to refocus her vision without success. A dark border framed her sight and slowly started to close in; her eyelids felt heavy.

She fought to keep her eyes open, willing her consciousness back. As she became more aware, June realized that Ikkaku had been roughly shaking her.

"June! Hey! Wake up!" She was shouting.

A groan escaped June's lips. She lifted her head off Ikkaku's thigh, allowing it to loll back onto her abdomen. Law skidded into the room, arms full of jars, bottles, and an assortment of medical equipment. He held a syringe between his teeth.

That didn't seem safe.

He spread the items out onto the floor, selecting a dark vial and ripped the cap off the syringe with his teeth. He pulled up the medication then recapped the needle, June watched as Law roughly unscrewed the needle off the top and attached the syringe to the IV line to push the medication in.

June vaguely thought about how sterile technique seemed to have been completely thrown out the window.

Law started throwing a mix of powders, tablets, and herbs into a mortar. He summoned an odd blue circle and switched out an empty bottle with a small machine while he grinded the mixture with a pestle. June felt a sense of guilt watching him work so frantically; maybe if she had talked to him sooner, him and Ikkaku wouldn't be in this position right now.

June realized her shivering had stopped. Her skin felt numbed and her mind clearer.

"Hey." She croaked at the distressed doctor.

"Not now, I'm busy trying to save you." Law dismissed her, his eyes not once leaving his task.

"Could ya get my phone for me? I wanna call some people, Ann and Miranda. I haven't contacted them in a couple years but I wanna talk to 'em." She asked.

She recognized it was rude of her to feel the need to reach out to Ann and Miranda after years of silence. June hadn't meant to distance herself as much as she did, but it had been painful keeping them close because of the situation she had been placed in. She missed them horribly and thought of them daily; they had been her family. June knew she was currently in a precarious position and all she wanted right now was for Ann and Miranda to hold her hand.

Ikkaku began to pet her head again. It was a welcome, comforting touch. June watched Law's hand tighten around the pestle in a white-knuckled grip.

"Also, I'm sorry I called ya a hack. You're not." She added.

Law poured half a bottle of clear fluid into the mortar, dissolving the fine powder with quick stirring motions. "Quit talking as if you're dying, you're going to be fine. Apologize later if you really mean it."

June looked up to Ikkaku. "Sorry ya got dragged into this. If it means anything, you're a very comfy pillow."

Ikkaku laughed. "Don't worry about it. I can't wait to give you a good wallop for scaring the shit out of me."

"It seems like treatment is starting to work, her fever has come down enough to take her out of the ice bath." Law spoke while filling a small tube with the medicine he had made. He attached it to the bottom of an oxygen mask then connected a long, thin tube from the mask to the small machine he had summoned. He switched the machine on, and the medicine began to nebulize into a fine mist. When Law switched June's nasal cannula with the mask, she felt the pain in her chest begin to gradually fade with each inhale.

"This should neutralize and stop the infection growing in her lungs. Hopefully it'll also loosen the fluids stuck there, but we still have more work to do." Law stood to walk out of the room. "Pull her out, I'll get some clothes."

Ikkaku hooked her arms under June's armpits, lifting her to stand. "Alright, strong legs now."

June groaned as she stepped onto the tile with trembling legs. Her pajamas stuck to her in an uncomfortable way, rivers of water fell off of her onto the floor. She shakily lowered herself to the ground while Ikkaku pulled towels out of the cabinet.

Law returned to leave a pile of June's clothing on the counter. "Help her get dressed then we'll take her back to the clinic, I'll be outside." He left and closed the door behind him.

It took several minutes for Ikkaku to help June dry off and change, many breaks were taken so that she could catch her breath. By the time they had finished, the nebulizer had run dry. Law turned off the machine and lifted June to carry her to the clinic once more, Ikkaku following close behind with the IV pole and a bucket that Law had told her to bring.

Law deposited June onto the table and placed the bucket along with a towel onto her lap.

"What's all that for, captain?" Ikkaku asked, pointing at the items.

"To catch whatever comes up. Now, steady her so that she's leaning forward." Law positioned himself behind June.

"Can't you just use your power to cut it all out of her? Why do we have to do this chest per-ca-whatever? I feel like I'm gonna hate it." Ikkaku whined.

"You're saying I should put June-ya's already weakened body through a risky procedure because it would be easier when chest percussion is a more reasonable option? Is that what I'm hearing?" Law asked flatly.

Ikkaku groaned and pulled June forward to that her head rested comfortably on Ikkaku's chest. "You're so lucky that we're friends, June. You better have good aim."

"Can we go somewhere when I get better? I could use a drink." June mumbled into Ikkaku's suit.

"Only if you're buying, you owe me a serious girls' night after this." Ikkaku grumbled.

If the crew members were to ask Ikkaku what occurred in that clinic, she would describe the experience as shocking and fucking disgusting. It was morbidly impressive the amount of blue matter June had been carrying around inside of her. Ikkaku would also say that the ease she had felt when Law had finished the chest percussion had been immense. As soon as he was done clapping and rubbing his hands on June's back, sides, and chest, her delirium had vanished. June's breathing no longer sounded like a marble trapped in a can and the whole experience had left her drained and falling asleep on the table.

It was easy to forget how skilled their captain was at healing.

What Ikkaku wouldn't share with the crew was what she had seen after. She wouldn't mention how their captain had carried June to his room to gently place her in his bed or how he had tenderly brushed the hair out of her face. She also wouldn't tell them about the audible sigh of relief she had heard when he had felt June's forehead.

This was all quite difficult to keep to herself since Ikkaku had quickly been slapped with a punishment to scrub the walls of the engine room when she had made taunting, crooning noises at her captain's actions.

Totally worth it though.

On Monday, there was nothing out of the ordinary happening on the Polar Tang.

Well, there was one thing.

Law awoke to the sound of pipes rattling, his eyes blinked open and glared at the ceiling above his bed. Yesterday, the Polar Tang had a collision with a particularly aggressive Sea King. It was an easy fight; room, slice, shamble, done. The whole crew would be fed for weeks and Blake was absolutely ecstatic at the sight of the kitchen freezers overflowing with meat.

Apparently, Law's vessel had taken some damage though.

He sought out Ikkaku, Tsu, and Ridley immediately. Law helped with the repairs by cutting open sections of the walls for his crewmembers to investigate. Eventually, they were able to find the broken pipes that had been leaking water into the walls of the submarine. They had been able to repair the damage quickly though Ridley had quite a few choice words to say about the soggy mess that had been left behind in the crew's bathroom.

Law was relieved that a potential disaster had been averted.

On Tuesday, he noticed that June had a cold. This wasn't too odd, she seemed to catch them fairly often which was to be expected when a person began to live in close quarters with a new group of people. Everyone on the Polar Tang had gone through the same thing when they first joined the crew and Law figured that after a few months, June would adjust. He trusted that she knew how to take care of herself and would come to him if there was a serious problem.

He was also aware that she had been helping herself to the medicine cabinet in the clinic when her symptoms called for it. Law turned a blind eye to this since June hadn't been stealing anything aside from cold remedies and mild anti-inflammatories. Hence, he didn't push to investigate her illness further and chose to instead put his energy into training and preparing for their landing on a nearby island to restock.

If anyone were to ask him why he seemed busier lately, why he was putting more effort into his training, he would say that it was all to reach his goal and prepare himself for the New World; and that wouldn't be a lie. But if he had to be completely honest, he was also finding ways to stay occupied as a way to put more distance between him and June. After his revelation on Waffle Still, he had tried his best to make good on the plan to squash whatever it was he had discovered when him and June had been in the clinic alone after escaping the Birch Pirates.

But when his hands stilled during a brief moment of pause between tasks, Law could swear he could feel June's skin beneath his fingertips. He could read the goosebumps on her flesh that he had memorized in an instant reading a message of want.

He would hear her bright laughter and a feeling of embarrassment would crash into him. Seriously, why was tickling his first instinct?

Either way, Law needed to refocus. He had a goal, one that was over a decade in the making. If he were to lose sight of it now, if he were to let the fragile threads leading him to the end slip through his grasp, he would never be able to look at himself in the mirror or at anyone or anything on the Polar Tang without feeling immense guilt at having let Cora down.

On Wednesday, Law left the Tang in the early morning with half the crew to gather supplies. This supply run had taken most of the day and afterwards, he spent the rest of his time poking around the seedier parts of the city for any interesting information. He didn't learn anything relevant to his current goal but apparently Eustass Kid had decided to try and take on Emperor 'Red-Haired' Shanks and had, unsurprisingly, gotten his ass handed to him in a perfectly wrapped, bloody bow.

Or perhaps it would be better to say that he got his arm served back to him.

What did surprise him was that Eustass had lived and was rumored to be laying low somewhere while he recovered. There was also news that Capone Bege had formed an alliance between the Fire Tank Pirates and Big Mom which would soon be sealed with a marriage between Bege and Big Mom's twenty-second daughter, Charlotte Chiffon.

Horrifying.

Law was pleased to know that he had been right to hold off on traveling over into the New World until later. He was also begrudgingly thankful that June hadn't spilled all her knowledge when he had pressed her. Hearing the struggles that his fellow Super Novas were suffering through, Law knew that he definitely would be in a similar position if June hadn't held back.

The sun had sunk below the horizon when Law had returned to the Polar Tang. He ate a quick dinner while working with Bepo to plot out their next destination; they raised anchor and departed shortly after a decision was made. June was already asleep on her couch by the time Law had made it back to his room for bed. He figured that she must have been sleeping off her cold since he had not seen her in town with the crew members that day.

Which was a shame since Law thought June would have enjoyed the town square with its rather impressive sculptures and water fountains. There had also been a street-side band playing jaunty tunes throughout the day; each time Law had passed the square, he had seen no less than ten people twirling and laughing along with the music.

He could almost picture June thrusting a hand in his direction, asking him for a dance, already knowing his answer. She would shrug and tease him before finding someone else to join her. Law would roll his eyes, watching on as she spun in circles and moved in lively steps across the stone street.

Maybe next time she would see it.

On Thursday, Law started out his morning with a heart attack.

What had roused him from his deep sleep was a sound that he at first thought was the ratting pipes making a return. He had fully intended on turning over to go back to sleep but after a few seconds, he realized that the sound was coming from the person sleeping not five feet from him.

Law rose from his bed and had quickly moved to June's couch.

He was alarmed at what he saw, June hadn't looked that way when he had gone to bed the night before. Her face was pallid with a deep, scarlet flush painting her cheeks. Her skin was slick with sweat and the noise she was making with each breath sounded painful. When Law had felt her forehead, he almost retracted his hand; it felt like touching fire.

Then June woke up, but Law couldn't really say that she was present. And that had scared him because how could he not have realized that she had been this sick?

She had been fine.

Eventually he had convinced her to let him take her to the clinic. As he had rushed around the room, Law thought that this would be an easy fix.

She would be fine.

At least, that's what he had assumed until he saw the read out on the vitals machine.

All he could think of in that moment before adrenaline had kick-started him into motion was that June was fading. That if he hadn't woken up when he did, she would more than likely have died while he slept within arm's reach. She would have been a cold corpse on a couch miles underwater and he wouldn't get a chance to tell her about the dancing villagers he had seen the day before.

Listening to June's delirious ramblings, Law realized that he knew next to nothing about this woman. He wanted to learn more, know what her life was like before he had stolen her heart and whisked her away across the sea.

He realized he didn't even know her last name.

He catapulted into action, his first priority had been to bring down the fever and lift her oxygen levels up. He knew he would need help and decided that Ikkaku would be the best choice since June would need to be placed in an ice bath. His sprinting legs carried him down to the second floor, he beat his fist on Ikkaku's door without a regard to the rest of the crew across the hall.

And Law had almost hit Ikkaku in the face when she had finally opened the door.

In his haste, Law will admit that he hadn't given the most coherent of orders. All he had said was that he needed Ikkaku to quickly get some ice from the freezers and meet him in his bathroom. Ikkaku had just stared back at him with a tired scowl; he had snapped at her to move.

Admittedly, he had felt bad about that.

But then he got back to bathroom and saw June unconscious on the floor, he just about suffered another heart attack. When Law shook her back awake, she had the audacity to look at him and say that he worried too much.

June was starting to be detrimental to his health.

When the revelation that June had been truthful about where she had come from had all but smacked him over the head, he was unsure how to process the feeling that had dropped itself like a boulder in his stomach. This could have all been preventable.

Law outright refused to address the whole Cora hallucinations part of the experience. That was more than he accepted to handle in that moment, he already had to dig through his memory to try and recall the correct treatment for perussi.

Also, he was unprepared to essentially have a crisis on his bathroom floor at three in the morning. Well, more of a crisis than he was already having.

He hadn't known what to say when June had asked for him to call her family. He had completely forgotten that June had people that cared for her and who didn't know where she was. People who didn't know she was dying in a bathtub on a pirate submarine far beneath the sea.

Aside from the medical treatment he had provided, Law felt powerless to provide any sort of emotional support. He was glad that Ikkaku had been there to help with that.

Well, he had been happy to have Ikkaku up until she had taunted him at the end.

When June was stabilized, Law had forgotten himself for a moment and brushed the hair out of her face, caressed her forehead. He had forgotten about the plan to create distance between him and June, he had forgotten the whole reason behind her being on the Polar Tang in the first place. The adrenaline had worn off leaving him exhausted and left with lingering feelings of worry. He stared down at her in his bed, resting comfortably, breathing easily, and felt physical relief.

Law accepted he wasn't going to get any more sleep and planted himself on June's couch with a book, planning on continuing to monitor her. When he realized that he had read the same page no less than three times, not absorbing the context in lieu of listening to any changes in June's breathing, he closed the book then gently, but firmly, tapped the spine repeatedly against his forehead.

What he was experiencing was not good, it was not welcome.

He promised to do better tomorrow.

Notes:

So, this time I decided to piss off the respiratory people; no body system is safe from me! I got so used to putting out monster chapters, it feels weird putting out a decently sized one. I originally had planned to tie this one into the next but this seemed like a better stopping place.

As a note, chest percussion, or chest physical therapy, is a therapy using positions and gravity while clapping or vibrating sections of a person's torso to dislodge or loosen mucus trapped in their lungs so they can cough it out. It's usually used on people with cystic fibrosis and can be tiring and uncomfortable.

If you'd like some imagery and information, have a look here.

As another side note, I currently have COVID. So that might have influenced some of all of this.

Chapter 15: Distance

Summary:

While June works on her recovery, it becomes obvious that she and Law don't know how to communicate.

Notes:

Hey babes, I missed you. Enjoy this feel good chapter, I know I diiiiiiiiid.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

June jerked awake with a gasp through her nose.

She had been cresting the edge of sleep for an undetermined amount of time, flirting with the pull of unconsciousness. But suddenly, and for no reason at all, she experienced a sensation like she had accidentally missed a step while going down the stairs that had startled her into awareness.

Dizzy.

June felt like she was rocking back and forth on a ship.

Wait.

No, that's right.

She is on a ship – no, a submarine; the Polar Tang to be exact. And on the Grand Line, somehow. How did that happen?

A feeling similar to a jolt had June sitting up, she remembered everything. Her head swam from the sudden movement; groaning, she gripped her forehead. Her skin felt sticky from dried sweat, she licked her chapped lips and tasted salt. A shower seemed like a good idea; maybe the hot water would clear the fog from her head.

June slowly pivoted herself onto the edge of the bed to touch her feet to the floor. A shudder traveled down her spine when the cold wood stole the heat from her soles. She leaned over to look between her legs, expecting to see her suitcase on the ground, but instead saw there was only a dust bunny that was keeping a stray stock company.

That was odd.

She sat back up and squinted at her surroundings, puzzled. Alright, maybe she didn't remember everything. How did she end up in Law's bed?

Peering over her shoulder, she found the captain; an amused smile pulled at June's lips.

Law was laying on the couch, ankles crossed and hands resting on his abdomen. His chest rose and fell slowly with each relaxed breath. These were all the primary indicators that he was sleeping since she couldn't see his face which was currently covered by a book. Law's nose was buried into the spine and his messy hair was spread across the pillow under his head.

What a dork, June thought affectionately.

June rose off the bed then shuffled unsteadily over to the couch, she knelt on the ground to pull out her bag as quietly as possible. She managed to grab a comfortable outfit and replace the suitcase back under the couch without waking Law. Rising to stand, and quickly nabbing her glasses from the front pocket of the bag on the way up, June sneakily tiptoed out of the room and into the bathroom.

Steam fogged the room as the water in the shower heated. June peeled her clothing off with a disgusted frown at the idea of having perspired so much while she slept. Searching her memory, she found that there were giant gaps. June stepped under the showerhead and began to review the facts she did know as she lathered a palmful of shampoo into her hair.

She had been sick, very sick. She remembered having a fever, isolating herself in Law's cabin, then falling asleep on the couch while waiting for the captain to return from his island visit. June remembered waking up and seeing Law's distressed face, Ikkaku had also come in at one point. June recalled feelings of fear, confusion, shame, and guilt but could not conjure what those emotions had been a reaction to.

It almost felt like a hazy dream, or maybe like someone had read the news then gave June a short summary of events but forgot crucial details. It seemed like she would be bothering Law and Ikkaku for information; June was very curious about how she and Law switched places.

Something on her arm snagged painfully in her hair.

"Shit!" June yanked her hands away from her head to look at her right arm, soap bubbles slipped off her fingers onto the tile. A partially dislodged IV angrily stared up from her forearm. She wondered when that had been placed, and why.

She picked at the adhesive securing the line down then pulled out the cannula. June inspected the line, making sure all the pieces were present before leaning partially out of the shower and tossing everything into the wastebasket with a grumble. June felt irritated that she had ruined a perfectly good IV, though she figured that it was unnecessary to have it at this point.

Probably.

June finished up her shower while humming an upbeat tune. Compared to the past few days, she felt amazing; there were still lingering aches and general symptoms of a respiratory illness, but they were more manageable than they had been. June hit a note that vibrated her throat in a way that caused her to go into a fit of dry coughs.

She turned off the shower, covering her mouth to hold in her hacking. June stumbled out and to the sink then shoved her head under the faucet, chugging down water to ease the itch in her parched throat. Discomfort soothed, she stood up to dry off then brush her teeth. After she had dressed, June opened the bathroom door, planning on going to the clinic to steal a cough suppressant.

She quietly padded out into Law's office and looked up at the clock high on the wall, it read two in the afternoon; her stomach let out a loud groan. No wonder she felt lightheaded, she had slept through breakfast and lunch.

As she walked into the clinic across the hall, June decided she would find something to eat after she pilfered some medication. While in the middle of digging through the cabinet for something appropriate, the clinic door slammed open; June jumped with a yelp, knocking several bottles off the shelf onto the floor.

Law was in the doorway, he looked fifty degrees beyond exhausted; his eyebags even had carry-ons.

"Fuck, Law! Ya scared the ghost outta me!" June clutched her chest, her missing heart racing a galloping beat. She started picking the bottles off the floor and placing them back in their homes. "I know you're the captain, or whatever, but can't ya announce yourself before ya explode into a room like that?"

Law wordlessly shambled into the room toward June then placed the back of his hand against her forehead. She stared up at him, confusion painting itself across her face.

"What're-" Law interrupted her question with a grunt; he placed his hand on June's chest to nudge her backward until she landed on the exam table.

"Now hold on a minute." June protested; she watched the captain hook her up to the vitals machine. "Are ya alright? Ya look half dead."

He scoffed humorlessly as he dug through the clinic cabinets and drawers, pulling medications and equipment out to place on his rolling table. He pushed the items over to June then eyed the vitals screen, an expression of unexpected relief on his face.

Law unhooked June from the machine then grabbed and donned his stethoscope. He approached her while holding the bell, his other hand pointed at June's shirt then gestured sharply upward indicating he wanted her to take it off.

June felt her face heat. "Excuse me?!" She pulled her shirt down an extra inch. "Ya haven't even told me what in the hell you're doin'!"

"Assessment." He provided curtly.

"Yeah, I fuckin' got that. Are ya actually asleep right now? Is this some sorta weird sleepwalkin' dream you're havin'?"

Law positioned himself off to June's side then placed the diaphragm of the stethoscope up the back of June's shirt, the cold metal made her shiver. She sighed exasperatedly and decided to humor the man; maybe once he was happy, she'd get some answers. She inhaled and exhaled deeply whenever she felt Law move to listen to a new spot on her back and sides. He moved to stand in front of June then began moving the diaphragm across different points on her clavicles and chest.

When he finished, Law dropped his stethoscope on the table.

"Name?" He asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Na-me?" Law drew out the syllables in a gruff voice. Apparently, he was a man that turned into a single word speaking caveman when he was tired.

"Ugh." June crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. "June."

"Where?"

Her eyes narrowed. She was pretty sure she knew what he was assessing, but she was a touch mystified as to why exactly he was testing her cognition. "On the Polar Tang, somewhere on the Grand Line."

Law nodded, seemingly pleased by the answer. "When?"

"November, I think it's Thursday?"

He seemed less satisfied with that response but pushed forward. June blushed as she watched Law unzip his jacket to expose his chest, he pointed at his tattoo seemingly uncaring about him exposing so much skin for no discernible reason. "What do you see?"

June's eyebrows pinched together, she looked at the tattoo fleetingly then away at the wall with a frown, feeling flustered. "I dunno, a neat tattoo?"

"That's it?"

"Is that a trick question?"

"Do you see anything else, June-ya?" He pressed.

She exhaled a disgruntled breath and looked back at the ink decorating his torso from clavicles to navel. Her eyes traced the thick lines, searching for something that might be out of the ordinary but the only thing she saw was a piece of art that had been printed onto an appealing set of pecs and abs.

June felt the lizard part of her brain scream its desire to bite them. After locking the intrusive voice away into a deep, dark corner of her mind, June gave a better, more coherent answer.

"All I see is a black tattoo. It has a smile, a heart, and a set of wings. When I look at it, I wonder if it was hard to breathe when ya got it. I hear gettin' a sternum tattoo is killer." Her eyes flicked up to meet Law's. "Are ya just tryin' to show off right now? Or are ya advertisin' some sorta work out ya want me to demo? I've honestly been tryin' to work on my core strength lately."

He snorted at her dry humor; none of this was helping June feel less lost. Law pulled the zipper of his jacket back up, June silently bid farewell to the view.

He leaned over to the table to pick up a syringe along with a dark vial of fluid. June watched him pull up the medication then cap and screw off the needle. Law picked up June's arm then pushed back her sleeve to expose her forearm. When he saw that the IV had been taken out, he looked up at June with an irritable scowl.

June sheepishly pulled her sleeve down with a nervous laugh. "It, uh, kinda got tugged part of the way out when I was in the shower, so I decided to remove it." The realization of what Law was trying to do suddenly hit her. "Wait, what were ya tryin' to put in it just now?"

Law slapped the syringe on the table then stomped over to the medicine cabinet. He, none too gracefully, pulled out a cup and two pill bottles. After he filled the cup with water from the sink he walked back over to June. Law thrusted the cup along with two pills in her direction, staring at her expectantly.

"Uh, alright. Yeah, sure. I trust ya and everythin' but can ya use your words?" June accepted the items, inspecting the two unfamiliar tablets.

"You're sick." Law looked as if he was about to fall asleep where he was standing. June had a hundred questions she wanted to ask and a minimal understanding of anything.

Why was he so exhausted? Why did June wake up with an IV? Why couldn't she remember what happened?

But looking at the captain, she figured the answers could come later. Right now, June wanted to get this odd situation over with so Law could go back to sleep; she didn't want him to fall over and crack his head open on something.

June swallowed the pills without further complaint, trusting Law's weary judgment.

He took the cup out of June's hand to replace it with a small machine that had an oxygen mask and tubing attached to it.

She turned the machine over in her hands, inspecting the parts. "Is this a nebulizer?"

In lieu of an answer, Law instead grabbed June's arm then gently pulled her up to stand. He planted his hand flat between her shoulder blades and guided her out the door, across the hall, back into the bedroom to sit on the bed with her back to the wall. Law filled the small attachment on the bottom of the mask with a vial of medication he brought then leaned over June to put the mask on her face; she swatted his hands away and snatched the mask out of his hands.

"I can do it myself, damn. Go sit down before ya collapse." She strapped the mask onto her face then pressed the button on the machine; the medicine became a mist that she inhaled with deep breaths.

So, she had been right, it was a nebulizer. June added that to the list of questions. Why did she need a nebulizer treatment? Not that she was opposed to it, whatever medication Law was giving her was helping with the heavy feeling in her chest.

Law nodded down at June, well, it was more of a tired, ragdoll bob of the head. He reached down to either pat her hair or feel her forehead again but missed and instead smacked her face, knocking June's glasses off center.

"Ow, fuck! Go lay down, Law, seriously." June righted her glasses then rubbed her cheek. This would all be hilarious if she wasn't so concerned for the captain's wellbeing at the moment.

He lumbered over to the couch and plopped down to sit, he immediately melted into the cushions. The poor man stared ahead unseeing, blinking absently as he waited for the treatment to finish.

The room was silent aside from the motor of the nebulizer humming. June was astonished, exactly what happened while she was out? She desperately wanted to get some answers, but she doubted that was going to happen with Law the way he was right now. June waited for the treatment to finish, finding that she was able to breathe easier the longer it dragged on. By the time the nebulizer began to hiss, indicating the medicine had run out, June felt like she could easily run a marathon and not feel short of breath.

She switched off the machine then glanced over to Law to ask him exactly what the hell all of that had been about, but she found the captain asleep on the couch again; his head lolled back against the backrest.

That wouldn't feel good when he woke up.

Law was snoring; a faint purr of sound occasionally interrupted by an abrupt, nasally gasp. June giggled, she thought it was kind of cute.

June removed the mask then crept over to the couch. She ever so slowly, ever so quietly, covered Law with a blanket then placed a pillow under his head to save his neck. After a self-indulgent moment where June watched Law rest peacefully without the usual frown lines creasing his face, she figured that now would be the time for an escape.

Fleeing swiftly, she pitter pattered out of the suite and down the stairs to the mess hall. The delicious, lingering scent of whatever had been served for lunch caused her stomach to rumble painfully. She entered the room, making a beeline straight for the kitchen when a chorus of voices began to shout.

"June?!"

"Holy shit!"

"You're alive!"

Ambushed, crushed under the weight of tall bodies. This wasn't how June expected her end would come as several members of the Heart Crew engulfed her into a tight, breath-stealing hug. She wiggled her trapped arms free and scrambled for purchase as she climbed up one of the bodies in front of her who ended up being Locke when she was able to get a good look.

She gasped a deep breath then shouted, "Y'all! Chill! What the hell has gotten into y'all?!"

Ikkaku muscled her way through the crowd, throwing elbows into people's sides. "Give her some room! Seriously! She's still recovering!"

The crew members mumbled apologies as they backed away, releasing June from their hold. She hopped down off Locke's front, stumbling on the landing.

"I'm gonna need an answer for all this craziness. First it was Law, now y'all are actin' all weird too." June addressed the group, hands on her hips.

"Do you really not know, June?" Shachi asked.

"When we heard about what happened we were so worried, but captain told us we couldn't see you." Clione added.

"Wait, does he even know you're here? He said you'd need to rest for a few days before he'd allow you to move around." Penguin wondered aloud.

"June! I was so scared!" Bepo cried, interrupting Penguin; he trapped June in a tight, fluffy embrace. "I can't believe we almost lost you!"

Ikkaku pulled June from the bear and held her at arm's distance by the shoulders. "Tell me you remember me. I won't be able to handle it if you leave me alone with these idiots again."

June's head was spinning, this was a lot of information to take in. "I'm lost. I know I slept in but that's just 'cause I was sleepin' off a cold. What's up with all the dramatics?"

"For real? You don't remember?" Ikkaku's hands slid off June's shoulders. "You've been asleep for two days! You almost died because you caught something, perussi Law called it. Him and I had to treat you to bring down your fever and clear out your lungs. You were completely out of it; you were talking like you weren't even here and you couldn't even remember me."

Well, that explained the hunger and Law's weird behavior. June wondered if Law had been treating her around the clock. That must be why he was practically a robot with a singular directive to assess and treat.

June felt a pang of guilt having caused so much worry and stress for the Hearts.

"Hey, I know that look. Stop that. It's not like you meant to get so sick, June. We're just happy to see you up and moving around." Locke nudged her shoulder, knocking her from her thoughts.

"I just- I'm so sorry to worry y'all. I thought it was just another cold, so I didn't say anything." June looked up at Ikkaku. "I'm not sure what all happened, but thanks for takin' care of me; it couldn't've been easy."

"Oh, it was terrible!" Ikkaku laughed. "You owe me a few drinks for the suffering you put me through."

Uni wedged his way through the group, holding a plate of risotto and fish. "We're glad to have you back, June. Come sit down, I'm sure you're starving."

The group migrated to one of the tables to allow June to sit with the plate. She immediately began shoveling the food into her mouth, hardly tasting it.

"Woah, girl, slow down! I know you're hungry, but we can't have you choking when captain spent so much time keeping you alive." Shachi teased, pulling June's plate a couple inches away from her.

June growled and swiped at him with her fork, Shachi yelped then pulled his hand back. The Heart Crew laughed as she began digging in again.

"Is that my favorite little lady I see?" Blake's voice carried across the room.

June's fork paused, she turned around to land a bright smile at the cook. "Blake, baby! Did ya miss me?"

Blake chortled then ruffled her hair while sliding another plate in front of June. "It's been too quiet without you around. Eat up, we've got plenty if you want more."

From there, the room dissolved into laughter and merriment. The crew caught June up on everything she had missed before the conversation quickly dissolved into general pirate mischief. The group grew rowdier as the minutes passed, loud jokes and playful arguments filled the room. The noise began to attract more crew members from across the Tang. As they entered the mess hall and spotted June, they would run up to envelop her in a tight hug before joining in on what was quickly becoming a celebration.

June had never felt so loved; and she certainly had never received so many embraces before.

"So June, are you, uh, healed?" Tsu asked. "I thought you would be out of, uh, commission longer based on how captain was acting."

"No idea." June sipped at her water, she felt stuffed and sated after having her fill of food. "Law hardly said a word to me about anythin'."

"Wait, so he didn't clear you yet?" Tsu frowned.

"Nah, I waited 'til he was passed out then I came down here." She waved her hand dismissively. "I feel better though aside from some aches and whatnot."

"Uh-oh. June, you better get back, uh, upstairs before he realizes you're gone. He's not gonna be happy that you left before he gave you the go ahead." Tsu stood, trying to pull June up to follow.

She shook his hand off her elbow. "No way! If I go back up there, who knows when I'll be free again."

Tsu held his hands up in defeat, sitting back down again. "Alright then. It's your, uh, funeral."

"What's the worst he could do, huh? Drag me back to the cave and give me a stern talkin' to? Make me clean the sub until my hands and knees are raw? I'll be fine."

Tsu sighed, shaking his head.

The crew kept at it until the clock showed it was time for dinner to be served. At some point, one of the crew members rolled in a keg, the Hearts somehow became louder as the alcohol began to flow. A bowl of gumbo had been placed in front of June which she hadn't touched, still content from her frantic feast earlier.

She was laughing heartily at a joke Penguin had told her so ultimately it wasn't her fault that she hadn't noticed an eerie silence fall on the room.

June's cackling tapered off when she noticed the crew go as still as a field of statues. She looked around, seeing the color drain from their faces as a collective. Her eyes were pulled to the doorway of the mess hall where in the threshold stood Law.

Wow, he looked pissed.

Law calmly walked across the room, the Heart Crew parting fearfully as he made his way over to June's table. Each step he took bounced off the walls and counted down the seconds until June met her assured demise.

All too soon Law had reached her table. He stared down at her with a look that drained the warmth from her veins.

He remained silent, waiting.

June shakily grabbed her dinner along with a spoon then stood from her seat. Law wordlessly led her out of the room; June looked around to each of the crew members who seemed to be pointedly averting their eyes from the procession.

Traitors.

Law marched her up the stairs, step by step. Each sound of Law's boots meeting the metal of the stairs echoed a repetitive, taunting mantra in her head.

You're fucked. You're fucked. You're fucked. You're fucked.

The anticipation of whatever verbal lashing June was about to receive ate at her nerves as they steadily climbed up to Law's suite. They arrived much too quickly for comfort; Law opened the door and glared as June walked past. She jumped when the door to his office closed with a bang behind her. He walked ahead down the hallway to his room, June momentarily wondered if she could make a run for it and hide in a closet somewhere.

"June-ya, get your ass in here." Law called from the bedroom.

Seems like she had waited too long.

Accepting her fate, she dragged her feet down the short hallway to the bedroom at the end, warily approaching Law who was standing at the foot of the bed.

"Get in, you're not well enough to be moving around yet." He stated in an oddly cool tone while pointing at the bed.

June was shocked, she had expected to get scolded within an inch of her life.

"But Law, I-" She started to argue but was quickly interrupted.

"Get. In." He ground out through gritted teeth. "If I find you wandering around the Tang again without my permission, I'll take your legs so you can't move at all."

There it was; June huffed out a laugh.

"Fine, fine. But ya should eat." She put the bowl and spoon in Law's hands. "I heard about what happened, ya need to take care of yourself too."

June crawled onto the bed then tucked herself underneath the blankets. Exhaustion began to itch at her eyes, perhaps some more sleep wouldn't be the worst thing. While she did feel better compared to a few days ago, she could still feel the illness wearing her down.

Law sat himself down on the couch again, tucking into his dinner.

"Sorry to cause so much trouble, I really thought it was just another cold." June bit back a yawn as she laid down facing the captain.

"Shut up and go to sleep. The faster you get better, the sooner I can start focusing on other things."

She cuddled deeper into the pillow underneath her head. "Sorry I called ya a hack on Waffle Still, by the way. You're not, you're actually pretty competent."

Law's spoon clicked against the bowl. "Whatever."

It was difficult to see his face in the dim room, but Law looked troubled for some reason.

June pulled the blankets up to her nose. "G'night, Law."

He didn't answer. June slowly drifted off, watching Law as he ate his dinner; something felt off about the captain.

The sound of forks and knives gently scraping against their dinner plates was grating on Aerin's last nerve. She felt like she might start screaming if someone didn't say something soon. Anything would do, absolutely anything. Even a topic as mundane as what type of seasonal fruit mother saw at the marketplace this week would be fine.

"Aerin, did you hear? Your sister got accepted into a research fellowship." Her father finally broke the silence.

Aerin regretted her wish, now she wanted nothing more than for the dining room floor to open wide so she could throw herself into a pool of magma deep beneath the planet's crust.

"I'm so proud of her! She's going to be working alongside Doctor Brunner to study the weather patterns of the Grand Line." Her mother added excitedly.

"It's quite a feat." Father agreed. "It'll no doubt open many doors for her once she finishes her dissertation."

Aerin's jaw clenched painfully; she did her best not to dig deep gouges into her plate while cutting into the steak with her knife. "Good for her." She said through clenched teeth.

"Oh, come now, Aerin. You should be excited for your sister! She was supportive of you when you decided to drop out of school to build houses." Mother commented dismissively.

Irritation ignited like a scalding fire in Aerin's chest. "I'm a shipwright, mom."

"It's about the same thing. They're just floating houses." Father scoffed.

Aerin roughly slammed her silverware back onto the table with a bang, causing the items on the surface to shake. "No, it's not!"

How many times has she had this conversation? How many times has she had to correct them?

"There's no need to shout." Father scolded her. "I don't understand why you couldn't just finish your degree; you could have just as easily gotten that fellowship like your sister."

How many times would she be compared to her? How many times would she be made to feel less than just because she wanted to build and create rather than observe and hypothesize?

Aerin gripped the edge of the table, her nails dug half-moon indentions into the wood. She felt tired, empty.

"Why am I not enough for you?" She asked quietly, eyes burning holes into the wood grain.

"Excuse me?" Mother asked, her confused voice ringing like a delicate windchime. Perfect, dainty, everything Aerin was not.

"I'm smart, I'm capable, I'm damn good at what I do. Why is it that no matter what I do, it just isn't good enough?" Her voice trembled from a million repressed emotions threatening to spill forth.

"Aerin! Watch your mouth! I won't tolerate language like that!" Father admonished her, his fist dropping heavily on the table with a loud thud, the plates and silverware danced.

"Not once did I regret my decision to become a shipwright but why is it that whenever I'm here, at these dinners, do I feel ashamed because I chose something that makes me happy rather than what wins your approval?!" She could feel tears begin to sting her eyes. "Why is it that it's always been a competition between me and Blaire? Why-"

"What is happening right now?" Law's voice pulled June from her story.

"Whaddya mean?" She asked, voice wavering; June sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

Law stared at her; exasperation written all over his face. He gestured to the book still clutched in June's hands then pointed at her face. "You were reading quietly, and now you're crying? What happened?" His voice was unnecessarily harsh.

"Oh, well see, I was born with somethin' called empathy. I know that's a foreign feelin' for ya to understand so I'll try and explain it. See, I've gotten pretty attached to the characters in this story so when somethin' happens to 'em, that pesky empathy starts actin' up and I feel an emotion. Somethin' sad happened, so I also got sad." She explained as if she was teaching an abstract concept to a child.

He glowered at her, obviously not appreciating the condescending tone of June's voice. "I know what empathy is, June-ya. I just don't see the point in getting so attached to a character to the point of crying when they're just words on a page."

June bit her lip to contain a bark of laughter, the irony of Law's statement was not lost on her.

"I dunno, maybe I'm just fun like that. I've always gotten attached to the stories I read. Sometimes, if the story is really good, it'll ruin my whole day when sometin' upsettin' happens." She stated flippantly and shrugged.

"So, you're saying that this book has already ruined your day at," Law glanced at the clock on the wall then turned his disbelieving eyes back to June. "eleven in the morning?"

"I'm sick and feelin' particularly fragile, of course it ruined my day." June sniffed again, this time more due to the congestion clogging her sinuses. "I don't feel good, my joints ache, and all I wanna do is be miserable while I read about the intricacies of a broken family featuring a protagonist strugglin' to live up to unattainable expectations which ultimately leads to a journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Am I not entitled to that?"

Law frowned; irritation clearly expressed in the ever present creases around his eyes. June decided that she had come out as the victor for that interaction. She was unsure about why she had expected the pair of them to remain amicable when she had decided to read out in the office area.

Law had been avoiding her again.

Before, it could have been written off as him being too busy on the Polar Tang to interact with June, but now it was apparent that he was purposely putting distance between the two of them. June had recovered enough for Law to stop his continuous monitoring, yet she was still under strict orders to not leave the suite.

Throughout the day, Law would come into his room to give June medications or administer a nebulized treatment before promptly leaving. June had tried many times to interact with him through conversation or with a childish prank or joke, but he would minimally engage then depart. Frankly, it was getting annoying but what could June do? Obviously, the captain didn't want to address whatever it was that was bothering him at the cost of their relationship.

Also, it just plain hurt her feelings.

There was also a new feature he had developed where he seemed to be constantly antagonistic when he did talk to her which was why June was being unnecessarily prickly. He seemed to have awakened a fun, exciting feeling within her to rip the hair out of her head from overwhelming frustration.

June marked her place in the book then stood from her seated position on the floor, a groan of discomfort escaped her as her joints popped and creaked. The floor probably hadn't been the wisest place to set up shop, despite the pillows and blankets she had dragged from her couch to use as padding, but June had gotten tired of staring at the same four walls after two days of being stuck in Law's room.

Also, as she had mentioned, June was feeling fragile. When she was well and healthy, being alone for an extended period of time wasn't usually an issue but at this moment, she craved to have someone nearby. So, after she had woken up, she sought out Law who had been working at his desk.

He had raised a curious brow at her as she created a small nest on the floor against the wall by the meeting table across from his desk, but he hadn't commented. June hadn't voiced her reasons for relocation either and had spent the past couple of hours silently reading, happy enough to just be in the same room as another person while she quietly suffered through the end of her illness.

Even if that person had been insufferable for unknown reasons the past few days.

"I think I'm gonna lay down, maybe I'll feel better after a nap." June mused aloud as she slowly gathered up her belongings while, once again tampering down the feelings of annoyance Law had stirred in her. She moved towards the hallway, the siren call of sleep beckoning her back to the couch. Law stopped her with a blunt demand.

"Take my bed, I'm not using it so you can nap there for now."

June looked back at the captain; he had turned his eyes back to the stack of papers on his desk to scribble more words on a document that held his attention.

"Look, we've already been through this. I don't wanna put ya out just 'cause I'm whiny."

He didn't look up, continuing to make tick marks on his papers. "Take the offer, June-ya. It wasn't an ask."

She sighed, too tired to argue further. "Fine. Thanks, Law."

June had thrown a fit the day after he had caught her in the mess hall. She felt guilty having taken the captain's bed when it became apparent that he was not used to sleeping on the couch. He had been moving stiffly and rolling his neck and shoulders to ease the tension in his muscles. They had gone back and forth about the arrangement, June stubbornly not budging on her stance. Ultimately, Law had given in; well, that was a bit of an exaggeration. He had dropped the argument suddenly then left the room, with a miffed sentence.

"Do whatever you want, I don't care."

That was when she had really noticed the change. Usually, he would put up more of a fight or somehow twist the argument into playful prodding with a snicker and a wry smile. What had been really different about the exchange was that he seemed genuinely upset. He and June frequently bickered, but that's all it ever was, there was never any heat or actual anger in their fights. It always felt more like teasing than anything and if there was a real problem, those conversations were always resolved with calm conversation and understanding.

June didn't know what had caused this shift, all she understood was that something was fundamentally different. She had of course tried to address the issue, she had point blank asked Law yesterday what exactly was bothering him. He had brushed her off with a noncommittal shake of his head and told her that she had been imagining things.

June shuffled down the hallway into the bedroom, disappointment sprouting in her chest at her thoughts. When did each interaction between them change into this? A competition for who could leverage a win, verbally strong-arming each other to see who could gain a meaningless victory that did nothing more than widen the gap between them.

She supposed that maybe this was how things were meant to be. The term 'prisoner' was a very loose description for what she was; June recognized that she was probably the most well treated pirate captive on the sea. After her clumsy solo rescue mission on Waffle Still, Law had even relaxed his rules to the point where June wasn't being handcuffed to the couch anymore. The bonds that she had made with the Hearts by all accounts should not have been allowed to develop and the friendship that had cultivated between herself and the captain was especially abnormal. Maybe Law realized this too and was just trying to reset things to the way they should have been all along.

That didn't mean June wouldn't be upset about the whole situation.

She dropped her items on the couch then flopped onto Law's bed, a sound of relief escaping her mouth. The plush mattress was already heaven on her joints. June wrapped herself in the blankets then placed her glasses on the bedside table. As she drifted off into a dreamless sleep, a rueful smile tugged at her lips when the earthy scent of sandalwood embraced her.

June woke several hours later with a headache; she opened her watering eyes to stare out the porthole above the couch. It was difficult to tell the time of day due to being underwater but if June had to guess, it was late afternoon maybe dinner time.

As she stretched out her limbs across the bed, June whimpered at the throbbing ache in her body. She turned over to relieve the pressure on her hip and shoulder, the pain in the joints on the right side of her body sang their relief. June blinked blearily at the table next to the bed then pushed herself up with some difficulty to squint at the spread that had been left for her. Someone, most likely Law, had left her a care package it seemed; June grabbed her glasses off the table, placing them at home on her nose to have a closer look.

There was a familiar mint green pain medication, a glass of water, a jar with what appeared to be some sort of ointment inside, a bowl of dried fruit, and the book she had been reading.

June felt a warm flutter erupt annoyingly in her chest; maybe Law had some empathy after all.

She ate a fistful of the fruit, savoring the pleasant sweetness along with the interesting tactile feeling of each ridge and wrinkle against her tongue. Grabbing the medication along with the water next, she chugged them down, soothing her dry, itching throat. June traded out the empty glass for the jar then unscrewed the top to take an investigative sniff.

It smelt like menthol and herbs, she guessed it was meant for her tender muscles.

June positioned herself on the edge of the bed, kicking her pajama pants off excitedly. She dipped her fingers into the jar to scoop a generous amount of the medicine then started working on her hips and thighs, gently massaging the ointment into her skin. She worked on her shoulders next, moaning with great relief when the pain gradually lessened into a barely noticeable itch as the ointment began to activate, feeling warm to the touch.

She hit a snag in the process when it came time to reach her back, June struggled to reach the high places between her shoulder blades where the tension was most bothersome. June cursed under her breath; shirt pulled up to her armpits. She stretched her fingers as far as they could manage and arched her back in a futile attempt to bring her destination closer to her hand. It was at this vulnerable moment that Law decided now would be an ideal time to enter the room.

June hastily pulled down her shirt and covered her lap with the comforter, heat blooming on her cheeks.

"Can I help ya?" June asked, flustered.

An amused glint that she hadn't seen in days twinkled in his eyes, his familiar taunting smirk spread across his lips. "Having trouble?"

"Yeah, I was tryin' to get my back, but it was, uh, a bit difficult. Thanks for the…" She trailed off, waving her hand vaguely over to the bedside table. "It was real nice of ya. I like the stuff in the jar, and the bed made a lot of difference."

"I see, that's good." Law walked to the bed and sat down next to June. He reached over to pluck the jar from her hands, looking at the contents. "Maybe I should make more, you've already used quite a bit."

June nodded, staring intently at a fascinating notch in the wooden floor about three feet in front of her. She fully expected him to quickly assess her then leave without any further conversation.

"Turn around." Law commanded gently.

"What?" Her eyes snapped up to meet his.

"I'll get your back for you. Your muscles are probably stiff so you can't reach properly." He stated simply.

"You don't gotta do that, I'm sure I'll manage." June waved him off.

Law raised an eyebrow blandly at her then lifted his hand to spin a single tattooed finger in a circle, indicating he did not care, that he still wished for her to turn around.

She sighed then turned to face the head of the bed, presenting her back.

"Lift your shirt."

June somehow managed to blush deeper and grumbled as she bunched the back of her shirt up to her neck with her right hand.

"Quit complaining, you'll feel better after I'm done." His voice sounded almost warm, fond; it threw June for a loop. After days of cold tones and distant actions, she felt baffled at the sudden change.

Law's hands started low, massaging the ointment into her back with firm, circular motions. His thumbs dipped into the dimples on June's lower back, rubbing outward from the symmetrical divots in her skin. As he gradually moved higher, June felt herself become gradually more pliant under his touch. She let out an involuntary breathy whine when he loosened a particularly painful knot between her shoulder blades, his hands paused briefly before rubbing more solidly into the muscle again.

"I felt that one, how long have you been carrying that?" Law chuckled.

"Forever." June groaned; her head fell forward to expose the back of her neck.

His hands continued their slow journey up, reaching underneath the back of her shirt to knead her shoulders and neck. June felt like putty in his hands, her eyes fell shut as she unconsciously began to press back against him. Law's left hand wandered down to grasp June's waist to steady her. He stroked her ribs as his right hand continued to caress the back of her neck.

June felt wholly relaxed and strangely wanting.

The hand on her neck released. Law's fingers trailed down her spine, tracing each bump of her vertebrae, then veered off to mirror his other hand now lightly gripping June by the sides. His thumbs traced the slight dip between the bones of her ribs and drew wide sweeps across her skin.

"Better?" Law asked, June could hear the smugness in his voice.

She answered with a dreamy, affirmative hum.

"You seem tired." He murmured into her ear.

"Mmm, maybe a little."

"You should sleep then."

She sighed deeply, eyes slowly blinking open. "It feels like that's all I've been doin'."

"That means you're healing." His breath tickled the back of her ear, sending an almost imperceptible shiver down her back.

This felt familiar. It was like that time in the clinic when Law had been close, his hands gripping her thighs while his voice whispered in her ear. June could feel a familiar seductive heat begin to simmer just beneath the surface, begging for more. She felt Law's hands drag further up her sides, goosebumps blooming in his wake. June's eyes fluttered shut again, anticipation singing in her skin.

Law grasped the hem of her shirt and pulled the article down to cover her torso again.

June's eyes flew open, she felt had been doused with a spray of cold water. Embarrassment flooded into her; June realized she had completely misread that. She should really work harder to get a handle on herself. June separated herself from Law, working to hide how frazzled she felt when she turned to look at him. "Thanks, it feels a lot better. Ya were a lot more thorough than I coulda' been."

Law closed the top of the jar then leaned over to place it on the table, remaining silent. June couldn't see his eyes clearly, the dim room and brim of his hat creating a shadow that blocked her view. June hoped that she hadn't made him uncomfortable with how she had leaned back into him longer than necessary.

June rolled her neck then her shoulders, the sound of faint popping began to fill the room. She planted her hips into the bed and twisted her torso to the left, snapping noises traveled up the length of her spine. She turned to the right and, somehow, was able to elicit even more cracks from her back. June righted herself then flopped backwards onto the bed with a delirious giggle, the comforter pooling low on her hips. Law stared down at the woman with wide, startled eyes.

"Are you paralyzed? What the hell was that?"

"Life changing, that's what that was." June stretched out her limbs again, her joints popping deliciously. The ache that had been settled deep into them for days had been blissfully smoothed away.

"Well, if you can keep yourself from breaking your back while on my submarine, I'd appreciate it." Law mumbled. His eyes traveled down the length of her, landing on the comforter still covering her lap. He titled his head to the side and reached out to pull it down an inch. "You're not wearing anything."

June lightly swatted his hand away then pulled the comforter up higher. "No peeking. Keep your mitts to yourself."

"That'd probably mean more if you hadn't just let me feel up your entire back." Law smirked down at her.

"That's different, that was for therapeutic purposes." June responded with a pout.

"One could argue that in the right context, this could also lead to something therapeutic." He teased.

June gaped up at the captain, feeling a deep blush settle onto her cheeks once again. She snapped up to land a slap to Law's shoulder. "Holy shit! You're the worst!"

He snickered and caught her hand before she could land a hit. "I'm glad to see you've gotten your energy back; you might be fully recovered in a couple more days."

June felt giddy, she had missed this. The banter and teasing, the laughter and easiness that she felt when they were together. Maybe whatever had been bothering Law had worked itself out of his system. Maybe it had nothing to do with June at all and Law had just needed space to fix his problem.

"I'd probably be better a lot sooner if I didn't have a pirate leerin' at me." June pulled her hand back and used it to push Law's shoulder with a laugh. "Ya should respect your elders, maybe I should put ya in timeout for teasin' me."

"My elders? You're older than me?"

"Yeah, by a coupla' months." June stretched her leg out to grab her discarded pajama pants with her toes; she felt like she had unintentionally gotten a little too comfortable and let something slip.

"Let me guess, your birthday is in June." Law taunted, humor dancing in his eyes.

She chewed on her tongue ring as she pulled her pants on underneath the blanket. June didn't want to have this conversation right now. "No, actually. It isn't." She answered curtly; hoping that they could move on from the topic to something easier.

Law's eyebrows lifted out of surprise at the sudden tone change. "So, when is it?"

"Good question. A better question is, why do ya wanna know? Ya haven't exactly been itchin' to learn about me." June deflected with a nervous smile. She figuratively patted herself on the back at having changed the direction quickly, perhaps there was still a way to save this.

Law leaned back onto his hands, his weight causing him to sink into the mattress. "Do you remember any of the things you told me a few days ago?"

June tilted her head to the side, searching the ceiling for a transcript or a memory of when her symptoms had been at their worst. "Not really. All I remember is feelin' lost and that I was in trouble. I think I was worried about money for some reason."

"You said a lot of interesting things; I realized I still don't know much about you."

She scoffed. "Ya know plenty about me."

Law hit her with a deadpan look. "You know my full name. I can count on one hand how many people actually know that information about me and most of them are dead. You sleep in the same room as me, yet I don't even know yours."

"I just don't see how it's relevant." June picked at the comforter, tugging at a loose thread that stuck up at an odd angle.

"I don't see why it's such a big deal." He retorted.

"I just don't wanna share it."

"Why not?"

"Personal reasons."

"That's amusing, considering how you know very private information about me."

"That's not my fault, I didn't know I'd ever meet ya."

"And that doesn't change how the scales seem to be very uneven when it comes to knowing things about each other."

June groaned; she could feel them slipping again. "Can we just drop it?"

"No, I don't think we can." Law's eyes narrowed, stubbornly resisting her.

"What the hell is happenin'?!" She snapped. "I've been on this submarine for months and you've only been interested in knowin' things that are relevant to your goal! Why are ya suddenly chompin' at the bit to learn about me?" Her accent grew heavier as anger and anxiety created a nauseating blend in her chest. June could feel her breathing hitch, the tips of her fingers felt numb.

"Chomping at the bit?"

"Ugh. Look, whatever I said when I was outta my mind isn't important. You're only curious now 'cause I brought it up without meanin' to."

"And?"

"That's not fair, Law." June glared at him scathingly, her words biting. "Ya can't just ignore me like ya have been and gaslight me into thinkin' I'm imaginin' it then come back 'cause ya found a puzzle ya wanna solve. I refuse to play into it just 'cause you've got an itch ya wanna scratch. I doubt you'd be doin' the same thing if it was someone else ya couldn't get info out of. Just use me like ya have been and eventually you'll get everythin' ya want."

Silence fell on the room, uncomfortable silence that stole the air from her lungs.

It felt like it stretched on for hours when in reality, only seconds had passed. Law's shocked expression birthed a sick feeling in June's stomach.

She could feel the rift between them widening; acutely evolving from a crack into a deep chasm. June knew she was being unreasonable; it was perfectly understandable that Law would push for more information about her given that she had repeatedly proven that she knew way more than he was comfortable with.

But she just couldn't bring herself to talk about her past, even being as far away as she was from the life she had lived. Actually, especially since she was far away from her life. June had been thankful for the separation despite the grief it had given her, she could live a life where she wasn't constantly reminded of her history daily. She had begun to embrace her life on the Polar Tang, had started to find meaning, purpose, and acceptance where there had been very little before.

Even if it was temporary, June wanted to pretend for just a while longer.

However, she still stood by what she had said. It wasn't right for Law to treat her like he had been then try to erase it all with a few kind gestures.

"I see." Law scowled. He stood up, preparing to depart.

June panicked, was he really going to leave just like that? Was he fine with leaving everything as it was?

She could feel something crack within her.

She wanted to scream and shout. She wanted to throw pillows at his back while yelling at him. How dare he make her feel this way. How dare he effortlessly work past her walls, create a mess of her carefully built defenses then walk away as if it was nothing. She hated this, hated how he made her feel exposed yet secure. She hated how even at this moment she simultaneously wanted Law as far away as possible while at the same time close enough to lean on again.

Law was at the door now, an increasingly familiar picture. Looking over his shoulder at the bed, not meeting June's eyes that had begun to fill with frustrated tears. "Someone should be by with dinner soon. I'll be back after you're done eating with your medicine and another nebulizer treatment. Try and get some more rest."

He left, leaving June behind to deal with the fallout on her own. She didn't even know where to begin picking up the shattered fragments of her heart.

June gasped in a shuddering breath when the door closed. Her chest convulsed as uncontrollable, ugly sobs began to cease her. June grabbed the pillow behind her to shove her face in, allowing tears to flow freely into the fabric of the pillowcase.

Pain, shameful pain that she hadn't allowed herself to feel since she had been whisked away into this fantastical world gripped her. Grief and loss held her in a vice as a slideshow of memories June kept locked away freed themselves to dance tauntingly across her mind's eye. Soul shaking regret consumed her. Maybe she should have relented and just given Law what he wanted.

No, June didn't want to reward him for how he had been acting. She wouldn't be able to handle it if she had allowed him into the most intimate parts of her memory just to have him disregard her again.

June hated him.

That wasn't true, it was quite the opposite she thought to herself woefully. But in that moment, when she felt dejected and despondent, June was reminded just who she was dealing with.

Law stood at the end of the hall, glaring holes into the wood of his closed bedroom door.

He could hear June. He could hear her crying.

He's heard her twice before, once on her first day aboard the Polar Tang right after he had taken her heart and the second was when her phone had started picking up messages from Ann and Miranda.

That first time, he hadn't felt anything really. Maybe some general discomfort at having a woman he didn't know sobbing in his office but that was it. The second time, he was too preoccupied with keeping June from jumping over the railing into the sea to feel anything other than astonishment.

Now.

Now though.

Right now, Law feels like shit.

This had been entirely his fault. June was of course correct when she voiced her concern about how he had been behaving, but he had denied it. All for the sake of creating that distance he had supposedly wanted. It had been working too, but Law had felt a moment of wavering resolve when he had gone into that room beyond the door tonight.

Law heard June wake up and had only planned on giving her a once over before getting her medicine. However, that plan quickly dissolved away into an easily forgettable puff of smoke when he had seen her on the bed, struggling and cussing.

He had felt a fondness while looking upon the scene, he found himself missing June's ridiculous spirit. He had forgotten how even a glimpse of her made the room feel brighter.

So, he slipped. He allowed himself to indulge for a moment, like a fool.

He allowed himself to enjoy her laughter, her jokes, the warmth of her skin, the comfortable feeling of her just being there .

Law wasn't blind, he knew there was a mutual physical attraction between the two of them, he had felt it again tonight when his hands had climbed the planes of her back. In his defense, he really had only intended to help June rub the medicine into her back, initially. Law had seen her struggle for days with the fatigue in her muscles and joints and when it became apparent that she would be unable to reach where she most needed relief, Law decided to step in.

But the second that he saw those beguiling dimples on her lower back, his mouth had gone dry and his objective became muddled; so he took the scenic route. June didn't seem to mind; she had pressed back into his hands, her voice was breathy and relaxed. Law forced himself to pull back when the goosebumps on her skin had gripped him.

Law deserved a prize for the restraint he had shown by pulling June's shirt back down.

The conversation had flowed comfortably after that, Law felt happy seeing her laugh and show energy that she had been robbed of because of her illness. It was as if he was staring at the sun with the amount of joy and warmth she put out. Law understood why his crew had become so taken with June, she seemed to have a knack for making everyone feel at ease with her playful demeanor.

She had blinded him, made him lose sight of his plans for a moment. Law felt greedy, he wanted more than just crumbs of her. He had quickly, and embarrassingly, become a glutton for her which had ultimately led to his mistake.

Law pushed.

He pushed and prodded and goaded her into talking more even after June had voiced her discomfort. She had a valid point; it was selfish of him to come to her after he had so staunchly pushed her away.

June yelled at him, told him 'no' which wasn't something Law was familiar with. He was a pirate, a powerful one at that. When someone denied him something, it typically was like a drop of water in a bucket. Meaningless, lost in the emblematic wind. He usually did what he wished and damn everyone else. But here was June, who had absolutely no problem denying Law and putting him in his place; she held up a mirror to show him the worst aspects of himself and demanded he conquer them.

Law was a coward.

Something in him screamed for him to stay, to fix what he had broken, but instead Law held onto his stubborn pride and left despite the nauseating guilt he felt.

Now, Law was stuck at the end of his hallway, staring dumbly at a plank of wood separating him from June.

Perhaps it was better this way, Law thought. After all, June was proving herself to be a very effective distraction. He should be planning, scheming, thinking ahead and predicting every possible outcome for what was essentially his only reason for being allowed to survive this long by sick chance.

Cora's wish for him had been to live, to be free; what a joke. Even after over a decade, Law still hadn't managed to break free from the shadow of death that followed him. He could still feel the ghosts of everyone he had lost looming over his shoulders, demanding retribution; and Law was their vehicle.

That's all he was, a tool for vengeance. He had no place in the world under the sun, and it was foolish of him to think that he deserved even a sliver of its light on his face.

Notes:

Boy do I hate conflict. :) We gotta trust the process though. Also, apologies for how vague June is being; there is a point to everything.

I'm doing much better. I think. The symptoms have started subsiding a bit but I've had a fever for about two weeks now so we're gonna see if there's a secondary infection or something happening. Otherwise, things are pretty peachy. Thank you for the well wishes, I read all your comments twenty times with a smile.

Chapter 16: Secure, Anxious, Avoidant

Summary:

June likes snails, she and Law spend a lot of time staring at door knobs, and Law gets some "souvenirs" from the island they're visiting.

Notes:

As a way to celebrate all the wonderful people who have clicked, read, given kudos, left comments and added bookmarks here, I want to share with you the playlist that I listen to while I write and edit this story. I have music added that helps me focus on the plot and themes of this story and keep the right headspace. I hope you enjoy it, it's an ever growing playlist that I add to when I find a song that I feel fits this fic. It's nothing big, but I thought it would be fun to share with everyone. Thanks again for taking a chance on this fic, I am blown away by the amount of people reading this.

Burst Your Bubble Playlist

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

June cut into another apple, splitting the fruit into sixths then held a piece in front of a transponder snail that looked vaguely like Bepo; if the bear was a tired invertebrate that is. The snail grabbed the slice from her pinched fingers with its teeth to chew the fruit slowly. June watched with glee as the snails she had set on one of the mess hall tables ate their food which was a mix of vegetables and fruit that were slightly too ripe or wilted to serve the Heart Pirates.

Feeding the transponder snails was typically a chore that each snail owner on the Polar Tang was responsible for completing twice a day, usually at breakfast and dinner, but today June had the exciting opportunity to assume care over the snails.

Once a month, every snail on the submarine would be gathered together after breakfast to be fed at the same time; something about facilitating calibration and socialization Locke had once told her. June didn't quite understand how the transponder snails worked but she jumped at the opportunity every month to feed the creatures.

It was her favorite chore. Getting to watch twenty-one large snails eat all while decorated to look like their owners was something that boosted June's mood. Once, June had asked Penguin where the snails got their accessories, curious about if there were special snail accessory artisans who crafted tiny hats. He had told her that sometimes when the pirates landed on an island, there would be booths or shops that sell items for transponder snails. When the Hearts came across an item that was similar to something they wore, they would purchase it to decorate the snails since they enjoy mimicking their owners.

It was honestly the most adorable thing June had ever heard. The thought of Tsu putting a braided, pigtail wig on his snail or Shachi giving his snail a set of sunglasses had thrown June into a fit of giggles.

She learned that each snail had a personality of their own when they were active. For most of the day they were rather lethargic, stuck in a dormant mode when they weren't eating or being used. But during these group feedings, they would become active. It was almost like watching snail versions of the Heart Pirates interact with each other which June supposed made sense. She didn't know the finer details of how the transponder snails operated, but she at least knew that each one held a weak psychic connection with their owners.

For example, there was Penguin and Tsu's snails who usually kept to themselves and focused on their own food. Shachi and Clione's were trouble-makers that June had to keep an eye on since they would find ways to steal food from the other snails. Bepo's tended to fall asleep mid meal so June would sometimes have to nudge him awake. Goby's was energetic, he would get distracted and abandon his food to slither around the table and play with the others; June spent a lot of time redirecting that one. Ridley's was a helper, he would clean up after everyone by eating the stems and cores that the rest of the group would leave behind.

Law's snail was a wild card. Sometimes he would steal food or bully the other snails, other times he would lean against Bepo's snail to take naps. The majority of the time though, he preferred to park himself on the table close to June and watch the others while he ate.

Today, Law's snail was acting odd; he seemed insistent on having June hold him while he ate. Each time June tried to place Law's snail where he usually sat, he would climb further up her arm or slide to the edge of the table to drop off onto her thighs. Eventually, June relented and allowed him to settle onto her lap. His tired eyes remained locked on her while she fed him apple slices.

It was interesting, his snail was acting as if he missed June. She wondered if transponder snails had the capacity to develop attachments to people who didn't own them. June didn't mind, in fact, she found the behavior cute; she cooed at Law's snail as she fed him another apple slice.

June grabbed a nearby spray bottle and started misting the snails as they munched on their breakfast. In an adorable display, they craned their necks up and out to catch as much water as possible on their skin.

This day was off to a promising start.

As each snail finished their meal and became idle, June lifted them off the table to place into a box. Once she had collected all of them, she stood from the table to leave the mess hall but stumbled when she ran into a body.

"Shit! Sorry Ikkaku." June quickly readjusted the hold on her box then gave a visual once over of the snails. They seemed fine, like they had hardly noticed being jostled.

"You're good." Ikkaku laughed. "Are you done feeding the snails? We just landed on the island and I wanted to see if you're game to go ashore with me."

"Sounds great, I just need to drop this box off in the crew's quarters before we go."

"Hell yeah!" Ikkaku reached into the box to remove her snail, pocketing the animal with a grin. "I'll meet you on deck when you're done."

"Hey, can ya take Law's up to him on your way out? I heard someone say that he's in his lab right now."

"Hmm, nah. You can do that on your own." Ikkaku turned on her heel to skip out of the room. "See you topside!" She yelled over her shoulder as she passed the threshold.

Great.

June had been hoping to avoid seeing the captain but it seemed that she would have to muster up her nerve to go see Law. She actually would have had to speak to him anyway to at least let him know that she was leaving the Tang, but she had wanted to shave off any extra minutes that would have been spent passing his snail along.

With a defeated groan, June left the room to climb the stairs to the crew quarters. All too soon, she found herself trudging up to the second floor, one lethargic snail bearing the likeness of a certain Heart Pirate Captain clutched in her hands.

June had once read that there were three main attachment styles in which people react and perceive relationships whether romantic, platonic, or familial: secure, anxious, and avoidant.

Typically, most well adjusted adults fell into the first category and found minimal issues in how they communicate their emotions or needs and had few problems dealing with interpersonal conflict. Unfortunately, June fell into that last category. She had difficulty letting people past her walls and when she felt they were getting too close, she would pull away.

Whether this was a product of her upbringing or just a result of her personality, June found that she would rather sell her kidneys than talk about herself. She realized that her avoidant personality and Law's similar avoidant tendencies made it difficult to move beyond the tension that had grown between the two of them.

June and Law hadn't spoken in three weeks.

It had been downright stifling in Law's suite after he had unceremoniously disengaged from their argument. Neither of them had budged one way or the other to resolve or worsen the situation, choosing instead to linger in a purgatory of unspoken words and unacknowledged emotions.

It was so uncomfortable that June had fled the suite two days later after Law had medically cleared her; she had quickly left to take refuge in Ikkaku's room for the past three weeks. Ikkaku had welcomed her in with some apprehension, she of course had poked and prodded June for information but June hadn't spoken a word about what had happened aside from a single generic statement.

"We just need some time away from each other."

Law had all but disappeared off the Polar Tang, June hadn't seen hide nor hair of him in the past few weeks; it'd been eerie. After months of Law being a permanent, comfortable fixture in June's everyday life, she couldn't help but feel like something significant was missing from her day to day routine.

But here she was, awkwardly standing outside his lab door, amping herself up to raise her fist to knock. She was nervous, apprehensive. After weeks of silence preceded by conflict, June worried about how Law would react to seeing her.

Did he struggle with June's absence as much as she had felt his?

Did he miss her in the same way she craved his presence?

June closed her eyes, inhaled a deep breath through her nose, and finally knocked on the door. There was a long, tense moment where she thought that the captain wasn't in. June was about to turn away, taking Law's snail with her to leave in his office for the captain to find when the door swung open. Law stood on the other side, his flushed skin dewy with sweat. His bare chest was heaving with his breath, the tattooed heart appearing to beat a rhythm with each inhale.

"How long have you been standing there?"

What a polite, warm greeting after weeks of silence; June felt a frown pull at the edges of her lips.

She tore her eyes away from the glistening tattoo to meet Law's suspicious glare. "I dunno, maybe a minute. Why?"

He ignored her question, stepping out of the dark room into the hallway. "And where were you before?"

"I was in the mess hall, feedin' the snails." June leaned to the side to peer over Law's shoulder into the room. She had always been curious about what the interior held since no one on the ship, aside from the captain, was permitted to go inside. Law scowled at her none too discreet maneuver then shut the door behind him.

"For how long?"

"Maybe an hour; is there a point to this?"

Law stared down at her with an assessing eye, as if he was trying to figure out a riddle. "There might be."

"Care to share with the class?"

"No."

June scoffed, she wasn't sure why she had expected him to give her a straight answer.

"Right, well, I brought your snail. He was actin' a bit weird today, ya might wanna take a look at him."

June held out the sleeping transponder snail, Law grabbed the creature then held it up to inspect. "What was weird about him?"

"He just wasn't doin' what he usually does, his behavior was off." She shrugged.

Law held the snail in front of his face. "Hey, wake up." He ordered sternly.

The snail blinked himself awake, he gave a large yawn before staring up at Law expectantly awaiting a command. Law turned the snail in his hand to start dialing a number, perhaps to test the snail's functionality. June stepped closer to watch for any abnormal behavior; he seemed to be acting like a regular snail, nothing like he had been earlier.

Snail Law's eyes slid over to June and his body jolted. He crawled through the captain's fingers to jump at June. She lurched forward to catch him then sighed when he started crawling up her arm to perch atop her shoulder then fall asleep.

"See? He's been off today. This is the first time he's acted like this." June gestured to the snail buried in her hair.

Law stared owlishly at the scene, his bewildered eyes bounced between his snail and June. It might have been a trick of the light or perhaps it was because he hadn't cooled down from whatever activity he had been up to in his lab, but Law's ears appeared pinker than they were a moment ago. He reached out to snatch the snail off June's shoulder then pocketed the small creature.

"I'll take a look at him later."

"Is he alright though? Usually he terrorizes or watches the rest of the snails but today he just wanted to sit in my lap." June watched as the skin on Law's chest reddened. "Hey, are ya ok?"

"I'm fine, it's time for me to get back to my training. Thanks for bringing my snail back." He mumbled in a rush, turning his back to June to open the door of his lab.

"Before ya go," June reached past Law to block his hand from grabbing the door knob. "I'm goin' with Ikkaku to the island. I figured I'd let ya know so ya don't think I ran off or somethin'."

He looked off to the side, away from her. "Sure."

"Are ya comin'?"

"Later, after I'm finished." He swatted June's hand away from the door knob.

June felt a sudden spark of urgency drive through her, this was the first time she and Law had seen each other and this whole interaction felt wholly unfulfilling.

"Wait!" Without a conscious thought, June wedged herself between the door and Law's body. She looked up to meet his eyes, noticing the red tint spreading across his cheeks; June could feel her own blush begin to flare on her face.

"I, uhm." She stuttered out, unsure of what she actually wanted to accomplish. "How are ya doin'?" June cringed at the lame attempt at conversation.

Law's wide eyes blinked, stunned at the woman inches in front of him blocking the way back into his lab. "How am I doing?" He asked, confusion tingeing his words.

"Y-yeah. I haven't seen ya in a while and I've been thinking about ya, I mean-" She fumbled her words, her tongue felt somehow loose and three times too large in her mouth. "I've been wonderin' if you've been alright. I guess I got used to seein' ya all the time so it's been weird not havin' ya around."

"I'm…good. Are you?" He asked, unsure but still not backing away.

June took a deep breath, he smelt like sweat and sandalwood. The combination paired with the heat from his body felt comforting, she hadn't realized how much she had craved to have Law close enough to touch. June felt her hands itch to reach out and embrace him, hold him close while she spilt every insecure thought she held.

"I'm also good." She said instead. "I just-"

I just miss you.

The words stuck in her throat uncomfortably.

Seconds ticked by as abrasive silence stretched on between the two. Law's eyes gradually softened around the corners as a look of melancholy crept in.

"Isn't Ikkaku waiting for you?" He asked, his lips barely moving.

June swallowed dryly, nodding. She stepped aside to clear the doorway, Law reached forward to turn the knob, eyes pointed straight ahead.

"I'll see ya later, yeah?" June asked, feeling cold.

"Yeah." Law agreed noncommittedly before stepping back into his lab, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.

June leaned her shoulder against the wall next to the lab door, staring at the door knob, hoping it would turn again.

It didn't.

The heat was what hit June first. It was a muggy fever that stuck to her skin feeling as though a large blanket had covered the Honeycomb Kingdom. This was a summer island, painted in vibrant colors that shocked June's senses after being stuck within a metal tube for a week. Everywhere she looked, there was life. Blooming flowers, bustling streets, buzzing honeybees.

Wow, there were a lot of honeybees here. June gently swatted a bee away from her face, careful to not hit the stinger on its behind.

No one seemed alarmed at the amount of honeybees dancing from flower to flower. In fact, June saw several shallow plates filled with water on shop window sills or on the porches outside houses for bees to perch themselves on for a drink. The bees themselves appeared unbothered by the amount of people milling around them. They seemed to be a comfortable fixture on this island, June thought as she watched a group of rowdy children quickly swerve around three bees who had settled on a flower in the middle of the street.

Based on the name Honeycomb Kingdom and the amount of honeybees drifting about, it wasn't difficult to figure out what the main export was for this particular island.

"I hate summer islands, I feel like I'm melting right now." Ikkaku whined.

"Really? I'm feelin' pretty cozy. I think this is the first place we've landed on that feels closest to home for me." June stretched her arms out, welcoming the sun's rays on her skin.

"You must have lived on the sun before you came to us then." Ikkaku wiped her face with the back of her hand, grimacing at the sweat that she shook off onto the street.

"Just about!" June laughed. "How about we find a shop to dip into before ya burst into flames."

She felt for Ikkaku, really. While June was used to a sweltering climate, Ikkaku seemed to be melting into the street as they walked down the dirt path. However, after months of autumn, winter, and early spring islands where June suffered through chilled wind or snow, she felt like it was time for her to have some comfort.

June grabbed Ikkaku by the elbow then dragged her into a weapon shop down the road. As soon as they walked through the threshold and out of the direct eye of the sun, Ikkaku sighed with relief.

"This is the worst. Why'd it have to be a summer island?" Ikkaku grumbled while unzipping her boiler suit. She rolled down the top to tie the arms around her waist, leaving her in a sweat-dampened tank top. "So, are you looking for anything in particular or were you just having pity on me?"

"Actually, I did want to see if there was anythin' here I could use." June's eyes danced around the modest shop. She hadn't expected much since Honeycomb appeared to be an exceptionally peaceful island but perhaps there would be something that would suit her here.

"Preparing for something?" Ikkaku asked as they wandered around the perimeter of the shop.

"Well, I guess ya could say that our lives are gonna be gettin' more excitin' soon so I need somethin' besides my bare fists to throw at people." June poked around a shelf featuring a variety of knives.

Ikkaku picked up a wooden staff, testing the weight contemplatively then swatted June's behind with a cackle when she had bent over to inspect a knife that was curved like shining silver claw. June yelped, snapping straight up then snatched the staff away from the laughing pirate.

"Be careful with that, if you break it you're buying it." A gruff voice called from behind the counter. While the pair had been occupied, a surly middle-aged woman sporting a collection of scars that decorated her large arms had come out of the back room to glare at them.

June blushed and set the weapon back against the wall with a bashful apology.

"Yeah, June. Be careful, they aren't toys." Ikkaku snickered. She grunted when June subtly elbowed her in the side.

"This isn't a place to goof around, either buy something or get out." The shopkeeper gestured sharply at the door with her thumb.

"I'm June and this is Ikkaku." June approached the counter. "Actually, I wanted to know if ya could help me out. I was wonderin' if ya had anythin' that'd be good for me."

"Lyra. What do you usually use?" The woman asked, irritation evident in her tone.

June sheepishly held up her fists.

"Uh-huh." Lyra looked at June with bland disbelief. "You look like a strong wind could knock you over."

"Hey now, June here can actually throw a mean punch." Ikkaku leaned an elbow onto the counter, matching the woman's glare. "Do you want our money or not? We can always take our business elsewhere."

The shopkeeper sighed and reached into her pocket to pull out a set of glasses that she placed on her nose. "Gimme your hands. We have some gloves in the back but I don't know if we have anything small enough for you."

June placed her hands into Lyra's open palms, allowing her to inspect June from fingers to forearms. June's expectations weren't high, she knew that it would be difficult to find a good fit for her in this world. While she was close to average size where she came from, compared to the inhabitants of this world she was downright tiny. June would prefer to find a set of gloves suitable for fighting but would settle for a well-balanced knife that she could learn how to use.

At this point, anything would be better than nothing.

Lyra snorted then dropped June's hands. "You might be in luck. I think I have something that will fit, follow me."

June's jaw dropped, was her luck starting to turn? She and Ikkaku walked around the counter to follow the shopkeeper into the backroom. June watched the woman's broad back as she rifled through a wooden box in the corner. After a moment she stood up, brandishing a set of black gloves that she slapped against her thigh a few times to knock a layer of dust off of.

"Here, baby hands. These things have been sitting back here for so long I almost forgot I had them." Lyra tossed June the gloves.

June looked them over, they seemed sturdy and made of tough material. They had round metal inlays embedded into the knuckles protruding far enough out that if June hit someone, they would most definitely be sporting a set of interesting bruises. The back of the gloves had plates of metal screwed into the back with short, diamond-shaped spikes protruding out of the surface. June figured that a back hand with these gloves would tear skin.

"Well, put them on. I don't have all day." Lyra rumbled.

June pulled the gloves on, securing them down with a velcro strap. She flexed her fingers then rolled her wrists with a smile. These gloves felt like a dream compared to the slightly too big boxing gloves she had been using on the Polar Tang. She clenched her fists then relaxed, feeling the padding cradle her hands.

They were perfect.

"Do ya mind if I try 'em out?" June asked, eyeing the training dummy against the wall.

"Fine. But I need to be back out front." The shopkeeper reluctantly agreed while walking to the exit. "I'm leaving this door open though. Don't you dare steal anything while you're back here, I can see everything from the counter."

"What a bitch." Ikkaku grumbled after Lyra left the room.

"Doesn't matter." June grunted as she pulled the training dummy a few feet away from the wall. "If these gloves work as well as they feel, she could spit on my face and I'd still pay her for them."

"Well, hurry up. I got a few errands I need to run before the heat starts melting my shoes to the ground." Ikkaku leaned against a nearby shelf, arms crossed.

June hopped up and down a couple of times, easing into a fighting stance before throwing a flurry of punches at the dummy. She paid close attention to how each punch felt as they landed, enjoying the support that the gloves provided. Finally, she would have something she could carry around to protect her hands if she needed to fight. The scrapes and bruises on her knuckles had taken weeks to heal after Waffle Still since they would crack open any time she clenched her fists.

"Hey, June?" Ikkaku asked as June landed an uppercut to the mannequin.

"Hmm?" June was completely absorbed in how the gloves cushioned each punch for her, cradling her knuckles wonderfully.

"You know I love you, right?"

"Are ya wantin' somethin'? Did ya make another bet with Penguin that ya can't pay?"

"Hey! That was just once! And no, nothing like that." June could hear Ikkaku shuffle across the room to stand behind her. "I don't know what happened between you and the captain but you need to stop avoiding him. Consider this your official notice of me kicking you out of my room."

"What?!" June fumbled on the next punch, the training dummy rocked forward and smacked into her nose. "Ow, fuck!" She steadied the dummy with her hands then rubbed her nose to soothe the ache that bloomed in the center of her face and reset her lopsided glasses. "Whaddya mean avoidin'? I ain't avoidin'!"

That was an outright lie, June knew perfect well that she had been avoiding Law.

"Pfft, whatever. You've been sleeping in my room for what, three weeks now? Something definitely happened and you need to put on your big girl pants and fix it. As much as I enjoy sharing a twin bed with someone, I need my space back and you're kind of a blanket hog."

June turned around to meet Ikkaku's eyes. "Look, it's just awkward now. We had a fight and it was a mess, I don't think he even wants me botherin' him. He just-"

Ikkaku interrupted her with a sharp wave of the hand. "I don't care about who said or did what. What I do care about is that the two of you have been absolutely sucking the energy out of the Tang. The others might not have noticed but it's been a real drag for me. I don't know what happened, but what I do know is that you're the one that needs to fix it."

"What?! Me?! He's the one that wanted the distance! He's been doin' nothin' but push me away!"

Ikkaku massaged her temples with a groan. "Look, June, honey. You and I both know that the captain has the emotional capacity of a rock. He's very insightful but when it comes to feelings he's practically useless. You, on the other hand, literally made a living off of helping people process their shit so it's on you to start the processing."

"What do feelings even have to do with this?" June asked, exasperation overwhelming her. "He's just tryin' to put things back in order. I'm not supposed to be his friend, I'm supposed to be his tool."

Ikkaku blinked at June, stunned. "You can't be this dense."

"The fuck are ya implyin' here?"

"No, nuh-uh, nope. I will not be the one, not today."

"Are you two done squawking in here?!" The shopkeeper eclipsed the doorway, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. "If you're done, I'd appreciate it if you'd pay for those gloves and get the hell out."

"You've got a shitty attitude, I hope you know that." Ikkaku pushed by the woman.

"And you've got shitty manners." Lyra snarked, following Ikkaku back out into the store front.

After several minutes of haggling between Ikkaku and Lyra, where after a while it seemed to June that the main purpose was to see who could piss off the other the most, June walked out of the shop several hundred belly lighter with a shiny new pair of gloves wrapped around her hands.

"Do you mind if I hop into that pharmacy over there? I need to pick up some female ammo since I'm due for an ambush from mother nature soon." Ikkaku asked as they wandered down the road.

"That sucks, I'm glad I don't have to worry about that."

"Woah!" Ikkaku leaned in close, concern painting her face as she whispered. "Are you, you know?"

"What? No!" June pushed her back with a laugh. "I've got fancy birth control, babe. I ain't gotta worry about nothin'."

"Sometimes, you piss me off June. By the way, what's up with the double negative? Do you or don't you have to be worried?"

June shoved Ikkaku in the direction of the pharmacy with a grumble. "Quit makin' fun of how I talk. Go get your damn supplies."

Ikkaku laughed loudly, "Stay here, I'll be right back."

June watched as Ikkaku trotted into the shop her bouncing, wild hair nearly tripled in volume from the humidity. As she watched the engineer's retreating back, June's mind wandered back to the conversation she had with Ikkaku and reflected on the short interaction she had with the captain. She missed Law. His humor, his impish laughs, how she felt when he was near.

Him.

Ikkaku was right, June had been avoiding; but so was he. Law seemed to be committed to maintaining that distance that he seemed so determined to maintain. June didn't even know where to begin when it came to Law; how was she supposed to resolve their conflict let alone approach him after three weeks of letting the problem stew? She was so sure that their relationship would never return to how it was but there was merit in burying the hatchet so they could at least work with each other without the tension bogging them down.

She wandered aimlessly from stall to stall along the side of the street. Her eyes danced across the items on each surface, not really absorbing the sights as her thoughts swirled. While June contemplated what she could even say to Law, a metallic glimmer caught her attention.

In front of her was a vast collection of commemorative coins, beautifully crafted and each depicting significant historical events the majority of which June had never heard of. She recognized a few of the scenes on a small number of the coins. There was a bronze coin showing the execution of Gol D. Roger, a silver coin commemorating Sengoku as Fleet Admiral of the Navy. June quickly averted her gaze when she saw a gold coin painting a scene from the Battle of Marineford.

Her eyes were pulled to a coin on the bottom row. She leaned down to look at a large, gold coin featuring an ornate silver heart in the center. June carefully lifted the coin to inspect it closer; it was a beautiful piece. Around the edges of the coin were the words 'primum non nocere' in a flourished script. On the back of the coin was the silhouette of a man reading a book surrounded by dozens of small, featureless bodies.

"You like it?" A withered voice interrupted her.

"Huh?" June's head shot up, her eyes locked with a hunched, elderly man.

"The coin, that is actually one of my favorites." He gestured to the coin still pinched between June's fingers.

"Oh, yeah. It's really impressive." June lifted the coin higher, admiring how the light bounced off the metal making the heart glow.

"Do you know the story?"

"No, could ya tell me?"

"Many years ago, there was a world renowned physician who performed miracles. He operated on thousands of people, many of whom by all accounts should not have survived. He made several medical breakthroughs that cured diseases that were previously thought to be incurable. He was a very intelligent man and his skill was bolstered by the Op-Op Fruit that he had eaten. That coin was created to honor him."

The man tapped the large heart on the front of the coin. Except now that June had heard the story, she could see a thin stem sprouting out of the top of the shape. What she had thought was a heart had actually been a picture of Law's Devil Fruit.

"The Op-Op Fruit, that's kind of funny." June huffed an amused laugh.

"What's funny?"

"Oh, I just have a surgeon friend that I think would enjoy this." She explained vaguely. "Do ya know the doctor's name? The one who had the Op-Op Fruit?"

"Unfortunately, like a lot of our history, that information had been forgotten during the Void Century. The fruit had also been lost for many years but regrettably has been eaten by a terrible pirate, Trafalgar Law." The man sighed.

"Yeah, that guy is the worst. I heard he hates bread and has a rock collection." June snickered.

"Pardon?"

"Nevermind." She waved her free hand dismissively. "I think I'll take this, how much is it?"

"Two hundred belly. It's a bit pricy for a commemorative coin but this one is fairly rare."

"Deal." June unzipped her waist bag and handed over two bills. "Thanks for the story, by the way. I think this will be a good gift for my friend."

"I hope they enjoy it. Thank you for coming to my booth, I don't get many customers so this has been more of a way to share history through my collection for whoever stops by."

"That's a shame, you've got a lot to offer here. Me and my friends are just rolling through but maybe I'll drag my surgeon friend by to have a look, he loves this kind of stuff."

"I'd like that. My name is Cato, if you bring your friend I'd enjoy talking to him."

"I'm June, I'll see if I can drag him out before we leave." She smiled while thinking what sort of face Cato would make if she brought Law by his booth. "Anyway, thanks again. Have a good day!"

June walked away from the booth, turning the coin over in her hands to look over the details of the Op-Op Fruit engraved on the face. She didn't know when she would have a chance to give it to Law but perhaps she could use it as a token of peace that could ease her into finally, really talking to him.

She unzipped her bag again to drop the coin into the front pocket. She counted the money she had left over, a slight feeling of guilt welling up inside her as she thumbed the bills and coins.

This had been the money she took from Amon before she left Waffle Still. Most days, she avoided thinking about the island and how the citizens had met their gruesome end. June didn't completely blame them for their actions, they had essentially been held hostage by the Birch Pirates who had set up their base on their humble island.

But sometimes June wondered if she and the Hearts could have done something to prevent the destruction of the island if only she had known what was coming. That was the problem though, she didn't know what was going to happen until another year and a half from now; all she could do is guess and make decisions based on the information presented to her.

It still felt shitty though.

"June!" Ikkaku's voice called to her from down the street as she ran up to June. "I thought I told you to stay put, I'm already flirting with punishment for leaving you alone. What if the captain saw you wandering around?"

"Sorry, I got bored waitin'."

"Whatever." Ikkaku scoffed. The pair began walking again, looking through shop windows as they traveled further down the street. "Hey, if we stay here overnight, what are the chances that you think I could convince Lyra to take me home?" Ikkaku asked suddenly.

"Are ya serious?"

"Hell yeah, I like a mouthy lady. That's why I tolerate you." Ikkaku wrapped her arm around June's neck and ground a noogie into her head.

June wiggled out of the hold, grabbing the offending hand to bend backwards toward Ikkaku's shoulder; Ikkaku squawked as she fell to her knees. "Tolerate me? I thought ya loved me. Ikkaku, you're breakin' my heart here."

"Ack! I give! I love you, you damn sadist!"

June released her hold with a hearty laugh then held out a hand to help the woman off the ground. "Do ya think ya can handle Lyra if you're fallin' over from a move like that?"

"Don't underestimate me, I'll wipe that attitude right off her." Ikkaku rolled her wrist with a wince.

"Hey!"

The pair looked over their shoulders to see an incoming group of familiar faces. Penguin, Uni, and Tsu seemed to be faring better than Ikkaku under the sun but June could see their cheeks were flushed and shiny with sweat.

"Howdy!" June waved, feeling smug about not being affected by the heat.

"Why're you so chipper?" Penguin asked grouchily.

"Oh nothin'. Just enjoyin' this nice weather."

Penguin and Ikkaku booed June while she cackled.

"Those are, uh, new." Tsu pointed down at June's hands.

"Oh yeah, they're pretty great. I finally found somethin' so I'm not runnin' into a fight naked." June held up her fists, twisting her wrists to show off her new gloves. "I think I'm in love with 'em honestly."

"I guess I'll have to tell Shachi to watch his mouth around you now." Penguin spoke with a smirk. "Or I could let him find out on his own, maybe you'll be the one to finally beat some sense into him."

"So where are you two heading?" Uni asked.

"Nowhere in particular, we were just wandering around." Ikkaku spoke while waving a bee away from her hair. "How about you?"

"We were gonna check out the, uh, West District. That's where all the metal works are so there might be some, uh, useful stuff for the Tang there." Tsu answered.

"Oh! Maybe they'll have some scrap I can buy off them. I've been working on this really big piece and I haven't been able to find the right parts for it." Ikkaku spoke excitedly.

The group started off in the direction of the West District, June lagged behind with Uni. The rest walked ahead talking with each other about items needed for various machinery on the Polar Tang.

"Hey, June." Uni spoke down to her.

June craned her neck to meet his eyes, his tall frame blocking out the sun and casting her in shadow. "Yeah, Uni?"

"I was wondering if you would like to come back here with me tonight, there's a neat spot I'd like to show you."

"Oh, sure. It'd be nice to get out again, I'll just let Law know before we head out."

She could see his eyes smile down at her, he looked excited; June returned the bright smile. She looked forward to spending more time with her friend and being able to take advantage of the extra time to figure out how to talk to Law.

The summer sun had begun to set on the Honeycomb Kingdom, painting the island in burnt oranges and scarlet reds. On a yellow submarine tucked away in a hidden alcove, Law sat in his office chair, staring at a bounty page that had been delivered with the News Coo today, thinking.

He had been doing that a lot lately; thinking, pondering, going over predicted scenarios in his head.

Ruminating.

It wasn't like Law didn't spend a significant amount of time doing this, he was well known amongst his crew to be in his head; he just felt like over the past three weeks it was all he did.

He thought about how he could get his hands on a list of scientists who had worked with Dr. Vegapunk. On all the islands they had visited since Waffle Still, Law had searched for information only to feel frustrated when he found nothing. He spent long nights charting paths with Bepo and Goby, deciding where he would have a greater chance of finding the answers he needed.

Inevitably though, despite how busy Law kept himself, he would find breaks in between his thoughts where June would slip in.

She was insidious and would pop into his mind at the oddest prompts.

Law would be enjoying a cup of coffee while reviewing maps then suddenly he would wonder if a dash of cayenne pepper would make it better like June had once suggested. Law would wake up in the morning and see the light filtering through the porthole windows onto the couch and he would think about how June's nose would scrunch before her eyes slowly opened to see the day.

He wondered when she had managed to leave a significant mark on him; invisible but aching for more.

Today, she had crept in while he was training in his lab. Law had been working on his Observation Haki in the dark room, sitting cross legged in the center of the floor and focusing on the energies milling around the ship. He had made it into a sort of game. He would choose random members of his crew then see how quickly he could pinpoint their location on the submarine before guessing what they were doing based on the emotion he could glean from the energy.

He had tried to find June in that dark room but came up empty. Law pushed his skill to the limit, searching high and low through his mind's eye to find the woman but couldn't locate her. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, he could feel the energy of everyone on his submarine, sense the villagers moving around Honeycomb's streets; yet there was no June.

He was beginning to wonder if she was even on the Tang when a knock called to him from his lab door. It had startled Law; as hard as he was searching, he would have noticed someone walking down the hallway to his lab.

Law didn't know what to expect when he opened that door, but it certainly wasn't June. He questioned her, then tried to read her energy. Law remembered a conversation that he had with her once where she had wondered if the reason why Observation and Conqueror Haki didn't affect her was due to her Devil Fruit Ability. At the time, Law had paid no mind to the comment figuring that it was a probability.

However looking at June now, it wasn't as if his sight was slipping around or off her like he would expect if her theory was true. It was almost like it went right through her, as if there was nothing there at all; it was alarming, his sight treated June almost as if she were dead. This was very much not the case though. June's heart was beating in a safe underneath the floor of his office, he had felt her warm skin, heard her breathing, seen her eat, laugh, talk; this woman was very much alive.

Yet there was no life energy to her; he filed this away to examine later.

Halfway through the conversation with June outside his lab, Law hoped the Polar Tang would suddenly capsize so he could drown and escape the overwhelming embarrassment he felt.

He had been exposed, by a damn snail of all things.

Apparently the connection he had with his snail had picked up on his longing for June; it was repugnant. Thankfully, June wasn't familiar enough with snail behavior to read into exactly why Law's snail was cuddling her but Law still wanted to hide in his dark lab until he could compose himself. Law had almost escaped, but June didn't seem ready to let him go yet.

His mind screamed flustered profanities when she slid between him and the door. Law felt torn, he wanted to simultaneously flee and pull her close to whisper apologies into her ear; it was shameful.

But Trafalgar D. Water Law refused to run away from June again.

So he just reminded her that she had somewhere else to be; that was different, right?

Back in the safety of his lab, he leaned backward against the door, biting his tongue to keep from yelling. He was weak for avoiding June and he was weak for her, it was a terrible flaw. Law spent the next few hours pushing his ability's limits, the strain clearing that damnable woman from his mind.

But here she was invading his thoughts, again; this time it had been triggered by the aforementioned bounty page. 'The Nurse' had been replaced by 'June' and there was a significant bump in the bounty amount jumping from fifteen million to thirty. Law wondered when and how the government had discovered her name and what had led to the increase in her bounty. Law's amount hadn't changed, so why did hers?

Her name bothered him the most, he couldn't recall any place they had been since Sabaody where the government would have learned this information about her. Of course they had been to several islands since then, but the Heart Pirates hadn't created a ruckus and remained under the radar. There was of course Waffle Still, but all the residents on the island had been reported as dead after they had left so that wasn't a possible answer.

It was all very curious; June was a very complex puzzle.

"Law?"

Speak of the devil and he shall appear, Law thought to himself. Or in this case, think about June and she will hear your call.

"June-ya." He answered, placing the bounty poster face down on his desk. Law looked up from the page to see June standing by the door, she must have snuck in while he was deep in his mind.

"I'm going to the island with Uni for a while, I wanted to let ya know before I disappear." June nervously chewed her lower lip while she waited for Law's response. He wondered when she had run out of the gum and lollipops she used to always chew on to stave off that habit she had of chewing her cheeks and lips.

"Alright, come find me when you get back." Law answered, he had long since accepted that June wouldn't be running away anytime soon. While he still demanded she be accompanied by a crewmember while off the ship, she never once gave any indication that she wanted to be anywhere else but on the Polar Tang.

"Have ya gotten a chance to visit the island yet? It's crazy how many bees there are flyin' around."

"Not yet, but we'll be here through tomorrow so there's plenty of time."

"Promise me you'll take a break at some point, you've been workin' too hard." June opened the door behind her, as she slipped out she spoke again. "See ya in a bit."

Law watched the door for several minutes, waiting for the knob to turn even though he knew it wouldn't. Suddenly feeling restless and filled with a desire to grant June her request, he picked Kikoku up from where he had leaned the sword against the desk to settle it on his shoulder.

Perhaps some fresh air would help clear his mind again.

June walked shoulder to waist with Uni down a hidden dirt path along the shore of Honeycomb. The sun had fallen below the horizon and the stars had begun to blink awake in the sky above them. The sound of bees humming had been replaced by the soft noises of crickets chirping, sea waves crashed into the sand along the shore bringing with it the increasingly familiar scent of the ocean.

The night was beautiful, the moon above them illuminated the path under a delicate light to wherever Uni was leading June. Something about the night comforted her, whether it was the shroud of darkness that hid her or the peace that came with the subdued silence of night, June was thankful for quiet after a day of wandering around the bustling streets of Honeycomb.

"It's not much further, I found this place earlier before we ran into you and Ikkaku." Uni explained, pointing down the path which curved behind a group of trees ahead of them.

A few minutes of comfortable silence passed as June and Uni continued on. When they turned the corner around the trees, an awe inspiring sight greeted them.

A massive crystal honeycomb structure stood tall, surrounded by pale flowers. The light of the moon hit the geometric structure in such a way that the entire clearing lit up in a pale glow. The monument was stunning, June had never seen such a structure in her life and she found it difficult to look anywhere but at the shining crystal.

As she walked forward intending to get a closer look, June nearly stumbled over a bucket containing ice and glass bottles that had been placed in front of the crystal honeycomb. June leaned over to pick up one of the bottles, inspecting a label that simply read 'Honey Ale'.

"Did ya put these here?" She asked, turning to face Uni who hadn't yet stepped off the trail.

He blushed, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck with a large hand. "Yeah, I remembered you told me once that you were a beer under the stars kind of girl so I thought I'd bring them. I heard this stuff is popular in the kingdom."

June blinked, several times. Realization began to fall upon her, hitting her in the face like a brick.

"Uni, is this a date?"

"You didn't know?" He asked, dropping his hand back to his side. As Uni read her expression, a similar look of realization began to mirror June's own. "You didn't know." Uni spoke, more to himself; his tone dropped into low notes of disappointment.

"I'm so sorry. I just- I didn't realize-" June fumbled her words, clutching the chilled bottle within her hands. "Uni, this is so sweet but I just don't see ya that way."

"It's fine, June. I should have been more straightforward, I'm sorry for putting you in an awkward position." Uni shifted his weight from side to side on his feet, June could see the embarrassment weigh him down.

"Hey." She rushed forward to grab his forearm, Uni lifted his eyes from the ground to meet her gaze. "I should be apologizin' for bein' so damn dense. You're my friend, Uni, I feel terrible that I didn't realize sooner."

"You'll still be my friend after this?" Uni asked.

"Of course, nothin' is changin' that." June released his arm with a smile. "Ya put a lot of thought into this, I see that. Can we still hang out? I wanna see what ya planned."

He nodded excitedly, leading her to crystal honeycomb. Uni pointed to the center of the structure where June could now see a positively gigantic queen bee that was about the size of her palm.

"I asked the citizens about this honeycomb today and they told me that up until about thirty years ago, the Honeycomb Kingdom was little more than a shabby town where the villagers struggled to exist. There wasn't much the island could offer up to bring in money with flowers being their main export; at the time the island was actually called Daisy Island. But one day, this queen landed on the island and built a giant hive and the villagers were able to start cultivating an impressive series of bee farms. The queen was quite docile and allowed the people to expand her hive; after that, the island boomed and they became the Honeycomb Kingdom. About five years ago, the queen died and they immortalized her in this crystal as a way to thank her for saving them." Uni explained as he ran a finger over the hexagon holding the bee queen.

"That's amazin'! I wonder how she got here."

"They said she just descended from the sky like a blessing."

June walked back over to the bucket to grab another ale, then popped the caps off the bottles using the buckle of her bag as a bottle opener. She handed the second ale to Uni then lifted her own to the sky.

"To the bee queen and her impressive empire!" June toasted.

Uni laughed and lifted his bottle to the sky. "To the queen!"

They both drank deeply, June let out an pleased sound after draining a quarter of her drink. "This stuff is great, we're gonna have to stock up on this before we leave."

"It's not as sweet as I thought it'd be." Uni pondered, turning the bottle over in his hands.

The duo moved back over to the ice bucket to sit down, turning their eyes to the sky. Uni pointed out the different constellations, regaling fantastical tales of heroes long dead that painted their stories into the sky.

"The stars are so different out here, back home ya can barely see the stars because of the lights from the cities." June mused.

"Do you ever miss it? Your home, that is."

June paused, how long had it been since she had really thought about home? Even though most days she still struggled to blend into the world around her, she found that she had begun to carve a space out for herself in this reality. With each day that passed, June felt the pain of being ripped away from her old life lessening to a barely noticeable itch in the back of her mind.

"Ya know, sometimes I do but I think I'm finally settlin' into my new life with y'all. At this moment, I think if I were to suddenly end up back home I would have a hard time just goin' back to the way things had been." June answered honestly. "Do ya miss your home?"

"Everyday, but that's because it doesn't exist anymore. My island was part of a series of others who had been pulled into war, unfortunately we lost. Locke, Clione, and I are from the same place, we managed to hide away but when we came out everything had burned down; I think we were about fifteen at the time." Uni explained as if the horrors he had experienced were a normal everyday occurrence.

"What?!" June nearly choked on a sip of her ale. "That's awful, Uni. How are ya even sittin' here?"

"Well, the captain found us and offered to take us with him. Doflamingo was the one to supply the war with weapons so when the captain told us about his goal to take him down, we hopped on the opportunity. I think just about everyone on our sub has a personal grudge against Doflamingo or the government in some way so we all bonded together over that."

June didn't know what to say; apologizing with a tired platitude seemed empty and offensive. She felt a familiar rage bubbling in her at the injustice, the same feeling that had filled her when they had visited the Human Auction House on Sabaody. It was sometimes easy to forget the abhorrent mess that surrounded June in this reality.

"He'll go down. I can promise that, I've seen it. He's gonna get what's comin' to him and more." June remarked confidently. "I'll make sure y'all get there."

"I believe you and I have faith in our captain. I can't wait to see Doflamingo crumble." Uni spoke with a mirth filled smile that held an undertone of cold fury just under the surface. "But anyway, I don't wanna ruin the night by talking about that asshole. Do you know the story behind that constellation over there?" He pointed back up to the sky, redirecting June's gaze above to see three bright stars situated into a triangular pattern.

A couple hours passed like that; Uni telling June stories and joy filled laughter echoing throughout the clearing. After the moon had risen high into the sky, Uni and June began their walk back to the Polar Tang. When they reached the main road, June spoke.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, thanks for bringin' me out."

"Same, though I'm still sorry about the misunderstanding."

June stopped, halting their walk. "Hey, lift me up."

Uni placed the bucket on the ground then grabbed June around the waist to bring her to his eye level. He blushed as she tugged down the bandanna covering the lower half of his face, June leaned forward to plant a quick kiss upon his cheek then pulled the cover back up to cover Uni's nose.

"I want ya to take that back to the crew's quarters tonight. That way, they can't make fun of ya too hard. I meant it when I said I had a good time and that we're still friends. You're a good guy, Uni and I like hangin' out with ya." June grinned.

"Thanks, June." Uni lowered her to the ground then picked up the bucket. "You're really something else, you know that?"

"June-ya, come here!"

She turned around to see Law walking down the path toward the pair, he was holding a cooler in one hand and had a burlap sack tied to his pants.

"I'll see you back on the sub, June. I had a good time too, have a good night." Uni smiled brightly, his blush still coloring the bridge of his nose. As Law came closer, Uni departed, walking in the direction of the Polar Tang.

"What was that?" Law asked accusingly.

"Oh, uh, that was a sort of date." June answered bashfully, avoiding Law's leering eyes.

He dropped the cooler to the ground, flipping open the top and started messing with the contents held inside. "Do I need to talk to you about how much of a bad idea it would be for you to date one of my crewmates?"

"No, it was actually a misunderstanding. We aren't goin' out, I told him I just wanna be friends."

"That's good." Law stood up, holding three syringes in his hand. "Pull your sleeve up."

"Now hold on, what're ya doin' with those?" June asked, eyeballing the needles.

"I'm starting you on a vaccine schedule, I don't want another repeat of what happened a few weeks ago. You've recovered so I feel good about doing this now."

June sighed and rolled up the short sleeve on her left arm, offering her shoulder to Law. "Ya mind tellin' me what you're shooting me up with?"

Law opened an alcohol prep with his teeth then used it to disinfect June's arm. "GL Flu, Pox, and a combination of Ground Sickness and Hepatia Lique."

She mouthed the last one to herself for a moment before her jaw dropped. "Are ya tellin' me that there's something out here that melts your livers?!"

He smirked as he injected her arm with the first shot.

"Law, you're fuckin' with me, right? I need ya to tell me if you're fuckin' with me."

He committed to his amused silence as he pushed the last two vaccines then dropped the used syringes into the cooler. June followed the captain as he set off in the direction of the sub, all while pestering him to answer.

As they crossed the threshold of the Polar Tang, Law led them to the second floor. June felt torn about whether or not to follow him down the hall or to continue down to Ikkaku's room; thankfully Law made the decision for her though.

"Follow me."

So she did. June assumed they were heading to the clinic or the office but was surprised to see Law open the door to his lab. She paused outside the doorway, unsure whether Law actually wanted her to follow him in.

"Hurry up, I need to get the rest of the vaccines into the fridge in here. Turn the light on too while you're at it."

June stepped into the room apprehensively, shutting the door behind her and feeling along the wall for a switch. When she found it, the room was illuminated in a dim light from a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. What she saw was something that had to have been pulled straight from her nightmares.

Dozens of mannequins stood along one of the walls, their limbs mismatched or removed completely. Some of the mannequins had multiple arms, torsos, or heads; others were just legs standing straight up with a head or arm attached to the top of the thighs.

"If there's a God, this room is definitely hidin' in their blind spot." June, feeling wholly unnerved, commented as she stuck close to Law who was bent over a small fridge, placing the cooler inside.

"I use those to practice my ability. I keep them in here because it would make the rest of the crew uncomfortable." Law stood, shutting the fridge with his boot.

"I couldn't imagine why…" June replied sarcastically as she let her eyes wander around the rest of the room to find something less unsettling to look at.

There was a table set up along the wall opposite the mannequins that held a microscope, test tubes, books, and other general scientific supplies. Above the fridge was a shelf mounted to the wall that held an array of knickknacks. There were pictures of the crew, a single black feather, commemorative coins. June felt a grin tug at her lips when she saw the collection of rocks she and the crew had painted Law for his birthday.

While she looked over the items on the shelf, Law walked across the room to a chest tucked away in the corner next to his lab table. He untied the sack, which June now noticed was pulsing oddly, from his belt loop and emptied the contents into the chest onto a pile of throbbing bags. With a sudden realization, she understood that this must be where Law was keeping his collection of pirate hearts.

"How many do ya have now?" She asked.

"Sixty-three. Every time we stop somewhere, I look for pirates with bounties to add." He answered simply.

Staring at the chest, June was surprised to fine that she didn't feel as bothered at the contents as she probably should; Law must be a bad influence on her. She suddenly remembered the coin in her bag and figured now would be as good a time as any to hand it over.

"Hey, I bought somethin' for ya today." She spoke as she crossed the room to stand in front of Law. June unzipped her bag to remove the coin then held it out to the captain. "I saw it in town and thought ya might like it. When I talked with the guy runnin' the booth, he told me it was a coin honorin' the last owner of the Op-Op Fruit and I figured ya should have it."

Law slowly grabbed the coin from her fingers, holding it up to look at the pictures engraved on the surface with a pleased grin. "I've actually been looking for this one for a while, thanks." He paused for a beat then spoke, sounding unsure. "I actually picked up something for you too while I was out."

June watched as he put the coin in his pocket then pulled out a small blue bag. "Is it more shots?" She joked.

"No, this is a lot less painful." He placed the bag into her open hand. "I figured you ran out a while ago so I got you more."

June opened the bag to peer inside, there was a variety of lollipops, hard candies, and gum. She felt her cheeks pink at the thoughtful gesture. It was true, she had run out of her candy months ago and hadn't gotten around to replacing them. The skin on her lips and the inside of her cheeks had suffered without anything to occupy her habit of anxiously chewing her mouth.

She placed the sack into her bag, feeling giddy that Law had gone out of his way to take care of her in multiple different ways tonight. June looked around the room once more, confusion itching at her about why he would bring her to this room of all places knowing that it was off limits to everyone else.

"If ya don't mind me askin', why did ya bring me in here tonight?"

Law suddenly looked uncomfortable, bashful even? He pulled the rim of his hat down then looked off to the side to the floor. "I just felt like showing you the room."

Something about standing in this dim lab room with a crowd of mismatched mannequins and a chest filled to the brim with beating hearts pounding away near a shelf decorated with old trinkets and photos just felt so…Law. June felt like she was peering behind Law's curtain to see the most intimate parts of himself, his secret self that he kept hidden away from from the world.

She felt guilty at having seen this secret part of him and wondered if maybe it would be safe for her to pull back her veil too.

"Do ya know what this tarot card means?" June asked, lifting the hem of her shorts slightly to tap the tattoo on her outer right thigh with a single finger.

"No, I don't. Doesn't it just mean death?"

"That's a big misconception." June smiled. "In a short answer, it actually symbolizes the end of one phase of a person's life and the transition into the next. Death is inevitable, it happens to everyone just like stress, suffering, and change. This card represents lettin' go of the things holdin' a person back to embrace growth so they can live fulfillin' lives and find meaning."

June reached forward to grab Law's hand, lifting it into the air to read at the tattoo inked onto his knuckles. She traced the letter on his pointer finger with her thumb then looked up to meet his curious eyes.

"What does death mean to ya?"

His eyebrows pulled together, eyes watching June's fingers cradle his own. "Loss, pain, grief." He paused then spoke again after a beat. "Duty."

"Is that why ya got these tattoos? So ya wouldn't forget?"

"Maybe on some level, it just felt like I had already been branded with it so it only made sense to mark myself with the word."

June nodded, absorbing what he told her. She looked back down to his knuckles again, reading the harsh script. "That makes sense, you've definitely seen more death than I can even comprehend. I got my tattoo to remind me that even when I'm put in an impossible situation, I can always find a way to live through it. One day, I'd like to see ya live for yourself. Despite what you've been through, ya still deserve happiness, Law."

"I don't think I have that luxury, June-ya. There's too much riding on everything I'm doing." Law said plainly as if he were commenting on the weather.

What a bleak statement.

June knew what was at stake, what had incited his plan. She knew that he had every intention of giving away his life when he faced Doflamingo for the sake of fulfilling his mission; it hurt her heart to hear Law speak like this.

She looked back up to meet his serious expression with a smile. "There sure is, but that doesn't mean ya can't think about your future too. Don't worry though, I'll be there to protect ya so ya don't have to worry as much."

Law stared at her, stunned, then erupted into a series of deep humor-filled chuckles, June's smile grew wider at the beautiful sound. "You? Protect me?"

"Hey! Ya should know by now that I'm more resilient than I look!" She protested with a laugh.

"Fine. But if you get hurt, don't expect me to stitch you up." He teased.

Law's smirk gradually shrank as his eyes bounced between June's and the hand she was still holding, a light blush began to color his cheeks.

"What? Ya never held a girl's hand before?" June prodded with a wry grin, lacing her fingers between his to hold his hand more firmly.

He remained silent, a glower replacing the humor that had previously occupied his face.

June gasped mockingly. "Law?! Are ya a virgin ?" She whispered as if she were talking about a taboo subject.

"Don't be an idiot, of course I'm not. I've just never…" Law trailed off, his blush deepening.

"Held hands?" She smiled impishly, biting her lip to hold in her giggles. "How is it? Do ya feel like a changed man?"

"Your hand is sweaty." He deadpanned.

"Are ya sure that ain't yours? I mean, I'm the one with more experience here."

June relaxed her fingers to pull back then gasped when Law gripped her hand back and pulled her closer so her chest bumped against his front.

"I'm sorry." He said suddenly.

"No, you're fine. I just wasn't expectin' ya to pull on me." June felt her own cheeks begin to color again.

"Not about that, I'm sorry about before. You were right, I was out of line pushing you to talk about yourself and to treat you like I was."

She gaped up at him, she hadn't been expecting an apology. Honestly, June was perfectly ok with how they had managed to move beyond their squabble to pick up where they had left off albeit with a few cracks marring their fragile relationship.

"I guess ya were an ass, but so was I. I'm sorry I've been so resistant to talk about myself, it's just somethin' I've never been comfortable with; I feel bad knowin' your past all while holdin' back mine. I'll also apologize for copping an attitude with ya, I suppose that's somethin' I still need to work on."

"I should be thanking you for showing me that how I was acting wasn't right." Law's hand squeezed June's tighter, his amber eyes stared earnestly into her own. "I just…I just wanted to say that if you ever do feel comfortable talking to me about yourself, I would listen. Not because you're a puzzle I want to solve, but because I'm genuinely interested."

"Oh." It was June's turn to be stunned at Law's admission, an odd fluttering feeling erupted in her chest. "I'll, uh, remember that. If I ever feel the need to spill my guts, you'll be the first to know."

"Not literally, I hope." He smiled.

"Of course not." June giggled then looked down at their still joined hands. "Ya know, you're gettin' a lot better at this hand holdin' thing. Ya don't look like you're gonna combust anymore."

"I'm a quick learner." Law quipped while grabbing onto her free hand, pulling them both up to hold between their two bodies.

"Ooo, double hold. Don't hurt yourself now."

"I'm also an overachiever." He stated playfully, his smirk widening.

"I'd almost say ya like it. Who knew that the Surgeon of Death was such a softie."

"Only with you it seems, apparently you have a habit of showing me annoying parts of myself that I would usually ignore, it's rather irritating." Law's eyes rolled.

"That's my second ability, bein' annoyin'."

"Sounds like you're an overachiever too."

"Yeah…" June nibbled at her tongue ring, suddenly feeling nervous. "Hey, Law? Would ya mind if I moved back into your room? Ikkaku is kickin' me out tonight and to be honest, I'm startin' to miss the couch."

Law's ears pinked, he looked off to the side away from June. "I suppose." He mumbled. "I've enjoyed the quiet but I don't want you to sleep in the hall."

"Uh-huh. Why do I get the feelin' ya missed me but you're just actin' like a jerk to avoid sayin' it. Ya can admit it Law, ya don't mind me at all."

"That's a lie, don't put words in my mouth."

"Mmhmm, ok. Well, I'm gonna go get my stuff outta Ikkaku's room, we'll get back to business as usual then." June dropped Law's hands, immediately missing the feeling of his calloused fingers against her skin. She jogged over to the lab door, but paused to look over her shoulder at Law who was staring at the tattoos on his knuckles. "Hey, Law."

He tore his eyes away from his hands to look at her. His eyebrows lifted in expectation, waiting for June to speak.

"I, uhm, missed ya too." She mumbled awkwardly before turning the knob to escape out into the hallway before Law could respond.

Ikkaku wasn't in her room when June opened the door. Good for her, thought June as she gathered her clothing and belongings scattered around the room. She didn't leave a note, figuring that Ikakku would understand when she came back to see that June had finally evacuated from her room.

June entered Law's room and made a beeline for the familiar lumpy couch, flopping onto the surface with a satisfied sigh. She buried her face into her pillow, a bright grin hidden in the fabric.

She had been right earlier, today had been very promising.

Notes:

Holding hands?! In my fic?! Honestly, while I was writing that I had a little giggle fit.

I felt like it was time for Uni to get some screen time. I love writing out the different Heart Crewmembers and giving them a spotlight, they're just so precious. :)

Also, you know what I love more than anything? Call backs.

Chapter 17: Fighting, Mouth First

Summary:

June and Law fight for fun, June finds a lead for Law, and then they fight again.

Notes:

This chapter was hard to write for some reason. I got some serious writer's block in the middle and it was difficult to get the words out even though I knew exactly what I wanted to happen. But anyway, this chapter was still fun.

Enjoy? :)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Morning roused June from her sleep and greeted her with familiar sensations.

A lumpy couch pressed a knot of padding into her side painfully. The summer sun of Honeycomb shone through the porthole to land on her body, making June feel uncomfortably warm underneath the blanket. The faint scent of sandalwood and clean linen urged her to breathe deeper, to fill her lungs and exhale a relaxed sigh.

Groaning, June stretched her limbs out but found a barrier when her arm and leg pressed against the backrest effectively leaving her half fulfilled and prevented her from properly pulling the sleep from her muscles.

Despite the less than ideal setup, a smile stretched across June's face; she felt like she had returned home after a long trip. As much as she had enjoyed sleeping in a bed for the past three weeks, June felt like she had finally gotten that restful sleep she had been striving for. Now, June couldn't say whether that was because June had returned to her usual resting place or if it was because she and Law had finally moved beyond their petty silence; either way, she was thankful.

Thankful to be back on this ratty couch, thankful for the talk she had with Law last night, thankful that the oppressive uncertainty had been lifted from her shoulders.

It was one of those rare days where June had woken up before Law. Though, that shouldn't have surprised her considering she had fallen asleep before the captain, not to mention he had been working himself non-stop since they left Waffle Still. June was pleased to see that he was getting some extra rest before the day began, however, she was beginning to feel weird just staring at him while he slept.

It's just that…

Law usually slept facing the other way, bundled tightly underneath his covers like they were a barrier keeping him separated from the rest of the world until he was ready to conquer it.

Today though, he was facing June. His arm was draped over the side of the bed with his fingers brushing the floor. His blankets had been pushed down to his waist and half his face was buried into the pillow beneath his head. Maybe he had collapsed onto the bed after his shower, not bothering to settle himself like he usually would. Maybe the exhaustion had finally, and forcefully, dragged him under.

Time seemed to have frozen.

In this liminal space between fully awake and barely conscious, the quiet stillness of the morning cradled June with feelings of serenity. She could hear Law's relaxed breathing, see the occasional twitch of his muscles showing that he was still deep in a dream. Dust motes danced through the beams of light shining through half the room and caressed his face lovingly with delicate fingers.

He just looked so peaceful.

An increasingly familiar sense of fondness bloomed warmly in June's chest at the sight. She was beginning to accept these inconvenient feelings as something that probably wouldn't be fading any time soon. She liked Law, more than she should given her circumstances; June was a big enough girl to admit that. She knew there was nothing to do about these feelings, certainly there was no way to move forward with them, so all she can do now is ignore them and hope that eventually they would scatter into the wind.

This was fine.

June was perfectly happy to take in these small moments, to lock them away and hold them selfishly for herself. Someday, June would disappear and take these memories with her. Perhaps they would gradually fade, or maybe they would remain as vivid as the moment she collected them. One day, June would be gone and Law would continue on as if she had never been here: like an insignificant blip.

June could feel her breathing slow to match Law's as she watched his shoulders steadily rise and fall, her eyes grew heavy as sleep beckoned her to return to its embrace.

Maybe a few more minutes would be nice.

"June-ya?" Law's coarse, sleep laced voice called out.

June's half-lidded eyes opened fully to focus on Law. His own amber eyes were still hazy, but there was a look in them as if he was relieved to still see her on the couch.

"G'morning." She answered, stifling a yawn behind her hand.

"How's it feel to be back on the couch?" He asked with a tired smile.

"Shitty, I had finally worked those knots outta my back." June answered without any real heat.

"Well, you look rested so I'm guessing it wasn't all bad." Law swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up, June watched as he stretched his back out with a sigh then relaxed. Half the skin on his face bore red creases from the pillowcase he had been snuggled into.

"Ya were out like a light; I was up before ya even said my name. How long has it been since ya let yourself rest?"

Law stared out the window above June for a moment then shrugged. "I'm not that great at sleeping anyway so being tired isn't too much of a concern."

June pushed herself up to sit on the couch, nearly bumping her knees with Law's. "So, we're shippin' out later tonight, yeah? What's the plan until then?"

"There's a few things I'll need you for today, so we'll be spending a lot of time together."

"Oh? Whaddya need help with?"

His answer was a wry grin paired with a vague, "I'll find you after breakfast."

Law patted June's knee with his hand then stood, stepping around her legs to walk out of the room presumably to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

That was an oddly familiar touch, it was nice. June filed it away with the rest of her treasured moments while thinking to herself that perhaps there was some hope for their fragile relationship.

After a delicious breakfast where June had praised Blake for his cooking prowess, Law found June in the gym where she was curling weights while standing in front of the mirror. Through the reflection, June saw Law leaning against the doorway, arms crossed and with shameless, wandering eyes. June could almost physically feel his eyes slowly trail down the contours of her body; she was unprepared for the full body flush she felt when his gaze stuck to the bare skin of her thighs.

This was something she had somehow forgotten about Law, the flirting. The almost palpable hunger that she could feel whenever Law sometimes looked at her; not that she was any less innocent than him. After enough times, June had gotten used to the stares but after almost a month of nothing her tolerance seemed to have waned.

June cleared her throat loudly while pumping her arms in and up, out and down. "Are ya gonna tell me what ya want or are ya just gonna stand there starin' at my ass?"

With a smirk, Law titled his head. A simple gesture showing he wanted June to follow him as he spun around the doorframe and back into the hallway.

Really, sometimes this man irritated the shit out of June with his cocky attitude. Why was she attracted to him again?

Still, she followed him out of the room, up the stairs, and into his lab. June shut the door behind her while actively avoiding the cold, blank stares of the mannequins in the corner.

"So, what's up?" She asked as Law opened a drawer in his table to pull out a black strip of cloth.

He walked across the room to grab June by the wrist then guided her to stand in the middle of the floor. Law held up the cloth in front of June's face. "I'm going to blindfold you now."

June blushed; her mind skidded to a screeching halt leaving her with mental whiplash. "I- Uh, that's- Hmm." She took a deep breath to calm her stumbling tongue. "Could ya tell me why?"

Law chuckled impishly, knowing full well that his bluntess would fluster her. "The first thing we're going to do today is work on your Haki."

It was impressive how quickly the color could evacuate from June's face given that she looked positively steamed not a few seconds ago. "Why? I feel like that's somethin' most pirate captors wouldn't want their captees to learn." June heard the slight tremble in her voice, the tinge of fear and uncertainty that hid in her words.

Law seemed to pick up on June's discomfort, lifting a single intrigued eyebrow in response. "Sure, but when have I ever done things the conventional way? Besides, I remember you once saying that mixing Observation Haki and your Devil Fruit Ability could be an ultimate predictor combination. Why wouldn't I want to utilize that?"

"Fair point, I guess." June mumbled. "I just don't think it's gonna work."

"Well, we won't know until we try." Law quipped.

June's vision was cut off as Law secured the blindfold over her eyes. His fingers brushed against her ears, combed her hair carefully over the strip of cloth so it sat more comfortably around her head. With the absence of sight, June could feel her other senses sharpen. She basked in the feeling of Law's callused fingers skimming across the skin of her cheeks down to her jaw. He placed a single finger under her chin to gently push up so her head angled more toward the ceiling.

There were a few moments where Law didn't speak.

The silence made June start to fidget with the fabric at the bottom of her shirt while she waited for him to tell her exactly what was going to happen. Anxiety began to trickle into the nervous pit in her stomach.

She knew this wasn't going to work. June thought about what Rayleigh had told her all those months ago, how he had bluntly told her that there wasn't even a whiff of Haki in her. June couldn't help but wonder if one of the reasons for this impromptu training session was because Law couldn't sense it in her either.

June flinched when Law finally decided to speak. He was much closer than she had expected, his warm breath fanned out across her left cheek.

"You need to calm yourself for this to work. Try and feel your own energy then push outward and try to feel mine. I'm going to be tossing pebbles at you and you'll learn how to anticipate my movements to dodge them."

"You're gonna what?" June deadpanned. Was she seriously going to have to stand here and let him throw rocks at her?

Law withdrew his hand from June; she could hear him back up a few paces. There was a sound like the shifting of clothing then the clacking of several pebbles knocking against each other.

"Are ya at least gonna tell me when-" She was interrupted when a pebble bounced off her abdomen. June frowned then grumbled, "Asshole."

Law answered with an amused chuckle.

June tried to at least make a show of attempting to read energies, whatever that meant. She listened close, felt her ears twitch with each step Law made around the room. June made guesses about where he would stop, when he would throw, where the pebble would land; she got lucky a couple of times. But with each rock that bounced off her body, June could feel the urge within her to pelt Law back rising quickly to a boiling point.

"Remember to look beyond yourself, you need to anticipate my intent then use that to dodge." Law explained from somewhere off to June's right.

She turned to face the voice, exasperation filling her every pore. "What the fuck does that even mean?!"

"It's like feeling the movement of air beyond your skin or like the smell of the wind before a storm." He answered like some sort of wizened sage you would find meditating on the edge of a lake.

Another pebble clipped June's arm then clattered across the floor behind her.

She ripped the blindfold off her face to land a scathing glare on Law. "It ain't gonna work! I just don't have the capability!"

"Everyone has the capacity to learn, we just need to work on yours." Law stubbornly replied.

"It's not possible, I literally don't feel anything!"

"Nothing? Can you at least feel your own energy?"

June wrung the thin cloth between her hands in lieu of an answer, eyes cast downward.

"Really?" Law's eyebrows jumped up with disbelief.

"I told ya, I don't think Observation Haki works on me. I think it's pretty clear I can't use it either." She mumbled.

"No, that can't be right. Everyone and everything has Haki; this just means that we have to keep trying until you improve. Eventually, we should be able to see something in you."

So that confirmed it, Law had tried to sense June at some point and felt the same thing Rayleigh experienced. He seemed oddly discomforted at this given how he was pushing June to keep trying.

"Have ya been tryin' to read me?" June asked bluntly.

"I did." He paused then shook his head. "Or more like I've been trying to."

"What do ya see?" Worry began to chill June. What if he somehow followed this thread of information and found out June had been hiding the truth from him? June no longer believed that Law would kill her for lying, but she could definitely see him abandoning her on a random island in the middle of who-knows-where.

Law's eyebrows furrowed inward; she wondered if he was trying to pick up any sense of her. "Nothing."

"When ya say that, what do ya mean?"

"It's like you're dead, which is obviously not true unless you have something exceptionally shocking to tell me."

"No. I, uh, kinda figured that's what would happen actually." June picked at her fingernails nervously.

Law approached her, towering above June with curiosity easily read in his gaze; June supposed that was better than him being suspicious. "Did you know about this?" He asked gently.

"Kinda- I mean yes." She stumbled over her words. "I had a feelin' about it when we were on Sabaody. Then when we were on Maiden Island, Rayleigh told me he didn't think I had any Haki at all. I'm pretty sure he thought somethin' was wrong with me."

He blinked a few times, processing. Confusion morphed into concern; his worry created nauseating feelings of guilt within June.

"I don't think I can properly express how shocking and unusual this is. Do you really think you don't have any Haki?"

"I wish I could tell ya."

And she really did; June wished that she could just spill everything. She wished she could tell Law the truth about where she came from without fear of the repercussions. She wished she could tell him that the reason why she couldn't use Haki, why she would never be able to learn, was that she was born in a place where that power didn't exist. Maybe one day June could tell Law everything, but not now.

Not when they were just starting to get along again. Not when her only hope for finding a way home, or even just answers about how she got here in the first place, hinged on staying aboard the Polar Tang.

"We'll keep working on it, maybe you just have a block somewhere. Even if you never learn how to use it, it can't be healthy for you to be walking around like this." Law gestured vaguely to June's entire form.

"Thanks, I'll do my best." She worried her tongue ring between her teeth for a moment, tasting the bitter lie in her mouth with a frown. "Do ya think we can do somethin' else? I'm kinda tired of feelin' like a target." June hoped that he would have enough pity to end this pointless, and entirely too stressful, practice session.

"What do you have in mind?"

June thought for a moment, perhaps she could still get something valuable out of this; something more feasible that she could use. "Maybe ya can show me how to fight better? I feel like I've plateaued on my own."

"Are you saying you want to fight me, June-ya? That doesn't seem smart." Law crossed his arms. He sounded slightly patronizing; not that he didn't have the right to be so confident however, June still found his tone irritating.

"Not like an all-out brawl. But I know you've got some training in hand-to-hand and how to use pressure points, so show me. I also need to get tougher before we move onto the New World."

After a moment of consideration Law bent over to pull his boots off, tossing them to the side of the room. "Alright, fine. But I won't be hitting you on principle, that seems a bit like an abuse of power. Feel free to try and land one on me though."

June kicked off her own shoes. "Ya aren't worried I'll hurt ya then?"

"That's what I like about you, June-ya." He spoke with a grin. "You've got some funny jokes rolling around in that head of yours." Law relaxed back into his hips, widening his stance. He held his open hands in front of his chest, ready to swat away whatever attack June threw at him. "No abilities, no powers."

June bounced on the balls of her feet, warming her muscles while pulling her fists up. Her eyes narrowed at Law, that cocksure attitude of his was really grating on her nerves. "I'm happy you're givin' me a chance to knock ya upside your head."

"You're welcome to try." He beckoned her with a slight tilt of his head. "Well, come on then."

June dashed forward, feinting a left hook to Law's chin. As he pulled his head back to dodge the attack, June bobbed to the side and aimed to land an uppercut to his abdomen. While Law pushed the punch away, June stepped her left foot out to swing a kick aimed at Law's knees. He quickly hopped backward to avoid the kick then shot his hand out to nudge June's cheek.

"I thought ya said ya weren't gonna hit me." June scowled.

"That wasn't a hit!" Law barked out a laugh. "Besides, we need to work on how well you anticipate attacks, remember?"

Arrogant jerk.

The way he moved was unnerving; he was so fluid and quick despite his size. The control he had was exceptional too; as quick as he had swung his arm towards June's face, he was somehow able to pull back enough to just lightly touch her rather than slap her across the cheek.

June was so sure she could land at least one hit if she could just slightly knock him off balance or somehow find an opening, but she was having difficulty finding a good strategy. For now, she would just try to disorient him with a flurry of feints and hits while waiting for his defense to waver slightly.

She leapt forward; fist pulled back to land a punch to Law's nose. He ducked, like June wanted him to.

June swung her knee up, aiming to crush Law's nose into the top of her thigh. He pushed her leg off to the side, redirecting her movement while he pulled his head in the opposite direction; June was hoping he would do that.

She used the momentum Law gave her to spin around into a back hand across his cheek; Law caught her hand in a tight grip.

June did not want him to do that.

And quicker than she could process, June felt her ankles get kicked out from under her as Law led her to the ground with more care than she expected; her free hand sprawled out in front of her to add balance to her fall. June let out a sharp exhale through gritted teeth when her chest met the hardwood floor then inhaled a gasp when she felt Law pull her arm behind her while his knee planted itself into her lower back effectively immobilizing her.

"You know, you're actually better than I thought you would be, but we really need to work on that speed." Law's voice sounded even, like he had hardly exerted himself while June struggled to catch her breath with her face planted into the floor.

June looked over her shoulder to see him, he was smiling; she rolled her eyes. A squeak escaped her lips when she felt the muscles in her arm tug uncomfortably when Law pulled her arm up higher, lightly punishing her for her attitude.

"Now, for your first lesson in pressure points." Law leaned over June's body to rub his fingers over the shallow divot in the back of her free elbow. "You can hit this point to make a person's arm go numb; it's very useful if they're holding a weapon you want them to drop." He applied slight pressure; June felt her arm tingle, her nerves went numb. She shook her arm feebly with a huff, trying to work out the pins and needles sensation.

Law chuckled above her. "Good, right?" His fingers trailed slowly down her arm, reaching to wrap his hand around the wrist in front of her face, June suppressed a shiver at the feeling of him pressed against her.

Now was definitely not the time to be thinking about how this position was creating odd feelings of excitement within her. Seriously, how starved for touch was she that this was making her pulse quicken, her skin heat.

"You can also push down here on the wrist and cause the muscles in the hand to cramp up."

June winced when Law dug his thumb into the flesh of her inner wrist; she let out a pained groan when her hand spasmed. "Fuck, that feels weird."

Law's voice whispered into the back of her head; June could feel the heat of his breath in her hair. "Are you going to tap out? I'm waiting, June-ya."

But why would she do that when he's given her the perfect opportunity to throw him off balance?

She threw her head back and would have slammed into Law's face if he hadn't jerked back with a gasp. When June felt Law's weight shift and the grip on the arm pinned behind her back slacken, she flipped around to face him. His surprised expression was made sweeter when she curled her body inward then shot her legs out to wrap her thighs around his neck. She leveraged her weight to pull Law to the ground, positioning herself above him. When his hands flew up to wrap around the top of June's thighs, she grabbed his left arm and lifted it to lock into her side with the crook of her elbow.

There was a small moment where June wondered if she should feel appalled or embarrassed at her maneuver as she watched Law's shocked face gradually grow redder between her thighs. She quickly brushed those feelings aside, instead choosing to tighten her hold with a smug grin.

"Are ya gonna tap out? I'm waitin', Law." June mocked.

In his eyes she saw a glint of something spark there, it disappeared before June could figure out what she had seen. Law lifted his right hand and tapped it against her thigh; June released her hold, falling back to sit on Law's chest with a victorious smile. A grunt punched out of Law when June plopped down.

"I could've gotten out of that." He huffed petulantly.

"Then why didn't ya?" She asked as she stood, stepping over his body.

That damn smirk made a return on his face. "I liked the view."

June had initially leaned down to offer her hand to Law but instead swung up to swat him across the top of his head. "Don't be gross. I saw an opportunity and took it."

"If you say so." Law grabbed her hand, using it to pull himself up to a standing position. "Do you want to go again? I'll warn you though, that trick isn't going to work a second time."

June fell back into her stance again, riding the high of somehow leveraging a win over Law, no matter how cheap it was. She wondered if his boastful attitude was contagious.

"Well, c'mon then."

After eight more incredibly embarrassing rounds with Law where June either had her face smushed into the ground or a knee planted into her chest while she gasped for breath, Law ended June's suffering and told her to get ready to go ashore.

While June stood under the running showerhead in the bathroom, she grumbled to herself. She had fought hard, tried her best, but couldn't manage another win.

Stupid Law and his dumb long limbs with his absurd fighting ability; June would definitely get him next time.

June rubbed the soap over her skin, washing away the sweat and lingering irritation down the drain. She could already feel the soreness begin to settle into her muscles as she lifted her arm to wash her back. Law didn't even seem the least bit tired by the end of their sparring session, June thought to herself angrily as she shut off the shower faucet.

Stupid Law and his ridiculous stamina.

After dressing herself in a breezy skirt over a breathable shirt, June pulled on her shoes and glasses then grumpily left the bathroom to meet Law above deck. Once outside, she looked for the familiar sight of a spotted hat atop a shaggy head of hair.

"Over here, June-ya." Law waved to her from land, waiting for her on the overgrown path leading into town.

June jogged across the gangplank over to Law, stopping when she stood next to him. She held her arms out, welcoming the late afternoon sun onto her exposed skin of her arms and legs. June didn't know where they were headed next, but for now she would take in as much sunlight as possible and hope it keeps her warm wherever Law steers them next.

"Are you a plant or something, why are you just standing there like that?" Law asked, his own arms crossed.

"Hush, I'm photosynthesizin'." June lowered her arms. "I didn't realize how much I missed the heat until you started draggin' me across the Grand Line."

"So, you grew up on a summer island then?" Law asked as he started walking down the path.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." June answered, following after him.

"You guess?"

"I just didn't think about it like that when I lived there." June explained as she stepped around a rogue daisy holding two bees. "My country is so large that the climate in the south is very different from the north, east, and west. I grew up in the south where it favored warmer temperatures, so the winters weren't that cold, in fact it rarely snowed and the summers were super-hot. In the north, they could get smothered by snow in the winter, and I could still wear a light jacket in the summer and feel comfortable."

"It must be massive; I didn't realize a place like that existed on the sea." Law tapped his sword on his shoulder a couple of times while he imagined how large June's country must be. "And it's completely hidden? That sounds rather unbelievable."

June shrugged. "I don't know what to tell ya. It's just how it is." She looked up to him, deciding it would be best to change the topic. "So, whaddya need me for now? Is this another excuse for ya to throw rocks at me? Maybe pull my pigtails and steal my lunch money?"

Law kept his gaze forward with a small upward quirk of his lips. He brushed aside overgrown branches with the hilt of his sword, opening the path for him and June to walk through. "No. If I wanted to do that, I would have just kept letting you embarrass yourself earlier."

"Ya can't fool me, Law. You're nothin' but a schoolyard bully with a tacky fashion sense." June gestured to Law's own outfit, a bright red sleeveless shirt sporting the ever-present Heart Pirate Jolly Roger with a hood sewn into the neck along with a pair of black spotted jeans that he seemed to have twenty pairs of.

Law tilted his head down to look at his clothes then up to stare at June. "It's hot out." He stated simply.

It sure is, June thought mischievously as she openly ogled Law's biceps. She was pretty sure Law could wear a burlap sack, roll through the mud, and would still be the most attractive person in the room.

"Obsessive self-advertisement aside, where're we goin'?" She responded instead.

He tugged on one of June's curls spitefully with a scowl, June huffed and batted his hand away then yanked Law's hood toward the ground making him lean backwards awkwardly. After their childish squabble, Law spoke while adjusting his collar.

"We're going to the bar in the West District, every kingdom has a seedy place where pirates and criminals flock to and Honeycomb is no exception. I found the spot last night and couldn't find anyone who could give me the information I wanted so I thought bringing you would be helpful. Maybe your ability will show someone worth talking to."

"I'll let ya know if I see anythin' then." June answered half-heartedly, staring ahead and knowing full well that she wasn't going to have anything to report to him. Through the gaps in the tree branches, she could see villagers milling around the street.

As they entered the same shopping center that June and Ikkaku had explored the day before, June looked from booth to booth smelling the sweet honeycomb candies, seeing the bright fruits held in baskets and displayed proudly in the vendors' hands. She smiled when they passed Cato who was currently showing a group of bored looking teenagers a sparkling bronze coin, no doubt sharing the detailed history behind the commemorative coin.

June instinctively grabbed Law's hand and started dragging him over to the booth.

"What're you doing?" He asked, stumbling after her. "We have somewhere we need to be."

"I wanna introduce ya to my friend who sold me that coin I gave ya. He's a big nerd like ya and I told him I'd bring ya by to say 'hello'."

As they approached the booth, June could hear the conversation between Cato and the teenagers clearer.

"So, you see, the coin itself is very impressive since they had to repurpose the bronze from the decorative inlays of the guns to make them. It's quite fascinating and it feels like you're actually holding a part of the history in your hands." Cato explained, eyes shining with excitement as he pointed to the different designs on the coin he was holding.

"That's pretty cool, Mr. Cato." Commented the tallest boy, faking polite interest. June could see that he was looking for the earliest opportunity to exit the conversation without offending Cato. June wondered if they had walked too close to the booth and accidentally found themselves trapped by the coin dealer.

"We should probably get going, sir. My mom is waiting for me at home to start dinner, we're making hazelnut soup tonight." A young girl interjected while slowly walking backwards with small steps; an admiral attempt at discreetly ending the conversation.

"Oh! Hazelnuts!" Cato put down the coin he was holding to exchange it with a small silver one. "This one was made to commemorate Admiral Ve of the Hazelnut Kingdom's leadership in the battle of Tree Nut."

The two boys flanking the girl glared at her from the corner of their eyes, the girl let out a defeated sigh.

"Cato, I'm back! And I brought my friend!" June practically bounced up to Cato, attracting all the attention from the people standing at the booth. She nudged the teens aside, breaking them away from the conversation as she pulled Law to stand next to her.

"June! It's great to see you again and this must be the surgeon you were telling me about." Cato smiled brightly, extending his hand out towards Law. "I'm Cato, June here told me a little about you. She said you enjoyed coin collecting and that you would be stopping by at some point."

"Oh? Is that all she said about me?" Law's amused gaze slid over to June who pointedly began looking over the spread of coins in front of her. Law reached out to grasp Cato's hand, giving a firm shake; Cato's eyes looked over the tattoos on Law's hand, obvious confusion evident on his face.

Because honestly, what kind of surgeon would tattoo 'death' on their fingers?

"My name is Trafalgar Law. You might have heard about me especially since you sold June-ya the Op-Op Fruit coin. You have a very impressive collection here; I'd actually been looking for that coin for quite a while, so I was surprised when June-ya gave it to me." Law released Cato's hand, visibly tickled at the stunned look on Cato's face.

Cato was sweating, he looked a little pale too. June could hear the group of teenagers whispering amongst themselves fearfully.

June felt like she should diffuse the tension somehow, she looked up at Law and tugged on his wrist to get his attention. When he looked down, she spoke. "I also told him that ya hate bread and that ya have a rock collection."

"I really need you to stop telling people that."

"I will when it stops bein' true."

"June." Cato shakily spoke behind her; she hadn't noticed that he had walked around the booth to approach her. "You did tell me you're a part of Trafalgar's crew, much less a pirate."

"Because I'm not a pirate, I'm a nurse." June answered brankly. "I'm just, uh, traveling with the Heart Pirates right now."

"Do you need help? Are you in trouble?" Cato whispered, his suspicious eyes not once leaving Law.

"What? No!" June answered with a nervous laugh. "Cato, please. This guy may look scary but he's actually pretty soft."

"Excuse me?" Law leaned between the two of them to glare at June. "I'm a pirate, I'm not soft."

"Ya bought me candy last night." June answered pointedly

"June, do I need to call someone?" Cato whispered, leaning close into her space.

"I'm sorry, there seems to be a misunderstandin' here." June backed away from Cato. "We'll just go ahead and leave, I'm sorry that we disrupted your business." She grabbed onto Law's arm, pulling him back onto the road away from the booth. "It was nice to meet ya, Cato. Maybe if we're in the area again I'll stop by." She didn't miss the worried expression left behind on Cato's face as they walked away.

She dragged Law through the crowd, feeling slightly embarrassed and betrayed. "I'm so sorry that happened, he was so nice yesterday. I didn't know he'd react like that."

Law pulled his arm out of June's hold, placing his hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Look, this is just what happens, there was a reason why you didn't tell him everything yesterday after all."

June whipped around to face Law. "But he was just so rude to you! Even after I told him I didn't need help."

"He wasn't being rude, June-ya. He was being a good guy trying to help out a nice customer he met yesterday." He explained, walking past her. "You're gonna have to get used to this if you stick with us. People tend to start looking at you differently when they find out who you're affiliated with."

She walked behind Law silently, thinking over what he had just told her. June supposed she had subconsciously known this was the way things were, otherwise she would have outright told Cato that she was traveling with Law and his crew. June had to remember that while she wholeheartedly supported the Heart Pirates and believed the World Government to be a shady oppressive force, most normal people wouldn't see it that way. Most people believed in their government and feared the pirates.

Absently staring at Law's back, June thought further. Most pirates more than likely didn't operate like the ones she was familiar with, most pirates had probably given the world a reason to fear them. She thought about Doflamingo and his auction houses, Crocodile and how he had incited a war in Arabasta; even Zoro had supposedly killed a hundred people in Whiskey Peak.

Not everyone was going to greet them with open arms and a bright smile, even if June knew that Law's crew was filled with good people.

It saddened June that her brief relationship with Cato had been soured by this.

"We're here." Law's voice pulled June from her thoughts.

Looking around, she saw that they were outside of a rundown building at the edge of the West District. The area around the bar was dark. There were no lamp posts on the street, seemingly to keep the criminals residing in the building hidden from curious eyes. There was faint, upbeat music carried on the wind away from the open windows; raucous laughter erased the solemn mood June had been placed in.

She followed Law inside the bar and let her eyes dance across the room; it looked about the same as any other pirate bar she had seen. Groups of surly looking men hunched over their mugs, a band in the corner playing sea shanties, women who looked as though they could kill a man with their pinky leaned against the bar counter. June's eyes drifted to the left of the women; she froze mid stride, her mouth gaped.

That was a vaguely familiar looking top hat and tailcoat.

Law paused a few steps ahead of June then turned around when he realized she was no longer moving, a single eyebrow lifted in confusion at her stilled movements.

June brushed by Law without breaking her gaze from the man in the azure coat across from her. "Gotta go…bar." She articulated smartly.

She approached the man and sat down in the empty seat to his left. June placed her elbow on the bar then rested her chin into her open palm, smiling up at the man who June could now definitively say was Sabo.

"Can I buy ya a drink?" She asked with a giddy smile.

Sabo looked down at June, letting his curious gaze wander the length of her before his lips pulled into a boyish grin. "Sure, I won't say no to a free drink. But isn't it usually the other way around?"

June tutted. "Not necessarily, I believe in equal opportunities." She raised her hand to call over the bartender and placed an order for two ales.

"Oh? And what opportunity are you seizing here?" Sabo caught their mugs as they slid towards him, pushing one over to June. He took a large pull from his drink, eyes watching June as she sipped on her own with a thoughtful hum.

"The opportunity for good conversation. I have some information that ya might be interested in, Sabo."

He laughed brightly though June could see the faint inklings of suspicion in his eyes. "Well, that's not fair! You know me but I have no clue who you are."

"I'm June." She answered plainly.

Sabo gave her a thoughtful look for a moment before snapping his gloved fingers. "Oh! I was wondering why you looked familiar. You're 'The Nurse' from the Heart Pirates."

June blushed and took another sip of her drink. "Ya got me, Doctor Death is over there." She pointed behind Sabo where Law was placing an order with the bartender. "Though I'm not a crew member, I'm more like an extended visitor."

"Noted. You know, I saw in the paper what you and the Heart Pirates did for my brother, Luffy. I'm really grateful that you all showed up when you did."

June could see the shadow of guilt cover Sabo's face, she felt her own shame well up within her at the guilt over whether or not she could have done more, changed more to save Ace. After swallowing down the nauseating feeling in her stomach with a large mouthful of ale, June reached out and covered Sabo's hand with her own. "I know about your situation, Sabo. It wasn't your fault ya weren't there."

He yanked his hand away, narrowed eyes openly burning with full-blown suspicion and rage. Sabo leaned in close, talking lowly. "How would you know? As far as I know, this is my first time meeting you."

June frantically waved her hands in front of her. "Shit! I'm sorry! You're right, that was way too familiar of me. I've been told I have a problem doing that."

"Exactly who are you? And be careful now, if I don't like your answer we're gonna have a problem." Sabo warned.

Well, this wasn't going how June thought it would; it seemed like she was striking out all over the place today. She unzipped her bag and pulled out one of the wrapped hard candies that Law had bought her yesterday. Popping it into her mouth, she sucked on the artificial grape candy for a moment while thinking about her options. Sabo was a trustworthy guy, loyal, even if he had different motivations and fought for the Revolutionary Army. June believed that if she could convince him of her own trustworthiness then maybe he could end up being a strong ally.

"Hello? Are you gonna answer me? Or should we just go ahead and jump straight to where I force the information out of you?" Sabo pulled June from her thoughts with his blunt threat.

"I can see the past and future, that's my Devil Fruit Ability." June answered cautiously, hoping that Law wasn't close enough to hear what she was saying.

"Past and future, huh? Prove it then, tell me something about me that no one would know." Sabo challenged, arms crossing over his chest.

June searched her memory, rolling the candy nervously around her mouth while trying to think of something that would be sufficient enough to convince Sabo. When she felt like she landed on a good answer, she leaned forward to whisper in Sabo's ear. "The first time ya met Luffy, you and Ace thought killing him would be a good idea because he found y'all while ya were hidin' money y'all stole in y'all's secret pirate fund in the branch of a tree."

She pulled back and watched as Sabo's eyebrows lifted out of shock, a loud laugh punched out of him. "Wow! I guess you weren't lying then. So, what kind of information were you wanting to tell me?"

June let out a relieved sigh, pleased that she had dodged a potential beating. She opened her mouth to answer when her gaze pulled over Sabo's shoulder to see Law talking with the group of women. All she could see of him was his back, but the women looked absolutely smitten with whatever it was he was saying. Their eyelids were fluttering, one of them had placed their hand on his arm.

As hypocritical as it was, June didn't feel like sitting in her seat and watching whatever was happening a few feet away from her.

"How 'bout we go for a walk?" June's eyes snapped back to Sabo's. "I don't want what I have to say bein' overheard by someone else."

The corner of Sabo's lips curled up into a half-smile before he downed the rest of his drink, while he finished, June waved the bartender back over and paid out their tab. When he was finished, Sabo set his empty mug down on the counter with a firm thunk and a pleased sigh.

"Lead the way, June."

And so, for the first time, June actively chose to break one of Law's rules and led Sabo out of the bar onto the street without a crew member present to supervise her. When they had wandered away from the crowded streets and into an open field outside of town, June began to talk while continuing their aimless walk.

"I feel like the first thing I should tell ya is that Luffy is doin' just fine. He's with Silvers Rayleigh right now trainin' to get stronger before him and his crew move onto the New World." She hoped to ease at least one of Sabo's worries before moving onto the larger topic she wanted to discuss with him.

Sabo let out a relieved sigh. "That's actually a huge weight off my shoulders. Him and his crew practically dropped off the map, so I've been worried something happened to them."

June giggled. "Oh yeah, there's no keepin' that guy down. If we hadn't gotten him off the Polar Tang before he woke up, he woulda' smashed a hole through the hull."

"When he woke up?"

"He was out for a few days after Marineford. Law had to operate on him after Akainu got a hit on him." June answered quietly.

"I see." Sabo looked up, following the sunset clouds with his eyes as dusk began to color the sky. "But he's safe and obviously still kicking, that's all that matters right now."

Silence fell between them, June allowed Sabo a moment to himself to process his feelings while they continued to walk through the field. The only sounds were the gentle summer breeze rustling the blades of grass beneath their feet and the ever-present hum of bee wings.

June wondered how much trouble she was going to be in with Law when he found her.

"What else were you gonna tell me?" Sabo asked, breaking the silence.

She took a deep breath, hoping that he would believe her. "I wanna tell ya about Ace's Devil Fruit. I know where it's gonna be in a little over a year."

Sabo halted, grabbing June's arm to turn her towards him. "You know? Like, you're one hundred percent sure you know where it'll be?" There was a twinge of desperation in his voice that made June's heart crack a little.

"Yeah, it's gonna be in Dressrosa. Doflamingo is gonna have it as a first-place prize in a fighting tournament. Luffy's gonna enter to win when he finds out about it, so you'll see him there too. So, I guess keep your ears open for any news on that, I don't want ya to miss it."

His eyebrows pulled together, confusion and suspicion once again coloring his features. "This is priceless information you're giving me if it's true. What's the catch here? What do you want from me?"

June tilted her head and turned away from Sabo, walking down the grassy hill they had been standing on. She hadn't realized it before but apparently, they had been walking in the direction of the Polar Tang's hidden bay on the island. "I don't really want anything." She answered simply.

"Are you serious?!" He jogged after her, catching up to June with a couple of long strides. "This kind of information would fetch you a hefty amount of money if it's true, and you don't want anything?" Sabo asked incredulously.

She shrugged. "I guess I just wanna make sure you're there to see your brother." The bottom of June's shoes crunched on the sand as they stepped onto the edge of the bay. "He thinks you're dead, it would mean the world to him if he learned otherwise."

Sabo blinked down at June then reached into his coat pocket to pull out a crumpled piece of paper and a pen. He scribbled down a series of numbers then held out the paper to her. "This is my snail number. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call. Any friend of Luffy's is a friend of mine."

June stared at the paper with wide eyes then looked back up to meet Sabo's; an idea struck her. "Actually, I do have somethin' that I could use your help with." She hesitated for a moment, thinking about how Law would probably strangle her if he heard what she was about to ask but figured she had already broken a few rules tonight; might as well add another one to the list.

"Yeah?" Sabo asked.

"I need information." She started. "I need to know about a place called Rocky Port and I need to know where I can find a list of scientists who have previously worked with Doctor Vegapunk."

June might be playing with fire here. While she knew exactly who would be waiting on Punk Hazard, Law did not and it seemed like he had reached a standstill in the way of information. She figured that it wouldn't hurt to utilize a potential resource in order to nudge Law in the right direction.

Sabo's eyes flickered over June's shoulder for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face. "Those are odd requests but sure, I'll see if I can find anything interesting. It might take me some time to dig up anything so call me in a couple of weeks and hopefully I'll have something to give you." Sabo pushed the paper further into June's space.

She reached a hand forward towards the scrap when Sabo's free hand grabbed her own out of the air and lifted it to his lips, placing a kiss on the back.

June's face erupted.

He leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "Your captain seems pretty unhappy, good luck and I look forward to your call." Sabo placed the paper in June's open palm then backed away with a wink. "It was very nice meeting you, June. I hope to see you again soon." And with a tip of his hat and another charmingly boyish grin, he turned on his heel to begin walking back into town.

"June-ya!" Law's angered voice echoed down to her a little ways up the hill. "What in the hell do you think you're doing?!" He demanded as he stomped over to her.

June took a deep breath while quickly stuffing the paper into her bag then turned to face Law fully, a nervous smile on her face. "Heya, Law. Did ya find anythin' good at the bar?"

"Don't you dare pretend like you aren't in deep shit right now." His tone was biting, his glare was scathing. Law roughly grabbed June's wrist and started marching her across the gangplank onto the Polar Tang.

June struggled to follow him and his long legs. "Hey! It wasn't like I ran away from ya! I came to the sub!"

Law dragged her down the stairs to the second floor, pulling her in the direction of his suite. "Oh? That's your defense? You brought someone back here, showed them exactly where we were parked! You know I have rules against bringing strangers back to the sub!" He loudly scolded her as he pulled open the door to his office.

June stumbled into the room when Law roughly pushed her inside, slamming the door behind him. She turned around, irritation bubbling up in her chest at having been roughly manhandled. "He ain't no stranger! That's Sabo, Luffy's brother! I gave him some information about the future and he's gonna help us out! I asked him to look for a list of Vegapunk's team and to gather intel about Rocky Port!"

Rage, pure soul quaking rage could be felt coming from Law.

"You told him what?" He whispered; his voice unsteady.

It seemed as though June might have misstepped, but she was in far too deep and far too irritated to admit any wrongdoing. Also, in her fury June had accidentally given Law a rather large hint about his future; she found that at this moment she didn't care. Let him run into Rocky Port halfcocked and get his ass handed to him, if he didn't want June's help then what was the point of him keeping her here in the first place?

"I told him the future. I asked him to find information that you've been strugglin' to get any sort of lead on. I also asked him to find out about Rocky Port which is somewhere your sorry ass is gonna need to be for any of this to work."

"Let me see if I'm following you correctly." Law's tone dropped dangerously. "You asked a person I don't know about important information pertaining to my mission when you won't even give me a hint of what I'm supposed to do, and you also divulged sensitive information about your ability? On top of that, you left the bar on your own and led a stranger back to my submarine." His jaw clenched; June could see the muscles strain underneath his skin. "Did I get that right, June-ya?" Law ground out through his clenched teeth.

"You're right on the money, Law." June answered smugly, hands proudly on her hips.

In the silence, the tension began to build between June and Law. If a harsh look could start a fire, an absolute inferno would have broken out in the room around them and reduced their surroundings to ash while melting the metal walls of the Polar Tang.

Law dropped his sword onto the table, the jarring sound of the hilt clumsily dancing across the table made June jump. "It seems like you've forgotten your place again, prisoner ." Law hissed, crowding June until the small of her back met the desk behind her.

"Oh fuckin' bite me, captain . Ya don't have the stones to do shit." June spat, her accent sounding heavier in her rage. She craned her neck upward to maintain a furious glare at Law, daring him to make a move.

And so he did.

He bit her.

June inhaled sharply when she felt Law's teeth sink into her lower lip, the faint taste of iron hit her tongue as she realized he had broken the skin. Like a rubber band stretched beyond its limits, the tension within her snapped and June pushed back against Law, a low rumble vibrating in her throat. She stood on her toes, lifting her hands to grasp the sides of Law's face, forcing her tongue into his mouth to dominate the kiss.

She licked the roof of his mouth, savored the faint taste of honeyed ale mixed with something that she could only describe as him .

It was addicting.

June closed the distance between their bodies, molding herself to his front, feeling his racing heartbeat and warmth against her chest.

In an underhanded attempt to regain control, or perhaps as petty revenge for when June had done it to him, Law snaked his hand between the two of them to land his fingers approximately where he expected June's nipple to be and pinched hard. June gasped as pain and a twinge of pleasure crashed through her body like a heat wave.

Having created an opening for attack, Law licked sinfully into June's mouth before swiftly lifting her by her sides to place her onto the desk. A surprised squeak came from June at the sudden movement, muffled by Law's smirking lips. June's hands, which had reflexively gripped Law's shoulders for balance, slowly traveled upwards to slide into his hair. A dull thud barely registered in June's mind when Law's hat fell off his head onto the floor. She gripped his dark locks tightly to hold his face close, tugging at the strands almost painfully and pulling a deep sigh from Law. June both heard and felt the groan that rumbled deep in Law's chest when she met his exploring tongue with a light suck.

His kiss was searching, thorough. Law traced the back of her teeth and flicked the ball of her tongue ring with the tip of his tongue.

June felt dizzy, overwhelmed with him. His taste, his smell, the feel of him.

She broke away, panting but desperate for more. After months of teasing touches, heated glances, suggestive words, June was afraid to speak. Afraid that any words she spoke might break this spell and drag them harshly back to a reality where this shouldn't happen. She pushed her worried thoughts back, choosing instead to selfishly take what he would give her in this moment. To commit each touch to memory gluttonously for her to hold when she blinks away from his world.

June ran her lips along Law's jawline until she reached his ear. She nibbled at the golden jewelry decorating his lobe, a hiss escaped through Law's teeth as his palms roughly gripped June's thighs. She complied with his silent request and opened for him. Her skirt bunching upwards towards her waist as she wrapped her legs around Law's middle, pulling him closer until their hips met; a quiet whimper escaped her mouth into his ear at the feeling of him half hard against her.

Law's hand shot upward, gripping her hair then tugged backward to expose June's neck. He licked the length of her throat before sucking on her racing pulse point, grazing his teeth against the thin skin of her neck. A pleasured sigh fell from June as a thrill of electric arousal shot through her body straight to the pit of her stomach. One of her hands clutched at his shoulder, her nails digging red welts into his tanned skin. Law's right hand skated teasingly around her hip to grab her ass and pull her impossibly closer to him as he started to thrust and grind against her.

Oh, that felt very good.

But June thought it would feel amazing if she tilted her hips downward slightly like—

A breathy keen fell from her gasping lips.

June felt like she was on fire, her mind was melting into a blissed, mushy pile as she focused on the feeling of delicious friction where their bodies met. Law's hips pressing rhythmically into her provided intoxicating pressure to her clit. She rolled her hips to meet his thrusts and could feel his groan vibrate against her neck where Law had begun nipping at her skin. Using the hand still clutched in Law's hair, she roughly pulled his head up to meet his lips again; he forced a low moan from her when he plunged his tongue into her mouth again, commanding the kiss and causing June's head to spin.

Law pushed forward, wordlessly guiding her to lay back onto his desk. He ripped her bag away from her body, tossing the item into the floor behind him. His hands frantically pushed her shirt up to expose her. June felt Law's right hand drift off to the side and her world went blue as he mumbled "Room." against her lips. She felt a chill, her nipples peaked when she realized with great amusement that Law had impatiently switched her bra out with a coin before dismissing the room altogether.

There was a clatter of metal against wood when the coin toppled through the hole in June's chest to land on the table beneath her. Law pulled back to stare at her, the frenzied lust in his eyes made June shiver as his gaze raked over her flushed face, down to her heaving chest where it stuttered over the void where her heart should be. June could see the stirrings of guilt in his eyes as his fingers traced the perfectly square outline.

He stopped; obvious conflict written on his face.

Panic rippled through the haze of June's arousal.

No, not yet. June didn't want to stop yet, not because of something she had so willingly given over to him when she first came aboard the Tang. The last thing she wanted was for Law to feel guilty over something June had long ago accepted. Besides, she knew her heart was safe in Law's possession. She wouldn't be able to handle it if every time Law looked at her now, he felt shame just because he had made a decision to take her heart as a way to ensure the safety of him and his crew.

She needed to urge him back, show him that she wanted this; had been craving this.

June sat up, taking her shirt the rest of the way off and setting her glasses on the far end of the desk. She reached out to tug on the back of Law's shirt collar, pulling the article up over his head to toss carelessly onto the floor. She commanded Law's full attention as she leaned in towards his chest. June kept her gaze locked with his as she slowly poked her tongue out to lightly trace the outline on the top of his tattooed heart. Law's teeth cut into his lower lip as he watched her nip at the top curve then follow the lines down. June veered off track to draw a slow circle around his nipple; Law inhaled sharply through his nose when June took the bud gently between her teeth, pinching and teasing slightly before licking the entirety of it with the flat of her tongue.

Let us have this, she thought. This one moment where titles, obligations, and 'what if's' don't matter; we'll figure out the rest later.

Suddenly, June found herself staring at the ceiling again, her back pressed flat into the desk with Law's hand planted on her chest over where her heart should be. Her eyes locked once more with Law's; the amber of his eyes was overtaken by the black of his pupils, his cheeks we pinked with arousal.

June felt like she was about to be devoured.

And oh, how she welcomed it.

She watched as he lifted his hand to his mouth, licking his pointer and thumb, before using those fingers to draw featherlight circles around her nipple. June squirmed under his touch, an embarrassing whine pulled from deep within her encouraging him to touch more, to take more. Law met her lips again while simultaneously pinching her nipple between his fingers, twisting. June gasped, locking her legs at home around Law's waist, rolling her hips to meet his as he began to grind himself against her again.

His free hand slowly traveled up her thigh, his mouth separated from hers to instead nibble on the juncture where June's shoulder and neck met, creating a delightful mixture of pleasure and pain. June's nails bit into Law's shoulder blades as pressure and warmth began to build in her abdomen like hot coals left to burn overnight. Her eyelids fluttered as she felt tattooed fingers wrap around the waistband of her underwear, June's own hands dragged down Law's torso to pinch the button on his jeans.

The ringing of a transponder snail shattered the atmosphere, dousing them in a bucketful of ice-cold reality.

Law's lips froze on June's neck, she could feel his racing breath upon her skin as he pulled the snail out from his pocket. He moved back, standing straight and answered the call.

"Captain! Are you back yet? We're ready for departure in navigation and— Hey, are you alright? You look a bit flushed." Bepo's voice echoed through the room.

Law's eyes flickered over June's body momentarily before looking back to the snail. "I'm fine, I just got out of the shower. I'll head down to the navigation deck now." He spoke with a surprisingly composed tone despite how frazzled he looked.

"Alright, see you soon."

The call ended leaving the pair to stare helplessly at each other while they both worked to calm their breathing. Suddenly, Law jerked backward, disentangling himself from June gracelessly as he stumbled over his own feet. June sat up on the desk, sheepishly covering her chest with her crossed arms as she watched Law lean down to pick up his hat and shirt off the floor. June's eyes wandered up the length of him when he stood up, taking in his wild, mussed locks then allowed her gaze to travel down to take in the rest of the damage she had caused.

Law looked like he had fought someone, mouth first; June assumed she looked no better. His lips were swollen and red, she could also see a faint trail of crimson leading from his Law's lips to his ear where June had, unintentionally, smeared her blood when she had dragged her mouth across his skin. His chest bore the marks of June's teeth, his left arm sported the distinct tracks of her fingernails painted into his flesh.

"Ya might wanna wipe your face off before ya go down there." Her voice sounded wrecked.

Law nodded, appearing to only be vaguely listening as he looked upon the marks he had left on June. "There's some ointment in the clinic that should help with the…" His own voice sounded heavy; his words trailed off when his eyes landed on her neck. Law reached behind him to grab June's bra, which had been hanging out of his back pocket, then handed it back to her.

As she put her bra back on, June thought to herself that in another setting that she would have laughed hysterically at that; at this moment though, all she felt was unfulfilled and cold apprehension.

Law lifted his hand to wipe halfheartedly at the red streak on his face then pulled on his shirt as he turned toward the exit. June caught an eyeful of more red streaks marring the flesh of Law's back as he tugged his shirt down. Law smoothed down his hair in a futile attempt to erase June's finger-styled spikes before putting his hat back on and grabbing his sword off the meeting table.

"Right." June mumbled as she flattened her skirt back over her legs. "Law, I—" She was cut off by his stern tone.

"That was a mistake, we shouldn't do this again." He spoke without looking back at June. Walking towards the door, he placed his hand on the knob then turned his head over his shoulder, his gaze locked firmly on the floor. "I'm sorry." He pulled open the door and left, leaving June to deal with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions alone.

June sat on the desk staring at the door for a few minutes longer, waiting. Hoping that he would come back and…what exactly? Sweep her off her feet again while whispering sweet nothings into her ear? He wasn't that kind of man; he was a man weighed down by duty and sacrifice. There was no room for a silly, weak girl like June in his plan.

How much time has June spent staring at doors waiting for Law to walk through them, wishing for him to just let go and embrace the possibility that he was allowed to live?

Forcing her mind to empty, June collected her shirt and glasses then hopped off the table. She walked through the office, to the bathroom. When she entered the room, she turned on the light, meeting her eyes in the mirror.

She looked like she had been in an altercation, which June supposed she had been.

Her curls were looking frizzier and more unruly than usual, her lip had been split. And her neck, her poor neck.

Red and purple marks of various sizes littered her skin all the way down to her collar. Lifting her skirt, June found the telltale fingerprints of a man half-crazed with want marked into her thighs.

June swallowed dryly. Her tongue swiped across her bottom lip, tasting the iron once again; she could still feel Law's teeth. She couldn't help but imagine what might have happened if they hadn't been interrupted; her blood thrummed in her veins, singing for more.

Deciding she needed a shower to cool her head, June undressed; cringing as she removed her shamefully wet underwear.

Standing under the icy falling water, a twinge of worry gripped her; she hoped that Law wouldn't push her away again for this.

Fuck.

Law currently stood in the laundry room, forehead pressed against the wall, waiting for his dick to calm down enough for him to be able to walk onto the navigation deck. But every time he managed to make some progress, his brain would conjure June and he would be back to square one.

June moaning, June sighing, the way June looked spread underneath him, June's tongue dragging languidly across Law's skin.

Oh, fuck.

He had absolutely, positively, irreparably, fucked up.

Law clenched his eyes shut, conjuring every unsexy image he could possibly think up; he outright refused to resort to finishing himself off in the laundry room next to his crewmates' drying underwear.

Shachi chewing with his mouth open, Clione picking his nose, Penguin vomiting his guts up after drinking too much.

June's delicious, perfect thighs wrapped around Law's head.

He reared his head back and slammed his forehead into the wall, denting the wood paneling. Law doubled over, groaning as he rubbed his throbbing head. That seemed to work, Law thought to himself, squinting through watering eyes.

Deciding he was decent enough to show his face to his crew, Law left the laundry room to walk down to navigation. Having used brute force to literally knock the imagery out of his head, Law was now left to think objectively about the consequences of his actions.

First, he was embarrassed.

Law cringed at the fact that he had just rutted himself against June on top of his desk like some sort of hormone-filled teenager. He didn't even want to address why that frantic session was one of the most pleasurable experiences he's ever had.

Second, he was furious at himself.

It was one thing to indulge in flirting, appreciating the way June looked was another, fantasizing was a guilty but secretive treat he could allow himself. However, it was completely off-limits to actually touch her like that. At this point, June was less of a prisoner and more of a ward to the Heart Pirates; Law couldn't be fraternizing with her like this. And beyond that, Law had a duty, a mission to complete. Something he has dedicated almost his entire life to; he couldn't risk getting sidetracked by June or any woman. One-night stands with a random stranger is acceptable but June has the potential to grow into something greater than an emotionless hookup.

Third, he was still irritated at June for going behind his back and sharing details to that man she had met at the bar. But that was an issue he'd have to address later. Much later. Later when he could look at June without feeling like pouncing on her.

And claiming her lips once again, tasting the artificial sweetness of the candy she had been eating. He would pull her close, make her fall apart under his touch, have her begging for Law to give her every filthy thing he had to offer.

Law growled as he kicked open the door to the navigation deck, forcefully smothering the images into the darkest corner of his mind.

Bepo, Goby, Penguin, and Shachi all jumped out of their seats at their captain's explosive entrance into the room.

"Captain!" Bepo bowed deeply. "I'm so sorry for interrupting you, you didn't have to come here if you were busy."

"No, it's fine." Law grunted, taking his own seat at the console. "It's a good thing you called, let's go ahead and start preparing to leave. Is everyone back on the sub?"

"Yessir! Everyone is present and ready to ship out!" Goby saluted from his spot behind the wheel; excitement evident despite the white, grinning mask covering his face.

Penguin frowned, stepping closer to Law with his head tilted to the side. "Did you get into a fight? You've got blood on your face and a mark on your forehead like someone hit you."

Law schooled his features, hoping to give nothing away. "There was a little scuffle at the bar, so I settled it. Nothing to worry about." He pulled the collar of his shirt up, using his clothing to wipe his cheek before dropping the fabric.

"Holy shit! Is that a hickey?! And scratches on your arm?!" Shachi yelled, pulling Law's collar down to reveal the marks June had left behind on the top of his tattoo. "You're a damn liar, captain! You gotta tell us who marked you up like this, did you find someone at that bar you were scouting out?"

Law slapped Shachi's hand away with a withering glare. "There was a scuffle. At the bar. I settled it."

Goby whistled lowly. "Wow, captain, that's some look. You must have met quite a lady."

"I wonder who was brave enough to do that to the captain. Maybe we should stay longer if there are catches like that here." Penguin pondered aloud.

"We're leaving." Law stated firmly. "We're headed to Rocky Port. That's the lead I got while I was out."

"Rocky Port? Isn't that a naval town all the way by Jaya?" Bepo wondered aloud. "What's waiting for us over there?"

"Not sure yet, but we'll find out soon. Supposedly, this lead is actually credible and June says that this is the right move." Law answered vaguely, mild frustration lacing his tone.

"Well, if June's ability showed her that this is where we're supposed to go then it must be a good call, right captain?" Penguin asked.

"I guess we'll see. The well has been pretty dry in the way of leads so we might as well check this one out. Let's plot a course for Rocky Port then lift anchor, I'm ready to leave this place." Law answered moodily.

He was ready to leave Honeycomb Island and with it the mistakes he had made in making himself vulnerable by allowing that ridiculous woman upstairs to wiggle her way into his mind and heart.

Notes:

I feel like we went from 0 to 100 in like…two seconds. I have never written anything like this before but I feel like we're earning our 'E' rating now. Hope you liked it!

I'm learning that my favorite thing is nothing - frantic everything. Also, bickering is a form of foreplay and you cannot convince me otherwise.

Chapter 18: She Should Have Been June

Summary:

After all, with a name like June, wouldn't it make sense that she would be blessed with eternal summer?

Notes:

Rocky Port is a big ol' question mark so I'll be taking huge creative liberties about what I think happened and how it would be shown through this story. If you're reading this fic in the future and we finally learn what happened, just know that I wrote this when we knew next to nothing about it.

CW: Mentions of alcoholism and abusive family dynamics

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

June didn't realize how difficult it was to cover up hickeys.

She's had experience with hookups, boyfriends, and even a few heated drunken make-out sessions in bar booths yet, she had never in her life been so thoroughly marked up as she was now. On one hand, she loved the bruises that painted her skin in seductive watercolors; they made her breath hitch and her mind wander back to the feeling of Law's teeth and hands on her.

The downside was that absolutely no one on this submarine could find out what happened. If a single person got even a whiff of what occurred between June and Law, then the gossip would spread like wildfire throughout the Polar Tang and they would never hear the end of it.

And obviously June and Law would like to avoid that as much as possible.

As June applied concealer to her neck for the nth time since her and Law's own heated make-out session, she did her best to push away the lingering sensation of Law's lips ghosting over her neck. While furiously dabbing the makeup to blend it out, June made eye contact with herself in the bathroom mirror only to find that her cheeks had pinked with her thoughts. She groaned with annoyance, feeling irritated that a man had this kind of hold on her.

Things were fine, oddly fine even. So super-duper extra fine.

That was a lie; June felt like shit. She just hoped that by repeating to herself that everything was fine she would eventually stop feeling like the human embodiment of a container full of rotting leftovers forgotten in the back of a fridge.

After the Tang had lifted anchor and shipped off from Honeycomb, Law came back to his suite to find June sitting at the meeting table, anxiously bouncing her leg while staring at a book that she had unsuccessfully been trying to read for an hour. Law had looked June over with a defeated sigh, his eyes lingered on the red and purple marks littering her neck.

June had been expecting an argument, maybe even for Law to turn around and leave without saying anything; honestly, she was just surprised that he had shown up at all. But instead, he had surprised her by saying, "We have a problem here." Which was a serious understatement in June's opinion but still true. "Obviously there's some sort of attraction between us and we can't ignore it anymore. I'm sorry, but you must understand that we can't do anything about it, June-ya."

He had laid it all out right then. And while what he said broke June's heart into countless tiny, microscopic pieces, she understood; in fact, she begrudgingly agreed with him. He didn't need to explain himself; he had his own priorities and June knew that her time here might be very limited. June accepted the rejection with a stiff nod while blinking back frustrated tears.

There was at least some solace in that Law looked equally upset.

Law then crossed the short distance separating them, used his thumb to carefully wipe away the single tear that had slipped through June's closed eyelids. He looked down at June, his mouth opening and closing twice as he struggled to find the right words to say.

"I really do wish things were different." He had solemnly whispered.

June squeezed the hand on her face with her own and gave Law a rueful smile. "Don't apologize, I get it."

He nodded once then withdrew his hand, June could see him chewing on the inside of his cheek with a frown as he struggled with his thoughts. She wondered then if he had started picking up her bad habits after spending so much time around her. Law's posture suddenly shifted; his shoulders rolled back and his chin lifted, seeming to become more resolute.

"Goodnight, June-ya. I'll see you in the morning." He had spoken quietly as he brushed past June's chair to walk into the hallway. June could hear the open and shut of the bathroom door then after a few minutes, the sound of falling water from the shower.

June had wandered down to the rec room after that devastating conversation and downed a couple of shots from a random bottle of liquor to ease her nerves before returning upstairs to retire for the night. She would be lying if she said that she hadn't considered crashing on the rec room couch or in Ikkaku's room that night but in the end, she decided that if this was the way things were going to be she might as well learn to adjust. If Law was going to make an effort for normalcy, she should at the very least show him respect by doing the same.

June was pretty sure that Law was pretending to sleep when she arrived back in his room which was more than fine with her. Her heart clenched painfully in a safe somewhere underneath her feet as she closed her eyes to give her best shot at sleeping.

Unsurprisingly, both Law and June looked half dead at breakfast the next morning. When anyone asked about the dark circles lining their eyes, they both simply stated that they had been up late discussing plans for the next island.

Today, the marks on June's throat were mostly gone and all that was left were faint echoes of the deep hues they had been. Somehow, she had managed to hide the marks without anyone noticing them by using a combination of strategic hair placement, layering her clothing, and makeup. Law hadn't been so lucky since Goby, Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo had already seen the scratches and bruises on his skin. Since then, there had been no shortage of speculation about what kind of woman had been allowed to literally dig her claws into the captain.

It had been almost an Olympic sport keeping her face as neutral as possible every time Ikkaku slid her suspicious gaze over to June whenever the rest of the crew would conjure images of who this mystery woman was. Law wasn't much help in these situations since he outright refused to answer any questions or even end the discussion.

June did her best to avoid listening to those conversations, knowing full well that her weak poker face would probably give her away. Eventually the gossip would die down and she wouldn't have to worry about it anymore but for now it was best to nod absently or just pretend like she suddenly had business that needed her attention when the topic came up.

June blinked away from her thoughts and looked down at the bottle of concealer in her hand, choosing instead to consider the makeup rather than focus on the ache in her chest.

She couldn't remember when she had bought it or what the brand even was since the label had fallen off. June suspected she had originally bought it for a job interview, but she wasn't absolutely certain. She wasn't a big fan of wearing a full face of makeup, typically choosing to instead throw on a basic eye look paired with something on her lips whenever she needed to dress up since she was terrible at making sure everything was properly washed off her face when she went to bed.

Honestly, June was surprised that she hadn't gotten a chemical burn.

She finished patting her neck, hoping that the concealer looked seamless enough on her skin that it would be undetectable from a respectable distance. Her mind idly wandered down the checklist for her usual morning routine, feeling as though there was something missing. June tried her best to recall whatever it was that was itching at her brain but no matter how many different angles she approached the vague feeling from, she couldn't come up with an answer.

Whatever it was, it came with a sense of dread.

Suddenly, the world jolted. A muffled explosion shook the walls and floor of the Polar Tang.

June fumbled her bottle of concealer as the room tilted disorientingly. Her feet skidded across the floor; gravity pulled her down toward the wall. She fell into the shower with a yelp, landing on her shoulder and knocking over the bottles in the stall. The room swayed, throwing June back and forth in the shower like a ragdoll; she lifted her arms to cover her head, protecting herself from any corners. An ear-splitting siren began to blare throughout the submarine, signaling an enemy attack.

The world righted itself; the floor blessedly became the floor again. June slid down onto the tile with a groan, willing the dizziness away.

As they had gotten closer to Jaya, pirate attacks had become more frequent. Most would steer clear of approaching the easily identifiable yellow submarine but something about the recent Paramount War at Marineford had emboldened pirates across the Blue Seas to reach for more and claw for power.

June stood on shaking legs then stumbled out of the bathroom into the bedroom to quickly grab and strap on her gloves which had been seeing more action lately than June had initially been prepared to engage in. After taking a moment to recalibrate her sea legs, June sprinted out of the captain's suite, down the hall, and up to the deck.

A fight had already broken out on the Polar Tang. Next to the Tang was a moderately sized pirate ship with a loud, yellow flag featuring a Jolly Roger with a zipper across the mouth of the skull. The enemy ship had connected itself to the Tang with a massive zipper as if the two ships were two flaps of a jacket brought together.

About fifteen enemy pirates had invaded the Polar Tang and it appeared that June, Tsu, and Ridley were the first to respond to the situation. The two Heart Pirates were gallantly pushing back against the attack, taking on multiple people each while they waited for backup.

June took a deep breath then dove right in.

She ran full speed at a pirate who was advancing on Ridley's unaware back while he was engaged in a fight with a large, blue-haired man. June jumped high into the air and landed a drop kick between the shoulder blades of the pirate, knocking him down face first onto the deck with a dull thump. June stepped off the pirate's back then grimaced when she rolled him over to find him unconscious with a crooked bloody nose.

Ridley punched his opponent in the jaw, knocking the man backward and over the railing of the submarine. June heard man screaming as he fell before being cut off by a telling splash. Ridley looked over his shoulder to see June crouched over the unconscious pirate then laughed.

"Hey! Thanks for covering my back, June!" He beamed then ducked to evade a sword being swung at his head by a smaller, angrier pirate.

Another man wearing a bandana on his head rushed at June, holding a sword aloft his head. When he slashed downward, she dodged to the side then used her momentum to spin into a roundhouse kick to collide her heel into the man's elbow. He let out a pained shout as he dropped the sword, the metal clattered loudly against the wooden deck.

June smirked; that move Law had taught her was actually pretty useful.

While her grimacing opponent clutched at his arm, June dashed in close. She threw a flurry of punches at the pirate, knocking the air out of his lungs with an uppercut to the stomach then landed two quick jabs to the center of his face before knocking him to the ground with a hook to the jaw.

Shouts filled the air when the rest of the Heart Crew spilled out onto the deck, immediately throwing themselves into the fray. The Hearts began to overtake the opposition, gradually pushing the enemy back toward the ship they had come in on.

"Bring me Trafalgar! I want his head!" A loud, shrill voice shouted across the two ships. June looked up to see a middle-aged woman with a flowing white coat and massive tricorn hat standing on the second level of her ship near the helm.

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you." Somehow, Law's voice carried over the cacophony of noise. As soon as he had sauntered onto the deck, the mood shifted; June could tell that the crew they were fighting were significantly more apprehensive about taking on Law than their captain was.

The captain hopped down from her perch onto the deck below her. "There you are! I couldn't believe my eyes when we saw your submarine drifting near ours. I've been looking for a way to gain some recognition, it must be my lucky day! When I take your head back to the Marines, they'll have no choice but to hand over that warlord position to me!" Her heavy boots clacked against the deck as she made a beeline for Law who looked positively unimpressed.

Law sighed, rolling his eyes up to the sky irritably. "Couldn't this have waited? I haven't even gotten my coffee yet."

The enemy captain gaped, stunned into stillness a few yards away from Law. She went impressively red in the face while she ground her teeth together. "I've heard about your bad manners, but this is ridiculous."

"I feel like invading another person's vessel before breakfast is way more impolite than anything I could have done, Miss…?" Law gestured vaguely with his free hand, indicating he wanted the other captain to introduce herself.

"Captain Cassandra of the Zipper Pirates. And you would do well to remember that name, it's gonna be the one that everyone will be talking about after we've killed you and taken everything you have." She answered boastfully.

Law's eyes lazily took in the rest of the fighting before him then looked up to see the Jolly Roger flapping in the wind above the ship attached to the Polar Tang. "Zipper-ya." He pulled out his sword then tossed the sheath through the doorway behind him into the submarine. "You can try your best, but I feel like you should lower your expectations. Not everyone is meant to achieve their goals; if they did, then what would be the point of dreaming?"

Cassandra let out a rage-filled shriek as she threw out her arms. Zippers flew out from her fingertips, reaching out to try and attach themselves to Law and the ground beneath him.

"June! Your back!" Tsu shouted from across the deck, blocking an incoming jab from a sword with his own blade.

June whirled around then leapt backward at the same time as a large club swung in a large arc across where her head had been. A woman with murderous eyes and a club as long as June's torso was snarling at her.

"Woah! Hey! That's not very fair, is it?!" June exclaimed, dodging another swing at her legs with a hop.

"What's not fair is that you broke my husband's nose, bitch!" The woman growled.

June grimaced, "Oh yeah, you're right. I did do that, to be fair he was kinda tryin' to murder my friend so- Woah!"

The woman lunged at her, taking a large swipe at June with the club again. June ducked then dove forward into the woman's legs, tackling her to the ground. The woman flopped back onto the deck with a grunt. June kicked the club away from them then yelped when she was suddenly yanked by her arm to the ground. The woman straddled June's waist and June instinctively covered her face with her forearms milliseconds before her attacker started pummeling June's arms with hammer fists. June winced with each hit and timed her opportunity to strike.

When the woman raised her fists to the sky to strike again, June shot her own fist out into the woman's windpipe. The woman clutched her throat, gasping for air; June used the opportunity to flip their positions. As June pulled her fist back with the goal of breaking another nose, she hesitated when she heard a faint metallic sound drawing near. She stumbled backward away from her opponent just as a rogue zipper ran across the woman's abdomen, splitting her in half along with the deck.

The woman screamed, her arms and legs flailed wildly which told June that perhaps this was mostly harmless if not largely disturbing.

June's body shook with the adrenaline that filled her blood. Her eyes darted from altercation to altercation across the Polar Tang's deck, looking for where she needed to dive in next but all that was left was the fight between Law and Cassandra. June leaned forward to plant her hands on her knees and catch her breath, wondering why it was taking him so long to end his fight.

Watching the fight, June realized that Law was basically playing with his food. He was waiting until the absolute last moment to dodge or block Cassandra's attacks, he was half heartedly striking at her, and when he used his power to switch Cassandra somewhere it seemed that he was purposely putting her in a position that would be advantageous to her.

"Hey, Captain! Breakfast is getting cold; do you mind wrapping it up?" Blake's booming voice called over to Law. June and the rest of the Heart Pirates impatiently exclaimed their agreement.

Cassandra chortled, "What are you even talking about? Your captain is on the ropes, he's done nothing but run away from me! I'll have his head in—"

And with a muffled pop, Cassandra's heart went skidding across the ground until it hit Ikkaku's boot. She leaned down to pick up the organ with a sneer, giving it a slight squeeze.

Cassandra let out a gasp, her hands fumbled at the hole in her chest. Her face paled and June could see a panicked sheen of sweat break out across her forehead.

"One hundred." Law swapped out one of his many pebbles for his sword sheath then put away his blade. He retracted his room with an air of smugness that could only come from someone that felt zero threat from his opponent. "It was a little anticlimactic but thank you for your 'gift'. I'll be taking it to the marines, and they'll have no choice but to give me that warlord position." Law parodied Cassandra's words to taunt her cruelly.

Cassandra fell to her knees on the splintered deck of the Polar Tang. The rest of her crew glanced fearfully around them while they slowly backed away to their own ship.

"P-please, you can't just take my heart." Cassandra begged.

Law snickered. "Didn't you attack first with the sole reason of taking my head to the marines? Don't embarrass yourself just because you bet it all and lost. Now," Law twirled his finger lazily in the air while looking around at the patchy deck that had been shredded open by zippers, revealing tangles of pipes and wires to the open air. "I'd really appreciate it if you fixed my sub otherwise Ikkaku over there will have to convince you."

Ikkaku turned Cassandra's heart over in her hands while wearing an impish grin. Needing no further threats, Cassandra canceled her zippers with a wave of her hand and returned the sub, along with her traumatized crewmate, back to their original states.

"What're you going to do with us?" Cassandra asked, her tone increasingly despondent.

"What all pirates do of course; loot your ship and leave you to the fates." Law answered blandly. He walked to the railing and leaned back against it looking entirely bored. "Go ahead and take anything worth something. Leave the food and water though, I'm not a complete monster."

"Aye, captain!" The Heart Pirates saluted Law before running off to plunder whatever they could find. Ikkaku trotted over to Law to hand over the heart then joined her crew in gleefully stealing treasure.

"June-ya!" Law called her over suddenly.

As she approached him, his eyebrows gradually pulled inward while his eyes looked June over; she quirked an eyebrow up at him.

"Whaddya need?" She asked.

"I saw the end of that fight, how are your arms? I knew you'd be alright, but it still looked painful."

"Aww, well ain't ya sweet to keep an eye on everyone." She teased then lifted her forearms to show Law her reddened skin. "I'm fine but I expect these'll bruise up quite nicely later." June dropped her arms with an exaggerated huff. "I don't get why ya had to see that though when I took out two people and looked pretty cool doin' it before ya showed up."

"I'm sure you did." The corner of Law's lip lifted slightly; June could see the lingering sleep sticking to his eyes.

"Hey, I'm strugglin' right now. I was gonna go get some coffee, ya want some?" June wasn't actually planning on getting a caffeine fix since she was still riding a high from the adrenaline thrumming through her veins, but obviously Law needed something a little more exciting or chemical to wake him up.

He didn't answer but there was a slight shift in his expression that almost looked pleading; June snorted with amusement.

"Ya don't need to say anythin', that look tells me everythin' I need to know. Be back in a minute, Law." With that, she walked back inside the Polar Tang and slowly made her way down the steps to the mess hall.

That vague apprehensive dread was back, replacing the excitement of suddenly needing to defend the submarine.

Each step she took felt like she was drawing closer to a realization she didn't want to discover. It was killing her that she couldn't remember what it was that stirred these feelings up into a nauseating mixture in her stomach. Walking into the mess hall, June figured it must not actually be that important if she couldn't even remember what it was she needed to avoid.

June took a few moments to scarf down two slices of toast, chasing them down with a glass of water in the hopes that filling her stomach with something other than anxiety would help.

It didn't.

After filling Law's favorite mug with coffee, she wandered back up the stairs. Her heart pounded in her ears, her hands trembled, she could feel her breathing start to race as if her body was preparing to throw itself back into another fight. June clenched her teeth, anger throwing itself into the dizzying series of emotions she was experiencing for no discernable reason.

It was like her body was remembering something her mind couldn't.

June blinked as her eyes adjusted themselves to the sun. She could see Law standing where she had left him and it seemed that while she had been gone, the News Coo had made their visit. Law was idly scanning the newspaper in his hands while the rest of the crew gradually brought armfuls of stolen loot onto the submarine to walk downstairs.

"Here." June mumbled as she passed the mug over to Law. He accepted the drink with a grateful nod then immediately brought it to his lips to drain half the container. "Wow, ya were really hurtin' for it, weren't ya?" June kidded halfheartedly.

"You have no idea." Law answered with a sigh.

"Is there any good news today?" June asked, leaning in close to read the paper. Her eyes danced over the articles, seeing nothing particularly noteworthy but suddenly froze when she spotted the date at the top of the page.

If her heart had been in her chest, it would have dropped onto the deck below June's feet. It suddenly made sense why she felt so off today; now more than anything, June just wanted to go back to bed and sleep until tomorrow.

It was May 25th, her birthday.

June leaned over the railing next to Law and vomited.

June had tried to play it off like she hadn't just hurled her entire partially digested breakfast into the ocean next to the captain-slash-doctor, but Law hadn't been nearly as willing to let it go. Thus, after the Polar Tang had submerged and left the Zipper Pirates behind to deal with the consequences of their actions, Law dragged June to the clinic to interrogate her.

"Your vitals are fine, you were fine, then you looked at the paper and suddenly you got sick. Spill it, June-ya, what happened." Law demanded, already making it clear that he wasn't going to put up with any dodging or misdirection from June.

June chewed on her tongue ring nervously, the bitter tang of her recent sick episode coated her mouth uncomfortably. She shook her head in a stubborn attempt to avoid speaking; she would much rather just forget about today and keep business going as usual. They were supposed to reach Jaya within the next few hours anyway and June would prefer to focus on what needed to happen when they landed.

"Stop that, I know something is wrong. You look like you're one wrong move away from a panic attack." He was stern with her, immediately zeroing on her obvious distress before she had a chance to explain anything away.

She felt trapped. June couldn't see a feasible way to brush off Law's justifiable concern and she didn't have enough mental bandwidth available to come up with a reasonable explanation that would hide her truth. June felt tired, dejected. A thought occurred to her that maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to open up to Law. As far as she was away from home, maybe the degree of separation would lessen the blow of finally speaking about something that she had locked away in herself as a shameful secret ever since she was a young child.

June curled in on herself, pulling her legs up onto the exam table to hug them close as if they were a physical barrier. "It's my birthday today." She answered grimly, grimacing slightly on the word 'birthday'. June almost expected the door to the clinic to get kicked in by her mother who would be red-faced and fuming at the admission.

"Your…birthday?" Law asked, bewildered confusion slapping itself onto his face. Perhaps he had been expecting something a bit more earth-shattering than it just being June's birthday. "So, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm guessing you forgot it was your birthday and when you remembered, you threw up. Am I right?"

"Ya got it." June affirmed lamely, resting her cheek on her knees.

"Now, will you tell me why you had such a strong reaction to remembering your birthday?" He was wary, carefully treading the conversation with as much ease as he could possibly muster. June thought of the last time he had asked about her birthday and how that had ended in disaster. She sighed wearily and reminded herself that Law was a safe person, that he wouldn't call her ridiculous.

Probably.

"Well, it might be because today is also not my birthday. My other, more well known and preferred birthday is June 3rd."

"That—" Law frowned. "I don't think I can figure out on my own what exactly you mean by that. Why do you have two birthdays?"

"It's really stupid. I couldn't tell ya why I still freak out so bad about it but here I am, still gettin' sick over it." June inhaled an irritated breath before exhaling through her nose. "So, imagine a young couple, both in their second year of college with big dreams of success. They meet on campus in June. They immediately started datin' and fell in love in June. They get married a year later in June and were ecstatic to find out their daughter would be born…" June pointed to Law, wordlessly asking him to finish the sentence.

"In June?" He answered, unsure about where this story was heading.

"Except, what if that daughter wasn't born in June? What if she came a week and a half early, let's say on May 25th?"

"I feel like nothing should happen; the baby was born in May. There's nothing to do about that."

"Wrong!" June replied with excessive sharpness, suddenly leaning forward and dropping her legs. "The baby can't be born in May; she needs to be born in June, everythin' hinges on that. The marriage is failing, the whirlwind romance that swept up the couple has lost its magic. The mom dropped out of college to instead become a homemaker and has grown bitter toward the child who hasn't even been born yet. The dad struggles to bring home enough money to support the family and has picked up a drinkin' habit to cope. June is their month, not May. A baby born in June would've practically blessed their broken marriage and they would've recovered. So, what was the only name that made sense to give their baby girl?" She pointed again to Law.

The picture was starting to become clearer; she could see the dawning realization on Law's face when he answered, "June."

Her name sounded odd on his tongue without the honorific at the end and in this context made her feel sick rather than giddy. June opened her mouth to continue her tale, years of repressed moments and emotions racing to communicate themselves first. She almost felt like she had been living under a pile of boulders and with each word she spoke, one massive weight was lifted off her; it was deliriously exhilarating in the worst way and left her feeling emotionally pained.

"But that's not enough, ya see?" Her voice cracked. "Ya can't just have a kid named June but still celebrate her birthday in May. So, what do ya do? Ya hold off on tellin' your family and friends that the baby has been born until the original date, June 3rd. Ya can't exactly change a birth certificate but ya can still teach the kid they were born in June and celebrate then. The underlyin' problems in the marriage are worse than ever but at least ya have June, right? So, what happens when the kid at the age of twelve finds her birth certificate and asks her parents why the date written isn't her birthday?"

"I'm assuming nothing good." Law replied cautiously as he shifted his weight uncomfortably; June wondered if he regretted asking her to talk yet.

"The illusion is shattered. The kid knows the truth and now there's no way that ya can keep up the charade. Mom rips into the kid, blaming her for every little deficit. The broken dreams, the broken marriage, the broken home; and it would've all been fine if the kid had just kept their nose outta trouble. Mom starts spendin' more time away from home and starts seein' other men, the dad was completely aware of it and turned a blind eye. Shortly after the kid turns fourteen, mom runs away with a man she met and starts a new life. Dad tears down every picture of mom and burns them while he drinks himself stupid and eventually dies from complications when the kid is eighteen. The day he passed, he was nothin' but an angry husk of the man the kid knew and could hardly recognize her."

"June-ya, you don't have to—" Law began to speak but June interrupted him. The dam had been broken and the words wouldn't stop despite June being close to hyperventilating.

"But what happened to the kid then?! She can't pay bills; she can't keep a full-time job and go to school at the same time! There was a mountain of debt that she couldn't even fathom how to get rid of. So, she sold the house and paid off the debt with the money, packed everythin' she could into her dad's rusty car, and coped with bein' homeless all throughout college while keepin' it all a secret. She pushed her friends away and there was no other family to lean on so she managed by herself. And all she could think about when she fell asleep in that fuckin' drafty ass backseat each night was: 'Would it have been any different if I had just been born in June?'"

She choked on the last word, ending with a pitiful sob. June took off her glasses and wiped at her face, smearing tears across her cheeks as they fell. She felt exposed, raw. She had never opened herself up like this; she had never even dared to dwell on these thoughts for longer than a few seconds at a time. June had been comfortable behind her walls, had been happy to avoid and repress until the day she died and took these feelings with her into the grave.

Damn Law.

Damn him and his gentle prodding and the ease at which he smashed through her beloved walls; she would never forgive him for this.

Warm arms closed in on June, enveloping her in a comforting embrace. June's breath stuttered for a moment before the last of her paper-thin restraint went up in smoke and she buried her face into Law's chest with a whimper. June's fingers clutched at the back of Law's shirt, pulling him as close as she could physically manage.

"I just can't help it, thinkin' 'bout the 'what-if's'." June sobbed. "What if I had been born in June? Would my mom have stayed? Would my dad be alive?" She inhaled a shuddering breath, screwed her eyes tightly shut. "Did I kill my dad just by bein' born early?"

"Absolutely not." Law pulled June's head back from his chest to look down at her. "You're smart June, you know that there was nothing you could have done about any of that; you were a victim of circumstance."

June's teeth began to chatter, the overwhelming cascade of emotions left her trembling uncontrollably in Law's arms. "Logically I know that, but my damn brain keeps blamin' me for everythin'." She buried her face back into Law's chest with a pained whimper. "I can't even remember my mom's face anymore and I started realizin' that my dad's is fadin' away too. That's just awful, right?"

His arms tightened around her; June could feel the muscles of Law's back tense underneath her fingers.

"Time does that, June-ya." Law spoke softly. "I can't remember the faces of my family either. When I noticed Cora's face was getting more difficult to remember, I started frantically plastering his smile everywhere." June looked up to see Law's own mournful expression. "His last words to me were that he wanted me to remember him smiling, I suppose that's why I put it everywhere, so I don't forget."

June laughed bitterly. "Wow, we're kinda pathetic, ain't we?"

"Just a little." Law rested his cheek atop June's head, remaining silent as she gradually cried herself out. He only spoke again when she had been reduced to quiet sniffles and his shirt had been thoroughly dampened with tears. "I get it now. Thank you for telling me and I'm sorry I pushed you into it."

June shook her head. "No, it's about time I started talkin' about it. It's actually kinda interestin', not even Ann and Miranda know my actual birthday. I just kept the lie going 'cause it was easier than tellin' everyone the truth."

Law's fingers began to idly brush through June's hair, she reveled in the touch and allowed it to soothe her further. "That makes sense after over a decade of having to live one way."

"I'm sure ya wouldn't but can ya promise me ya won't tell anyone about my birthdays? I'd rather just ignore them. One day I might wanna celebrate but I don't think I'm there yet."

"I promise." Law answered. He released his hold on June, stepping back to a more appropriate distance while looking sheepish. June immediately missed his comforting touch and crossed her arms over her chest to hold in the warmth as long as possible. She avoided looking at the massive wet spot her tears had left on Law's shirt. "I have to go down to navigation since we're landing soon, are you going to be ok on your own?"

"I'll be fine, I'm probably gonna go take a nap until we land." June picked at her nails, suddenly feeling as though she didn't know how to properly end the conversation while also being embarrassed about her sudden emotional unloading.

Law nodded then walked to the exit, he lifted his sword off the counter then opened the door to leave. "I'll come get you when we land then, June-ya."

"Rayburn." She suddenly blurted out then slapped a hand over her mouth while staring at Law with wide eyes.

He smiled, amusement clear on his face. "That's your name then? Rayburn, June-ya?"

June blushed, averting her eyes to the wall on her left. "For obvious reasons I don't give it out often. But yeah, June Harper Rayburn is my full name; I guess you've earned the right to know it."

Law chuckled. "Enjoy your nap. You should probably brush your teeth before you sleep by the way."

Somehow, June's blush deepened. She scowled at Law and mustered up the most scathing glare she could manage at that moment to direct at him. "I hate you." She said without any real heat.

"You don't." Law said confidently as he walked out the door, shutting it behind him with a soft 'click'.

"Yeah, I really don't." June mumbled to no one in particular, suddenly feeling incredibly exhausted yet also more accepted than she had ever felt.

June would describe Jaya as paradoxical.

The island looked like a resort and featured tropical rainforests that housed the elusive and beautifully colored South Birds. Even from Mock Town, she could hear the haunting bird song carried on the wind across the bay from the South Grave Forest. June could easily imagine herself reclining on the beach, margarita in hand, while she watched the ocean waves crash into the sand.

What completely ruined the fantasy was Mock Town itself.

She had a vague idea of what to expect when they landed on Jaya, knowing full well that Mock Town was a place completely run by pirates and entirely outside the reach of the marines or the World Government. However, she was not prepared to almost immediately fight off a woman who tried to bully her into handing over her bag.

June was starting to solidify her signature move of going straight for the nose whenever she fought; Law seemed to think this was hilarious.

Law had explicitly told the Heart Pirates that they were not here for relaxation or pleasure, everyone would need to put on airs of superiority, and they would largely be roaming the town in groups of six or more.

The mission: Gather information about Rocky Port while establishing the Heart Pirate's presence on Jaya.

Rocky Port was their next stop and while June hadn't yet told Law about what his move there would be, she was hoping that he would figure it out on his own without her help.

Law had split the Hearts into thirds, leaving six crew mates on the Polar Tang to guard the sub and sending another seven to roam the town to search for information. The final members, along with June and Law, were currently strutting to the main hub of pirate information which was, of course, the bar.

As soon as Law had waltzed through the creaky saloon doors, the boisterous room fell eerily silent. June did her best to wear a look of nonchalance as she and the crew followed Law to an empty corner of the bar.

This was probably the dingiest, bleakest, most ramshackle bar she had ever seen. The tables bore deep scars and broken legs that had been shoddily put back together. The walls and floors were stained with what she could only assume was blood; shards of glass glittered on almost all the flat surfaces. The bar patrons themselves were surly and weatherworn; some wore dirt crusted black and white striped pants or shirts.

June assumed that some of these men were escaped convicts from Impel Down who had fled Marineford after the battle.

Once the Hearts had filled the seats of two large booths, the room erupted into explosive laughter and arguing. Law himself sat cross legged with his arms spread wide across the backrest behind him as if he was commanding the room with his posture. The rest of the crew did their best to wear their most intimidating expressions; some were successful however Bepo ended up just looking like a grumpy stuffed animal.

"Penguin, go get us a round." Law ordered.

"Aye, captain." He answered, standing from his seat to walk over to the bar. He returned a few minutes later with a platter then slid each tankard to a person at the table.

This was the first time June could physically feel the weight of multiple stares on her from a room full of men. She was doing her best to appear as unaffected as possible while she sipped her beer, however the act was starting to crumble.

Shachi whistled a low, impressed note next to her. "Wow, June. You might need to stay on the Tang while we're here. You're kinda throwing a wrench into this whole information gathering mission."

"It's because her face is too soft to look mean. Here, June, try narrowing your eyes like this." Ikkaku pointed at her own face and demonstrated a blood-chilling glare.

June pointed a withering glare at Shachi, lifting the corner of her top lip into a look of unimpressed disgust.

"There you go!" Ikkaku laughed. "Now just hold that for a few hours and you're golden."

An idea struck June suddenly, her look morphed into one of feigned innocence. "Actually, do ya wanna play a game Shachi? I bet I can find somethin' more interestin' than you can. Loser has to do the other person's chores for a week?"

Shachi considered her proposition for a moment before smirking. "You're on. There's no way you can beat me, I've got way more experience than you do."

"Please, do ya know who you're talkin' to? I'm the queen of gettin' people to talk about things neither party wanna hear." June sassed haughtily.

"My money is on June-ya, she has a habit of surprising us." Law commented from across the table. He tilted his chin up as he eyed a particular man across the room. The man held a confidence about him that was similar to Law's and was surrounded by several rowdy men and women yet he remained aloof. "See that guy over there with the gray coat? Go talk to him, June-ya."

Shachi gaped like a beached trout. "Captain! I can't believe you would side with her over me!"

Ikkaku snorted into her drink, June kicked her shin under the table.

Penguin slapped Shachi's back with a loud cackle. "Maybe if you were a cute girl with big doe eyes, we would believe in your skills more!"

"See? My man Penguin here gets it." June laughed brightly then stood up to saunter behind Shachi and gently grab his chin in her hand to turn his face toward her; June leaned in close until her lips were inches from Shachi's. "Ya, jealous?" June could see Shachi's eyes close behind his sunglasses as he started to lean in forward toward her. She pulled back and playfully swatted at his cheek with a snicker. "And that's why you've already lost, Shachi."

June took a moment to enjoy Shachi's flustered look before turning her gaze onto Law who held an unreadable expression on his own face. "I'll be headin' out then. Good luck with your end, Law."

"You play dirty, June." Shachi pouted.

"Yeah, but she, uh, put you in your place there." Tsu quipped then drank from his own tankard.

June grabbed her drink off the table then began her slow walk across the room towards the man Law wanted her to talk to. Behind her, she could hear Law giving out orders to the crew members at the table while Bepo made kissing noises at Shachi.

Ahead of her, she took in the appearance of the man in the gray coat. He was obviously a captain based on how the people at the table addressed him. His eyes showed a tired wisdom years beyond what she would expect to see on such a young face.

June was pretty sure he would see right through her the moment she sat down.

She veered slightly off course to instead approach the other end of the table where a woman with a bobbed haircut was engaged in a rather heated game of poker with a man who wore a top that told June he had previously been an Impel Down detainee. She wondered if maybe it was a status symbol to keep the clothes, as if it was a trophy that showed that they were able to escape the inescapable underwater prison.

She observed the game for a few minutes in silence, looking for an opportunity to show itself while she idly sipped at her drink.

The woman growled then slapped her hand on the table, landing an irritable glare on June. "Do we have a problem here, girlie?! I can't play with you watching me like that!"

"Calm down, Len. I don't mind an audience." The detainee spoke, winking at June cheekily; his blue eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Shut up, Rolf! Focus on the game and keep it in your pants!" Len snapped at him.

June gave a shy smile. "Sorry 'bout that. Y'all were just so focused, it caught my attention. I'm kinda shit at poker so I was hopin' to pick somethin' up by watchin' ya."

"Now that's an interesting accent." Rolf put his cards face down on the table, abandoning the game to instead lean his chin onto his open palm. "Tell me about yourself, stranger."

Len crossed her arms over her chest in a huff then blew her blonde bangs out of her eyes. "Dammit, I was just about to turn this thing around."

"I'm June, from the South Blue. There's not much to say about me, really." June made a show of nervously fiddling with the handle of her drink, averting her eyes to the bottom of the tankard.

"Oh, fuck that. I don't believe you for a second; I saw you come in with Trafalgar's crew a few minutes ago." Len waved her hand dismissively.

"Ya got me." June admitted, brushing her hair behind her ear with a free hand. "But I'm not a pirate, honestly; I'm a nurse. I got caught in a rough situation, so I've been hitchin' a ride with them since Marineford."

"You were at Marineford?!" Rolf asked excitedly, leaning forward in his seat toward June.

And there it was, her in. June fought the instinct to grin and instead pulled her face into a look of curiosity. "Yeah, we picked up Straw Hat and bailed outta there right at the end." She answered carefully, as if she was unsure about what to say.

"Aw man, I love that guy! Him and Captain Buddy really saved our asses in Impel Down. I wouldn't be here without them!" Rolf exclaimed with stars in his eyes.

June covered her mouth with her hand, letting out a gasp. "Holy shit, really? I can't believe ya made it out."

Len scoffed. "As if he would ever let us forget it. Ever since we picked up his sorry ass, he hasn't stopped talking about it."

"I mean, ya gotta admit it's pretty impressive. I don't think I'd even last five minutes in Impel Down let alone manage to escape it." June commented.

"So how does a regular old nurse end up traveling with the notorious Captain Trafalgar and the Heart Pirates?" Rolf asked.

"A string of bad luck and a death wish apparently." June answered blandly with an eyeroll.

"Well, obviously." Len spoke sarcastically.

"Would ya believe me if I said that I was stranded and he was my only option?" June asked, hoping to keep any information about her as minimal as possible while looking for a way to direct the conversation to Rocky Port.

"No, I wouldn't."

The table went silent. Everyone turned to face the head seat where the captain sat watching June, Len, and Rolf talking on the far end. His gaze was unnerving, it felt like he was staring straight through June.

She gave him a wry grin. "That sounds like a 'you' problem then, sir."

"What the fuck." Len muttered to herself, covering her face with both her hands.

"Uh, June. I know we just met and everything, but you seem like a nice, if not misguided, girl so I feel like I should make sure you know who you're talking to right now." Rolf whispered to her behind his hands.

"That's y'all's captain, right? He feels like a captain." June looked back up across the table to meet eyes with the young captain. "I dunno, ya seem like the kinda guy who doesn't appreciate people who fall over themselves to get in your favor."

He considered June for a long moment before giving her a narrowed look. "You're quiet. Do you know what I mean when I say that?"

She frowned. This guy uses Observation Haki; what a fantastic happenstance she managed to trap herself in. June sighed and decided it wouldn't be worth it to try and play ignorant. "Unfortunately, yes."

The captain gave her a half smile. "I'm Basar. How about we have a chat, June."

As she moved around the table, passing by the curious eyes of Basar's crew, June looked around the room to see Penguin, Shachi, and Ikkaku spread out at different tables, appearing to have varying levels of success with speaking to people. Law still sat at his booth, observing the room before him. His eyes snapped up to June, watching as she sat in the open seat next to Basar.

"Your captain wants something. I don't know what, but I can see that he's digging. Is that why you came to my table?" Basar asked plainly.

"Well, ain't you a clever one." June jested, hoping that her nervousness wasn't too obvious. "We're not lookin' for trouble if that's somethin' you're worried about. We're just tryin' to get the scoop on Jaya while we're here."

"There's not much to say. It's just a regular pirate town filled with regular pirate debauchery, it's all pretty standard." Basar leaned back in his chair. "What isn't standard is why Trafalgar Law and the Heart Crew rolled into town."

"I dunno what to tell ya, we were just in the neighborhood." June shrugged noncommittedly. She thumbed away some of the condensation on the side of her tankard, letting the conversation lull for a moment. "Whaddya do about the military town nearby? I feel like stayin' on a pirate island near one of those has gotta suck."

Basar snapped his fingers with a laugh, his dark eyes shone with mirth. "There it is. You know, you have a knack for dodging but that's got to be the reason why you wandered over here."

June's eye twitched. She was pretty sure she hated this guy; he was too damn insightful. Did Law realize that about him before sending her over? The urge to shake Law itched at June's fingers. "Ok, fine. Ya got me, I wanted to find info about Rocky Port." She admitted begrudgingly.

Basar's eyes darkened; his expression morphed into one of suspicion. "What do you want to know about Rocky Port?"

"Uh…" June was struck by the sudden cold tone he had shifted into; it was like she had accidentally triggered a switch in Basar. "Well, ya see, I can't say too much but we're lookin' for somethin' specific, and it seems to be leadin' us there. We don't know much about Rocky Port, and we can't exactly go straight there to find anythin' out, so we figured that we could search the gossip on Jaya first."

Basar thrummed his fingers rhythmically on the table, tapping out a methodical beat while he measured June's words. After a stiff moment, he spoke. "You're frustrating."

"What?"

"I can't read you like I can anyone else. I can't hear your 'voice' so I don't know if you're bullshitting me or not; but it seems like you already knew that." His eyes narrowed again, scanning June's face for any hint of deceit. "I don't need to hear you though to see whether or not you're going to interfere with anything."

"Interfere? I'm sorry, I don't think I'm understandin'."

"In exactly one week, I will be leading a raid on Rocky Port. Those marines are nothing but a nuisance and I figure that if I burn down an entire military town, that should send enough of a message to the World Government about who exactly runs this world now. Not the undeserving upper echelons but us, the real citizens of the world. It's time we put them in their place and take back what we deserve, true freedom."

The pirates surrounding June began to cheer. Tankards of beer were lifted high into the air as Basar's crew shouted praises at their captain and jeered at the faceless government. June's wide eyes darted from person to person, uncertainty beginning to grip her insides.

"Look, Basar. I'm all about stickin' it to the man but what you're talkin' about seems a bit extreme. That's a military town, there are families livin' there." June's nervous voice was nearly drowned out by the cheering pirates.

"And?" Basar raised a single eyebrow, a cruel smile stretched across his lips. "I say let them burn, they're part of the problem too."

June swallowed dryly; she could feel a cold sweat begin to break out across her forehead. She had only the vaguest of ideas about what would happen at Rocky Port. All she knew was that it was implied that Law had led an attack on the island, that no harm came to the citizens residing there, and he used the notoriety to leverage a Warlord position. He wasn't opposed to destruction, but he also wasn't a mass murderer. It had always struck June as odd that this was an incident that was associated with Law since he seemed to usually prefer more covert operations and kept more under the radar.

But if this is what had actually incited the Rocky Port Incident, then what Basar was planning was monstrous and completely different from what June had been expecting.

"Is it just y'all goin' there then? That seems like quite the operation for just a handful of pirates." She hoped that Basar wouldn't pick up on the tremble in her words.

"Nervous, aren't you? I don't blame you, it's pretty daunting." Basar seemed absolutely gleeful and completely opposite from the indifferent man June had seen before. "I'll be leading the entirety of Jaya there. A hundred pirates will march into Rocky Port and tear the whole thing to the ground."

"W-wow, I'm impressed." June stuttered.

Basar stood from his seat, towering over June in her own and causing her to lean backward over her backrest. "Listen here, June. I don't care why Trafalgar is here. I don't care what business you all have at Rocky Port. I don't even care that you shoved your nose into our business. But hear me now, if any of you so much as place a toe in my way, I will use your bodies as kindling to start the fire when we invade. Do you understand me?"

June nodded, feeling the entire weight of his threat.

"Good. Now take that back to your captain. He can either join me or fuck off." Basar sat back into his chair, shedding his severe demeanor for his original aloof expression. "This was a good talk, June. I hope to see the Heart Pirates fight alongside us."

"Thank ya for talkin' to me, Basar." June stood from her seat, willing her heart to slow its racing tempo. "You've given us quite the opportunity to consider."

"Bye, June! Come back again later and I'll give you a private lesson on how to play!" Rolf shouted at June as she departed from the table; Len angrily demanded that Rolf put his focus back into the game when June gave a weak laugh and wave to the pair.

Her distress must have been written clearly on her face because as soon as she plopped herself into the booth next to Law, a faint look of concern shone in his eyes.

"Are you alright? I was pretty sure you would be a good choice to send over here, I'm sorry if he was more difficult than I previously assumed." Law spoke in a low tone, his voice barely audible over the dull roar of the bar.

"Actually, I think I won my bet with Shachi. I just learned somethin' that I think we should talk about back on the Tang." She answered before chugging down the rest of her drink. Given how insightful Basar was and how powerful his Observation Haki may be, June decided it would be best to save the conversation until they got back to the submarine.

Law's eyebrows lifted high on his forehead before his expression shifted into a pleased look. "Damn right." His voice was overwhelmingly fond and would have made June preen if she wasn't already consumed with a gnawing anxiety. "Bepo, gather the rest of the crew. We're heading back to the sub."

"Aye, captain!" Bepo stood up from his seat with an enthusiastic salute before dashing off to gather the crew spread across the room.

"You always surprise me in the best ways, June-ya."

"June-ya, why is it that you always seem to complicate whatever it is I have planned?" Law groaned from where he was seated atop his table in the mess hall.

"Hey! It's not my fault Basar is plannin' a whole raid on Rocky Port! I'm just the messenger!" June argued from where she stood in the middle of the room.

Within an hour of their trip back from the bar, Law had called an urgent crew meeting in the mess hall of the Polar Tang to discuss the information June had learned from Basar. All eyes were on her as she gave her report, silently taking in the new details; June was always impressed when as a collective, the crew could patiently listen and take turns adding their thoughts.

But right now, they all began to speak at once, throwing waves of questions at their captain who was currently pinching the bridge of his nose with a grimace, seeming to have been overcome with a sudden headache.

"Didn't we need to go to Rocky Port though?"

"What are we gonna do if the place is trashed?"

"Man, I was looking forward to picking up some fresh fish."

"Why were we heading there anyway? There wasn't a real reason other than June said we needed to go there."

"This guy kinda sounds like a dick; maybe we should kick his ass anyway!" Ikkaku shouted over the throng of voices. "He threatened one of our people and he shouldn't get away with that!"

Law waved his hand through the air, cutting through the sound and silencing the room. "First of all, June-ya is a big girl and handled the situation well enough. We should be thankful that he didn't do anything else and was just rude."

Ikkaku crossed her arms over her chest angrily, grumbling with a pout; June shot her an appreciative smile.

"So, what's the plan then, captain?" Asked Locke. "Are we joining them? Are we stopping them? We don't even know what we were supposed to be doing there in the first place."

All their expectant eyes were pointing at June again, a single question carried in their gazes. She fidgeted in place then looked to Law for help though all she found was a single eyebrow lifted high on his face with an imploring stare. June sighed and figured she may as well divulge what she knew since there didn't seem to be a lot of time to waffle around about what Law needed to do.

"All I know is that Law is meant to be known for the Rocky Port Incident but that none of the citizens were harmed and were moved off island before the attack even happens. I'm guessin' there was some serious property damage and general mayhem though. The marines will take the attack into consideration when ya hand over your hundred hearts and you'll get the warlord position." June explained.

Law tilted his head to the side, staring at June for a long minute while he turned the information over in his head then opened his mouth to answer, "No."

"N-no?!" June sputtered.

"I don't see any reason why I should involve myself in this, it seems like an unnecessary burden to get the title. I've already got notoriety and the hearts should be enough to push me into the position; I don't need to do anything extra."

"But what about the people at Rocky Port?! They'll all get hurt or worse if we don't do something!"

"That's not exactly my problem; we aren't heroes, June-ya. Besides, I see no benefit to involving ourselves in this aside from a moral win." Law explained matter-of-factly.

June was stunned into silence. How could he be so pragmatic at a time like this knowing that if nothing was done, thousands would suffer the consequences? She scrambled to think of an argument that would convince him to shift his perspective but came up empty.

"Sorry, June. It sucks but there's really no reason for us to shove ourselves into the middle of this especially since we're so close to the end already." Penguin spoke from her left. "Besides, it's not like a marine has ever done anything to help a pirate out, why should we worry ourselves with it?"

"It's just how the world is, June. Hopefully the marines will catch wind of the attack beforehand and evacuate the island." Clione reassured June from her right.

Fear gripped June and held her intestines in a vice. She couldn't just let this go; she would never be able to carry on with the weight of an entire island on her soul. Thousands of nameless faces would follow her just because she didn't try hard enough.

Just like with Ace.

Ace…

Sabo.

Fuck, Sabo!

"Then it's settled, we're heading to Marineford at first light." Law began to stand, ending the discussion.

"Wait!" June shouted, rushing to Law's table. "It's been a couple of weeks since Honeycomb, yeah? Sabo could've found somethin' on Rocky Port that might change your mind. How about I call him up right now and if he can't give us anything, then we'll leave." She rambled, desperately hoping that Law would allow her this one request before completely abandoning Rocky Port. "Please, Law. I know the government has done nothin' but prove they're callous, power-hungry assholes but that doesn't mean the families of their pawns should suffer for it. Are ya really gonna be ok with senseless murder just 'cause Basar wants to send a message?"

That seemed to do the trick. Law stared at June with a troubled expression then sighed before he took out his snail and handed it over. "Fine, one call and that's it. I hope he has something useful to say, otherwise I have no choice but to move on regardless of how I might feel about it."

June grabbed the transponder snail, relief washing over her. She hurriedly pulled Sabo's number out of her bag then punched in the digits. She held her breath while the call pended for several tense moments then finally, June saw the snail's face morph into a look of boyish curiosity.

"Hello?" Sabo's unsure voice echoed through the mess hall.

"Sabo, it's June!" She exclaimed with excitement.

"Oh! June! Hey!" He answered, the snail showed that Sabo looked confused. "Sorry, I didn't know what to expect. My snail started doing something weird when you called; I honestly thought it died or something. Your voice is coming through fine, but my snail's face is blank; it's kind of creepy actually." He laughed.

June frowned, she wondered if this was another result of her not having any Haki. Her eyes flicked up to see Law staring intently at the snail with an odd expression. "I think your snail is fine, Sabo. I'm thinkin' that's just a me thing, sorry to freak ya out."

"The plot just keeps thickening with you, doesn't it?" Sabo joked. "So, what's up? Were you calling about the information you asked me to look up for you?"

"Yeah, did ya find anythin'?"

Sabo scoffed. "'Did ya find anythin'?' she asks." He answered, mocking her accent terribly. "Of course I did, but it seems like Rocky Port and that list you were looking for are pretty involved with each other."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Well, I found out that Rocky Port is not only a military town, but the marine base there primarily acts as a record keeping office. So, I'm thinking that if you could manage to sneak in, you would more than likely find documents that could tell you who Doctor Vegapunk has worked with in the past. There are different levels of clearance depending on how sensitive the information you're looking for is and since you're wanting something based in some pretty top-secret research, I'm guessing it's gonna be a pain to break into it but I'm sure you'll figure something out."

A wide smile stretched across June's lips. "Oh my god, Sabo! You're the fuckin' best, has anyone ever told ya that?"

"Not often enough." The snail in June's hands smirked. "That's about all I could find so I hope it helps."

The call suddenly, and jarringly disconnected with a clank. Law's snail went idle once more, falling asleep in June's palm.

"Do you think he's ok?" Shachi asked.

"Yeah, I'm rememberin' that he's pretty terrible to talk with on the snail." June looked up at Law who seemed to be forcing a look of irritation onto his face though she could see the faintest traces of relief in his eyes. "So, does this change anythin'?"

"Congratulations, June-ya. It looks like we need to make a new plan tonight." He took the snail out of her hands then pocketed it. "Since this is your fault, do you have any suggestions?"

"Maybe a few." She mused with a grin.

The meeting stretched late into the night. Law had kept them in the mess hall until all angles had been examined and every small detail had been meticulously hammered out. By the end, June felt like her brain had begun to leak out of her ears and her head ached with all the new information that filled it.

Sitting on her couch while she waited for Law to finish his shower, she was silently thankful that the day had been so eventful since it had distracted her from thinking about her birthday. A pang of sharp remorse zinged through her chest when she remembered the date for the second time today. June was thankful that Law had kept his promise by not telling anyone what today was; not that she had reason to doubt him.

June removed her glasses with a sigh then leaned forward, bending herself in half to rest her forehead on her knees.

She wondered when the pain would pass and when she could finally live her life without the shame or regret. Logically she knew that none of it was her fault but it was difficult to change her way of thinking after years of being told otherwise by her own parents. June had once heard that in the eyes of a child, a mother is a goddess. Whether she was right or wrong, affectionate or cold, benevolent or cruel was irrelevant because the child would carry those impressions with them for the rest of their life.

Unfortunately, June's mother was a vengeful goddess who held onto her grudges tightly and had no problems abandoning her worshippers to find another flock who would kiss her feet, perfectly content to leave her temple to crumble without any remorse.

And who would love someone if their own mother could easily toss them aside?

Her dad had stayed out of obligation, but it wasn't like he was really there. He spent those last few years deliriously drunk and by the end of it, he didn't even recognize June and was so full of bitter rage that he died with angry words in his mouth.

"If I could erase the entire month of June off the calendar, I would." Were the last words he had spoken to her before he passed away in the hospital a few days later.

June's knees felt wet, her heart full of ice.

"June-ya?"

She slowly sat up to see Law in the doorway, wearing his usual sweatpants that he put on before bed and nothing else. June knew she was in a bad way because even the sight of him in a state of half-dress didn't fluster her.

"What's up?" She asked, voice sounding uncharacteristically weak.

Law walked across the room to sit next to June on the couch, he seemed unsure which worried her. It was odd to see Law rubbing his hands together nervously when he always walked around with a sense of cool self-assuredness that daunted anyone he passed in the street.

"You did a great job today considering how it started, I wanted you to know that I'm impressed."

"Ya are? I don't think I did anythin' too special or outta the ordinary."

"Most would've been out of commission after what you told me this morning." His amber gaze danced across June's face, no doubt taking in her blotchy cheeks and tearful eyes. "You were crying again."

"Yeah, I was just rememberin'. I'll be better tomorrow, I always am." June gave him a watery smile that didn't quite feel at home on her face.

Law reached into the pocket of his sweats then pulled out a fist and held it out to June. "I know you didn't want to make a big deal out of your birthday, but I felt like I should still give you something. It's nothing extravagant but I hope it'll make the day a little less terrible."

June held out her hand and felt Law place something small and cold into her palm. She pinched the item between her fingers then held it up in front of her eyes and felt her face break out into an uncontrollable grin. Between her pointer and thumb was a small rock that Law had clumsily painted into her smiling likeness. He had all her features there in shaky lines and blocky shapes down to her glasses, freckles, and what she assumed was supposed to be curly brown hair but instead looked like messy, looping spirals.

"It's so ugly, I love it!" She said through obnoxious cackles, she could feel the tears begin to make their return full force behind her eyes.

Law's cheeks pinked; he averted his eyes away from June to the ground. "I hope you don't mind that I stole your idea. It was pretty short notice, and I didn't have time to think of anything else."

"It's perfect! This is the best thing anyone has ever given me, really." She turned her body towards him then held the rock up beside her face. "Ya really captured my likeness perfectly, I'm impressed."

"Shut up, I know I'm a terrible artist."

June hugged the rock to her chest, sniffling as a few happy tears fell down her cheeks. "Ya know, you're the first one to ever give me a gift on my actual birthday. I really do love it, thank ya so much."

"You're a mess, you know that?" Law complained without any real heat while wiping at the tears on June's face with his fingers. "What am I going to do with you?"

"At least I keep things interestin'."

"That's an understatement."

She fiddled with the rock for a few moments, turning it over in her hands. "Hey, I know what ya said before, I get it and feel free to say no, but do ya mind if I lean on ya for a bit? I'm just feelin' kinda…" June's words trailed off as she nervously chewed on the skin of her lower lip, expecting an instant rejection.

Instead, Law surprised her; he wrapped his arm around June's shoulder and pulled her in close to lay her head on his chest. "Just for tonight. I don't think I'd be able to get any sleep if you keep crying like that anyway."

"So chivalrous. Truly, my knight in scuffed armor." She answered sarcastically.

"Do whatever you want, it's not like I'm able to control you anyway." June could feel Law's voice rumble through his chest; her eyes closed as she focused on the soothing beat of his heart and the steady rhythm of his breathing.

"I always do, but I think that's part of what makes me fun." She mumbled tiredly.

Law hummed a low affirmative.

After a few minutes, June drifted off into a dreamless slumber. When she woke the next morning to find herself tucked underneath her blanket and a pillow under her head, she felt embarrassed at having fallen asleep so easily on top of Law. June looked across from her to see Law still deep in his own dreams, facing June with a peaceful expression. She opened her closed fist to find that she was still holding onto the rock he had given her the night before and felt a warm flutter replace the coldness that had buried itself in her chest.

June found that she indeed felt better; perhaps leagues better than she had in a very, very long time.

Notes:

She told him her birthday and nameeeeeeee oh my gooooooood.

I hope this chapter answers any questions you had about June and why she is the way she is. I've been sprinkling little hints throughout the story but I dunno how well I did at hiding them. These serious, emotional moments are so difficult to write but I love them.

I really took my time with this chapter since there's a few of the plotlines pulling together right now. Also, we don't know a lot about Rocky Port so I'm basically making up a whole plot about it right now. If sometime in the future we actually learn about the Rocky Port incident, I'm not sure if I would come back to rewrite this just because I like the plot I have going on but who knows?

I'll also be taking my time putting out the next few chapters because I want to be sure that I write them correctly. Also, I've started working on another multi-chapter story that I've been writing when I need to look at something else and let the ideas I have marinate a bit. I don't know when I'll be posting it, or if I will at all, but it's been a fun little side project featuring Sabo.

I know this end note is huge but AHHH! I'm just so excited because I didn't think I'd make it this far so AHH?! Just to be clear, we are no where near done with the story BUT I'M JUST SO HYPED?!

At the end of this chapter I referenced a quote:

"In a child's eyes, a mother is a goddess. She can be glorious or terrible, benevolent or filled with wrath, but she commands love either way. I am convinced that this is the greatest power in the universe."

- N.K. Jemisin, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

Chapter 19: Wax and Wane

Summary:

Rocky Port looks different under the light of the moon.

Or June drags a marine into her mess, Law is quick to develop plans, and said plans never seem to go how they should.

Notes:

SOME MENTIONS OF WANO SPOILERS AHEAD. Specifically regarding SWORD, very minor.

Hello Loves, it's been a month. Work scheduled me weird and I really had to scratch my brain for this chapter. Also, for whatever reason every time I tried to think about what to do with this chapter I started thinking about things I wanna do with the story way way way down the line.

Basically, in my head, this story is split into three parts and my head kept thinking about what I want to do with part three when we're not even done with part one yet. We are almost done with it though. I am excited to be moving onto the next phases though, even if they're shorter than part one.

Also, I know this chapter is super long but I honestly couldn't bring myself to break it up at all. Everything just flows into each other too well and I didn't want to ruin it.

One last thing, just as a reminder, we have no idea what happened in Rocky Port. What I have written here is based on the small amount of information we know from the series mixed with what my story calls for. One day, if we learn more, I might come back and change things but I also might not since I like what I have here. In the meantime, enjoy the Ayeeelien edit of Rocky Port. :)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

A wide yawn split June's face with a tired groan ending in a frustrated shout.

"What the hell is your problem?" Shachi lowered the binoculars from his eyes, landing an exasperated glare on June.

She rolled over onto her back with a whine, covering her face with her hands to block the sun's rays from assaulting her retinas. "I'm bored! We've been at this for four days now and haven't seen shit!" Her muffled voice complained loudly from behind her palms.

"Stop whining, you're gonna ruin our cover." Penguin chastised her, still staring down the dual barrels of his own set of binoculars aimed at the entrance of the Rocky Port marine base.

As far as marine bases went, this one was rather unimpressive considering the amount of high-profile information held inside. There was some merit with hiding in plain sight, but it made surveillance a lackluster task. Over the past few days Shachi, Penguin, and June had camped out on top of their hotel across the way from the base to watch grunts, captains, commodores, lieutenants, and other various staff come and go.

June was pretty sure she had memorized each white brick of the building. Every weed and crack that decorated the stone street in front of the entrance sprouted in thin lines behind her closed eyelids every time she laid down to sleep.

Rocky Port itself was also boring to look at. The grid-like streets and uniform buildings, each perfectly measured to stand exactly the same height, just screamed government regulation. Every person that walked down the spotless sidewalks looked perfectly content and properly manicured with nary a hair out of place.

It all made June itch; she was starting to get antsy.

The only thing that seemed to have been built with even a whiff of creative spirit was the massive clock tower over looking the town square with it's ornate faces. Every hour its beautiful brass bell would toll the time with a robust song.

With every passing hour, every call of the brass bell, June felt the passage of time marching ever closer to Basar's attack and with it, she ruminated over the Heart Pirates' role in preventing disaster.

She had suggested a plan and because it was her plan, Law had placed her in the undercover reconnaissance group; though she would have argued to be here anyway. They were here under the guise of locating and trailing a specific marine but there was a second, more reckless plan that June had kept hidden from Law. She was pretty sure that if she had suggested it, he would have shot it down immediately so now, she lived in fear of the thorough tongue lashing he would give her if he found out what she intended to do.

June felt like it was a good idea though, so she was electing to keep her solo-mission a secret.

At least for now.

So here the three of them were, laying on a roof underneath the unforgiving sun with June slowly losing her mind while ignoring the stinging sunburn that was pricking her shoulders and thighs.

"How do y'all put up with it? I feel like I'm crawlin' outta my skin."

"I dunno, June. Maybe it's because we were actually born with some patience." Penguin scoffed.

"Do you think the captain has made any progress on his end?" Shachi asked, scanning the sidewalk for the thousandth time, looking for anything of interest.

"Maybe. Last time we called him, he said that Basar had been pretty excited to hear that we would be working with him." Penguin sighed then grunted when June flopped across his back. "Are you serious right now?! Do I need to chain you to the railing to keep you still or something?"

"No, this is fine." June mumbled into Penguin's shoulder; she could feel the heat of the sun that had soaked into his tank top.

She missed the rest of the crew. Even though she had Shachi and Penguin to keep her company with their bad jokes and stories from their years on the sea, June still found herself missing Blake's cooking, Ikkaku's company.

Waking up to see Law getting dressed across the room with a playful smirk brightening his face.

The Heart Pirates had been split. While Shachi, Penguin, and June had been sent to Rocky Port for the first part of the plan, the rest of the Hearts remained on Jaya. Law was working on gaining Basar's trust by claiming to be interested in joining forces with the hidden goal of gleaning information on the upcoming ambush. Each night they would update each other via transponder snail though so far, the recon group had little to offer.

Penguin sat up, causing June to roll off his back onto the roof again with a dull thud. "Cut it out, it's too hot for you to be laying on me like that."

"Can you imagine if we had to be out here in our boiler suits? I think we would've died of heat stroke on the first day." Shachi commented, pulling his hat lower over his eyes. June wondered if she'd be able to trade him something for his sunglasses, anything to dim the blinding scenery around them.

June would totally consider letting Shachi cop a feel of her tits for like five seconds in exchange for his sunglasses.

"I'm pretty sure I've still lost twenty pounds in sweat." Penguin lifted his binoculars to his eyes again then scrunched his eyebrows together, leaning forward toward the edge of the building.

"Hey, Shachi. I have a business proposition for ya." June turned over onto her side to look at Shachi.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Pink." Penguin interrupted the potential trade.

"Huh?" June shot up, mimicking Penguin by leaning over the edge. Her eyes scanned the street below them, searching. "Do ya see him? Where is he?"

"Oh! There he is! Wow, you weren't kidding about that hair." Shachi pointed at the street corner. "He's walking toward the town square. So, what's the plan? Are we following him?"

June spung to her feet then shook the stiffness from her legs. "Y'all wait here, I'm gonna go catch up to him. If y'all go with me, there's no way I'd be able to get close enough to talk to him."

"Wait, talk to him? That's why we've been staring at this damn street while we cook under the sun?" Shachi sputtered.

"You know the captain has rules against you going off on your own." Penguin talked over his shoulder to June.

"Just trust me! If you're so worried then follow, but ya gotta keep a large distance." June jogged over to the fire escape near the rear end of the roof. "Don't tell Law! He'll have a conniption and probably burst a vein."

She had already started rushing down the ladder before Shachi and Penguin could respond though she could hear their flustered shouting when her feet touched the ground. June broke out into a sprint, running in the direction of the town square. Her head swiveled on her neck, searching for a hint of pink amongst the crowd of people leisurely strolling up and down the street.

Her heart was pounding in time with each slap of her feet against the stones, nervous energy filled her as she tried her best not to think about how this was their one shot at saving the citizens of Rocky Port. Ahead of her, June spotted pink hair held back with a garish lime green bandana bobbing across the street. June hastily crossed the road ahead of her target then ducked into a nearby alley between two shops. She worked to catch her breath, peeking out of the shadows while waiting for her opportunity.

The marine's eyes were pointed to the sky, like he was listening for something that had caught his attention; June hoped that Shachi and Penguin were far enough away that they wouldn't jeopardize her chance.

Just as he began to pass by the alleyway entrance, June's hand shot out to grab onto the sleeve of his white shirt and roughly tug him toward her into the shadows. The marine let out a loud yelp and before he had a chance to speak, June pushed him against the wall then planted her hand firmly against his mouth.

June prayed that she could convince him to listen to her for at least a handful of minutes.

"Coby." June whispered. "I'm a friend of Luffy's, I'm hopin' you'll listen to what I have to say."

Coby's eyes widened comically; his lips moved against June's palm. "Yuff fru uv Ruffry?"

June pulled her hand back with a disgusted grimace then rubbed her palm against the front of her shirt. "Yeah, kinda. Sorry to surprise ya like this."

Confusion spread across Coby's face, June wondered if he had even noticed that he couldn't hear or sense her even with his exceptional Observation Haki.

Coby's eyes danced between June's then narrowed with confusion.

There he goes. June thought amusedly.

"Y-you're not—" He stuttered. "I can't—" Coby seemed to be having a hard time getting the words out over his stumbling tongue. "It's like you're dead but you're obviously alive."

"You're not the first one to tell me that, actually." June sheepishly kicked at the ground with the toe of her shoe. "We needed to talk and because people can't sense me, I figured I'd be the best one to approach ya."

"What do you—" His eyebrows pulled inward momentarily before bouncing up toward his hairline. "Wait, you're June! You and Trafalgar took Luffy from Marineford!"

"He's doin' great by the way." June interjected.

"Why are you here?!" He whispered harshly. "You know who I am, right? If you and the Heart Pirates are here, I can't help you if you've come to stir up trouble."

June grabbed Coby's sleeve to pull him deeper into the alley, she hoped that the dark cover hid them well enough from the street away from prying eyes. After a final cursory glance out onto the street, June spoke. "Alright, what I have to say is gonna sound ridiculous but it's completely true. In three days, a hundred pirates from Jaya are gonna be led by a guy named Basar to rampage through this place and burn it to the ground to send a message to the World Government. We're here 'cause we wanted to warn ya so y'all can get everyone off the island."

"Captain 'Nitro' Basar?"

"Oh good, ya know him already."

"This is a trick, right?" Coby's expression shifted into one of suspicion. "Somehow you know about my friendship with Luffy, and the Heart Pirates are using that to trick me and stage their own attack."

June's head lolled back to stare at the sky, a frustrated groan fell from her lips. "That doesn't even make sense, Coby."

"Well, there has to be some sort of angle you're working here. I have a hard time believing the notorious Trafalgar of the Heart Pirates is willing to give an anonymous tip to the marines just because he's a nice guy."

After pulling her head into a more neutral position, June landed a displeased frown on Coby. "Hey now, Law can be kinda nice sometimes."

Coby crossed his arms across his chest, answering June's frown with one of his own. "I'm already doing you a favor by listening to you because I believe you when you say you're friends with Luffy; which is more than most pirates deserve by the way. Make me believe the rest of it."

June opened her bag to pull out a wrapped hard candy, taking a moment to mull over what the right thing to say would be while she popped the strawberry ball into her mouth. She held out another wrapped candy to Coby who looked at the offering incredulously before shaking his head. June shrugged and threw the candy back into her bag then closed the zipper with a note of finality.

Despite spending almost a year amongst pirates, lying was still not a skill that June had mastered. The best she could do was withhold information and blunder through a few minor white lies here and there but this was a situation that June could confidently say that she wouldn't be able to clumsily manipulate. Unfortunately, honesty might be the best option here; thankfully Law wouldn't hear anything she was about to say.

Hopefully.

"We want the list of the scientists who worked with Doctor Vegapunk on the MADS program."

The air seemed to have been punched out of Coby's lungs. "Ex-excuse me?" He wheezed.

"And we're pretty sure we can find what we need in the marine base here. But it'll be a little difficult to get the info if Basar burns down the whole place along with the documents."

"How do you even know all of this?! I don't even know about any of that! But more importantly, why the hell do you need to know anything about it?!" Coby was beginning to look increasingly frazzled; June almost felt bad about the stress she was putting on the poor boy's heart. Unfortunately, shaving a few years off his lifespan through pure stress was just going to have to be a necessary casualty in order to get what Law needed.

June felt like she was on the cusp of pulling him in, he just needed a little more pressure.

"Has X Drake made it to Wano yet? Do ya know about SWORD?" June asked nonchalantly, looking at the sky. She saw Shachi and Penguin's heads duck back over the roof above her; she was definitely going to be getting chewed out by them after this.

Coby made a sound deep in his throat that sounded like a gasp mixed with a choke; June ignored him when he began to cough violently into his fist. "I'm gonna assume that's a yes. So, ya see, lettin' Law get that list is gonna be the first step in topplin' Kaido and his whole empire so it's actually very important that we get that information so we can get this whole plan movin'."

"Stop! Stop!" Coby took a deep, shuddering breath to compose himself. "Who are you? You can't just be walking around with all this information like it's nothing!" He whispered fretfully.

June turned the candy over in her mouth then smiled slyly. "I'm just June. I can see the future."

Coby clutched his forehead with a whine. "I feel like my head is about to explode."

"I really am sorry to unload all this onto ya but I need ya to believe me. There will be an attack in a few days, and you need to get everyone off the island or else it's gonna get ugly."

Coby sighed, appearing to have become immensely exhausted within the span of a few minutes. He leaned back against the wall behind him and rubbed his hand wearily down his face. "I don't know how you expect me to manage all of this. It's not like I've got a high rank, I'm just a petty officer."

"You'll figure it out, I know ya will. You've got a lot of guts, Coby; I saw that at Marineford. That's why I knew you'd be the right person to come to."

A faint blush pinked Coby's cheeks, he averted his gaze to the ground; June could see shame bury itself into his eyes. "That was nothing. I just couldn't handle watching anyone else dying for no reason when the fight was already over."

"It's the same thing now, a lot of people are gonna get hurt for no reason if I can't convince ya to help me."

Coby chewed on his lower lip for a few seconds, June watched him turn the information over in his head. He sighed with an air of reluctance, meeting June's anxious gaze. "I guess I'll have to believe you. Even if you're lying, I can't exactly ignore a tip like this and obviously you know a lot more than what you've just told me."

June laughed. "Oh man, I really do wish I could tell ya everythin' that's gonna happen, but I can't risk changin' anythin' more than I already have."

"Why do you need to break into the base anyway if you could just as easily tell Trafalgar what you know? I'm sure it'd be a lot easier, and you wouldn't have to get involved in any of this."

June hummed thoughtfully, crossing her arms. "That's true. But the thing is, I can't just make shortcuts for him. He's gotta find his own way, all I can do is nudge him in the right direction. I coulda' told him everythin' at the start but then we wouldn't've saved Luffy and Jinbei at Marineford and Law might've gotten in serious trouble goin' to the New World too early. Plus, where would that leave Rocky Port if we weren't here?"

"I suppose that makes sense." Coby answered absently, still looking fairly overwhelmed. "You haven't told anyone about X Drake and SWORD though, right?"

"Why would I? I don't wanna jeopardize anythin' that happens in Wano."

"What's going to happen? Will everything play out alright?"

June pantomimed locking her lips and tossing a key over her shoulder with a smirk.

"Can I at least assume that we've got allies with some pirates?"

"You can at least assume that some of y'all's goals align with some of ours." June answered vaguely. "Movin' on from that though, do ya think ya can help us sneak in to get what we need?"

"I can't just break you into the base, June. It'd go against everything I am as a marine to help out a pirate like that."

"Come on, Coby. We really need—" June began to argue but was cut off by a wave of Coby's hand.

"But, of course, I wouldn't be able to help it if later on tonight I left the base with someone who could access those documents and you happened to see said person."

June was stunned into silence for a moment before a wide grin spread across her face. "Right. No one could blame ya if somethin' like that happened."

"That would be a shame, wouldn't it?" He mumbled, watching the street. His eyes followed the people laughing and walking, people who were enjoying the summer heat without a care, unaware of the potential danger they were in.

"I know I'm askin' for a lot here, but I promise I'm not tryin' to deceive ya."

"I can at least tell that much. I don't need Haki to see that you've been telling the truth, at least mostly."

The conversation lulled; June sucked on the tiny sliver of strawberry candy in her mouth. She wondered if Law was staying out of trouble on Jaya.

Coby broke the silence. "You should leave first; I need a moment to work through all this."

"Sure, but I should give ya our number just in case somethin' goes turnways." June pulled a pen out of her bag then smoothed out a wrinkled candy wrapper on the wall. After jotting down Shachi's snail number, she passed the scrap over to Coby who apprehensively pocketed it.

He pulled out a notepad and gestured for June to hand over the pen. He scribbled down a series of numbers on a paper then tore out the page, handing it over to June. "I can't believe I'm doing this, but this is my number. Please call if you hear anything. I'll do my best to convince my superiors to get everyone off of Rocky Port."

"Be safe, Coby. We'll do our best on our end too." June started walking toward the street then paused and turned around to see Coby still leaned against the wall rubbing his temples. "I'll leave ya with one thing though, Luffy's gonna make quite a ruckus in Wano."

"Of course he is. " Coby chuckled tiredly. "He's Luffy."

June laughed brightly then jogged out onto the sidewalk to make her way back to where she left Shachi and Penguin. But before she could walk around to the back of the hotel to climb the fire escape, she was pulled into a different alley between the hotel and a bookstore. She stumbled over a bag of discarded trash and was roughly lifted up by a set of hands. June instinctively swung her fist out to strike the person grabbing her.

"Woah!" Shachi ducked to avoid the hit. "Shit, June! Chill out!"

"Well don't go grabbin' me like that, ya ass!" She pushed his hands off her shoulders.

"Very funny when you literally just did the same thing to that guy over there." Shachi scoffed.

"Whatever, Shachi!" June said childishly. "I just fuckin' made this whole camp out worth it."

"June-ya."

June froze; she felt a pit of dread form deep in her stomach. Penguin held a transponder snail featuring Law's familiar tired eyes and irritable scowl in front of her face. She glared at Shachi and Penguin then whispered harshly. "Y'all actually told on me?!"

"Did you run off on your own to talk to a marine and reveal the whole reason for us being here?"

Law's very correct accusation bounced off the bricks surrounding them followed by a stifling silence that gave June a reason aside from the heat to sweat.

"Because it sounds like you just came back from running off to talk to a marine about the information we needed from the Rocky Port base." Law continued; his voice cold. "I sent you there because you told me we needed to follow a specific man so we could get into the base and you were the only one who could identify him properly."

"Well, you see—The thing is—" Just sheepishly stuttered.

"Out with it, June-ya. I don't have time for this."

She sighed, there was no use trying to worm her way out of this one. "Yeah, I talked to Coby. I was pretty sure he was gonna be here so I figured I would wait for the right moment to approach him. He's a friend of Luffy's so he was the best option for gettin' everyone off the island."

The transponder snail's eyes narrowed.

"Also, he said he'd point us in the direction of someone we can use to sneak into the base." June hastily added.

"So, you lied to me."

"No! I didn't lie." June looked down at the ground, pushing a small rock with her shoe. "I just withheld some information that I felt you wouldn't approve of."

She tried her best not to think of the other truths she had been hiding from Law out of fear of his disapproval.

"I hope you know that if this falls through, it's on you." Law said bitterly. "I also hope you know that lying to me is never a smart move."

"Seriously, June. How could you trust a marine with something like this?" Penguin scolded her.

"You better know what you're doing." Shachi grumbled.

"Just trust me on this, guys. I know exactly what I'm doin'" June reassured them with a smile.

Except she didn't; she had less than a clue. All she could do was make decisions based on what she did know and hope that everything would end up good in the end. She could hope that she was making all the right moves, hope that by the end of it that Law would get everything he needed and that all the people of Rocky Port would be safe but there were no actual guarantees. This was nothing like Sabaody or Marineford where June knew exactly what to expect. This was something significant that happened that was almost a footnote in the series, something that happened and sent ripples throughout the lives of everyone in this world but was only mentioned in two or three measly sentences.

June had no idea what she was doing, but neither did Law; they were finally on almost equal footing when it came to what they could see in the future.

"When we link up again, you're going to be knocking the barnacles off the submarine and polishing the hull until it shines even at the bottom of the ocean." Law spoke before abruptly ending the call.

June let out the breath she was holding then gave another withering glare to Shachi and Penguin before storming out of the alleyway.

"Hey! Don't get mad at us, you're the one conducting your own operations!" Penguin shouted after her, following June back to the fire escape.

"And you lied to the captain." Shachi tsked. "Terrible move."

"Whatever." June huffed, mounting the iron ladder. "I'll shine all the submarines in the Blue Seas if it means that we can pull this off."

"Hey," Shachi stopped June in her ascent. "What was that business proposition you were talking about before?"

"Oh, that." June let one hand loose from the railing to look down at Shachi. "I was gonna let ya feel me up for a few seconds in exchange for your sunglasses."

Shachi's jaw dropped then snapped shut with a click. "Are you still interested in doing business? I guess I'd be ok with parting with my sunglasses for a while." He said nonchalantly.

June stuck her tongue out then turned back around to start her climb. "I don't deal with snitches." She felt a twinge of smugness at her pettiness.

"There's not as much there, but you could try mine out, Shachi." Penguin teased.

"Fuck off, Penguin." Shachi huffed. "I can't believe I got blocked by a marine. Just another thing to hate the government for."

Night had draped across the scenery of Rocky Port, languidly spreading itself from sea to sky and replacing humid heat with chilled breezes. Rocky Port looked different under the light of the moon, elongating shadows from tall buildings and muting the bright white bricks into dusky gray.

Something was happening in the marine base. People were leaving the building whispering nervously to each other, looking over their shoulders with fear as if they were worried someone was listening in.

June could only assume that Coby's news was making rounds. And since there didn't seem to be a frantic search of the city for a hidden group of pirates, June also assumed that Coby was keeping quiet about where he got his information from.

"Something's up, everyone's on edge." Penguin suddenly broke the silence on the roof.

"Do you think Coby started trying to convince his superiors to get everyone off the island?" Asked Shachi.

"I think so. But I'm guessin' they ain't goin' for it and based on how jumpy everyone is, I'm thinkin' there was a pretty big argument about it." June sighed.

"Should we do something about this? Maybe call the captain?" Shachi suggested.

"Ugh, no. I don't feel like hearin' him gloat about it." June waved her hand dismissively. "Just give Coby a chance, he's very tenacious."

"June, we should really—" Shachi started but was interrupted by Penguin.

"Shut up you two. Coby's coming out with someone."

Coby held the door open for a woman who looked less like a marine and more like a librarian. Her dark hair was pulled back into a tight bun, her eyes held a perpetual glare despite the friendly smile she gave Coby. She didn't wear the usual marine attire but instead was dressed smartly in a blouse and high waisted business slacks. Coby looked up to the sky as he walked out onto the street then made direct eye contact with June from her perch atop the hotel. She could see him tilt his head toward the woman before turning his back and following her down the road.

"I think that's our cue, boys." June stood up, stretching her arms to the sky then dropping them to her sides.

"I can't believe we're getting help from a marine of all things." Shachi complained, following Penguin and June to the fire escape.

"It just makes me feel so dirty." Penguin shuddered. "I don't think any amount of showers is gonna make me feel clean after this."

"Quit y'all's bitchin' and be thankful we got a lead at all." June started climbing down the ladder. "Also, feel free to sing my praises to Law after we bag a way into the base."

"Right, right. And get stuck with you and your punishment? Hard pass." Shachi said blandly.

"More glory for me then!" June replied smugly.

They slunk down the fire escape and quietly followed after Coby and the woman. Shachi, Penguin, and June darted between the shadows, trailing the duo's steps down the street, around a corner, then three more for twenty minutes until they reached a simple house with blue paneling and a humble flower garden.

They watched Coby wave off the woman from the sidewalk while she unlocked her door then step inside her home. Lights turned on in the windows, sending fingers of light into the dark that stretched out to reach for the corner of a building Shachi, Penguin, and June hid behind. Coby turned to walk in the direction of the corner, his shadow dancing on the road before him. The pirates ducked around the corner; Coby followed shortly after.

"Thanks for this, Coby. So, how's she gonna help us in?" June asked in a low voice.

Shachi puffed out his chest, staring down his nose at Coby. "Yeah, Coby , how's she gonna help us?"

June bumped Shachi's hip with her own, sending him stumbling backward behind her. "Sorry about that. Seems like manners ain't somethin' Shachi here picked up on any of the islands we've been to."

"It's fine." Coby laughed nervously. "This is a little bit of a weird arrangement."

"Yeah, and we all want things to come out well for everyone. Right?" June gave Shachi a pointed look; his cheeks colored slightly then he averted his eyes to a fascinating streetlamp. "Anyway, go on, Coby. We're all ears."

"First, before I tell you anything, I want to be sure that nothing bad is going to happen to Mai."

Penguin huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Come on man, what kind of pirates do you take us for?"

"I dunno, the kind associated with someone from 'The Worst Generation' who holds the title 'Surgeon of Death'?" Coby answered sarcastically.

"We promise nothin' is gonna happen to her." June affirmed sincerely. Coby nodded, he looked to Shachi and Penguin for their answer. June stepped back between the two men and gave them an encouraging slap on their backs.

"We promise." They grumbled simultaneously.

"See? Friendly." June beamed.

"For some reason, I'm having a hard time believing you." Coby muttered, fiddling with the glasses on his forehead.

"Come on Coby, we've already started makin' moves. I know that you've started tryin' to talk to people. Everyone comin' out of that buildin' tonight was lookin' like they'd seen a murder."

"I tried my best, but they just weren't listening to me. They said they can't trust my source because I couldn't name them, and they were pretty loud about that." Coby sighed. "I'll try again tomorrow but it's going to be a fight convincing them to evacuate the entire island."

"Is there anythin' we can do to help out on our end?"

"No, I don't think so unless you have any new information."

"Sorry, nothin' new since this mornin'."

"So, what about this Mai lady?" Penguin interjected. "How's she gonna get us inside? Does she have a key or something? Does she know about any of this?"

"No!" Coby shouted. His eyes widened then darted up and down the empty street to see if anyone around was listening; Coby's voice bounced off the stones before fading away. He leaned in close and dropped his voice low into a whisper. "She knows nothing, and I want it to stay that way. If someone were to find out about you all, I want to be the only one who gets punished. Mai works in intelligence and helps sort through information gathered by different sectors of the marines and government. She has access to the deepest floors of the base where I'm pretty sure the documents you need are filed. If you could somehow grab her card, maybe at night after she goes to bed, sneak in, then bring it back before the sun comes up, I think that'd be the best way in for you."

June blinked, absorbing and digesting the plan. "Wow, you've put a lot of thought into this."

"Yeah, man. I didn't expect you to come through for us like this." Shachi added, impressed.

"Well, I need to pay you back for the tip you gave me but also, and I don't know how, but it seems like the information you need will be playing a big part in some important events in the future." Coby pointed a single, trembling finger at them. "Just don't make me regret this."

June patted Coby's shoulder. "Of course, we're gonna—"

The group jumped when the sound of a ringing transponder snail interrupted them.

"Oh, right. We're late for the check-in with the captain." Shachi pulled out the singing snail from his pocket.

"T-Trafalgar?" Coby stuttered. "I should go."

He hastily turned to walk away but June caught his sleeve, pulling him back toward the group. "Nah, ya should stay. Maybe Law has somethin' new ya might need to know, he's over in Jaya right now keepin' an eye on Basar."

Shachi picked up the receiver, holding the snail out with his arm between everyone. "Hey, captain. We're here with Coby, how's it going?"

There was a pause, the snail's eyebrows pulled inward in a perplexed fashion then relaxed. "Ah, marine-ya. It's good you're here, we'll be able to move quicker this way."

"Quicker?" Coby asked, looking to June for clarification but only found confusion mirrored in her own face.

"Is somethin' up, Law?" June asked.

"Yeah, someone talked and now Basar is moving up his attack to tonight." Law spoke bluntly. "Apparently he has a contact in the Rocky Port base that clued him in. I managed to get a two-hour head start but he's already gathered his forces and is on his way."

"Fuck." June groaned; she could feel the nauseating chill of panic punch its way into her gut. "Law, the marines ain't evacuatin' the island. What're we gonna do?"

"Damn idiots." Law grumbled. "Hold on a second, let me think."

Penguin leaned his forehead against the brick wall behind them, muttering curses about bureaucratic processes. Shachi glared at the stars, tapping his foot impatiently while he waited for Law to speak their next steps. Coby looked like absolute death, the color had drained from his face; June was hoping that he wouldn't vomit on her shoes.

Law pulled the group from their individual panics. "We're going to launch our own attack before Basar does."

"Wait, I thought you promised that you weren't going to do anything like that!" Coby shouted frantically at the receiver.

"You misunderstand me, marine-ya." Law's voice was even. "We don't have time to sit on our hands and wait for your superiors to get their heads out of their asses so we're just going to push them along before Basar can get there. We'll cause some property damage, that's it. And June-ya, while we do that you'll sneak into the base and get what we need."

"Alone?" She squeaked.

"Of course not, you've proven that I can't trust you to not get into trouble when left alone." Law retorted snidely. "Tell me you've got a plan to get inside that building."

"Coby just led us to a woman who we can steal a key card or something from to access the lower levels of the base." Penguin answered.

"Good. June-ya, you'll be taking Bepo with you."

June hummed for a moment, scrunching her face up in mock consideration. "Uh, Law. Not to outright call your plans dumb or anythin', but won't a bear in a marine base be a bit conspicuous?"

An unsettling smirk spread across the lips of the snail. "Don't worry about that. Anyway, meet me at the south side of the island in about an hour and we'll go from there."

Law terminated the call, leaving the group feeling like they had suffered a serious case of whiplash. They looked at each other, waiting for someone to make the first move.

"Coby, do ya think ya could meet us near the base in about an hour?" June looked to the marine who was looking more green by the moment.

"I can't believe this is happening." Coby ran a stressed, trembling hand through his hair, letting out a shaky breath at the same time. "I'll see you in a bit. I really hope you all know what you're doing." He spoke before taking off in the direction of the Rocky Port base.

"Let's head to the meeting spot, the captain will be landing soon." Penguin announced decidedly as he began to walk in the direction of the rendezvous point, June and Shachi followed after.

He was like the moon.

And since June was a night owl, she felt like they got along relatively well despite the bickering.

Sometimes, she felt like they were complete opposites. She was impulsive, crude, and could be read like an open book while he, like the moon, kept large parts of himself sequestered away. But when he decided to show himself, he shone as bright as any star in the sky and with a more dazzling light. He had his shortcomings of course, he wasn't perfect; he sported craters that had pockmarked his spirit. However, in those imperfections June saw his beauty and strength.

June felt that would be an excellent way to describe Law; elusive, flawed, but bright enough that she often had to squint when she looked upon him. And just like the moon, he sometimes seemed close enough to touch while other times June felt as though she needed to throw a lasso around him to pull him close.

Throughout his waxing and waning phases she would wait, sometimes impatiently, for him to reveal himself. The worst parts were when his phases erased him from her sky altogether, her pangs of longing and frustration would become overwhelming. After all, how could she be sated by a sea of stars when she had already experienced the full glory of the moon and felt his light fill every imperfect crack of her heart.

He was a mystery.

June could confidently say that she rarely knew what was happening in that wonderfully amazing mind of his, but she knew for a fact that he was usually occupying hers. His presence was always there in the back of her head, slipping between the clouds of her thoughts. But there would be gaps where his light would shine through and she would have to take a minute to stare up in wonder.

The moon provided a security that she had never allowed herself to feel from anything else.

And yet, the moon was not hers. How could anyone lay claim on something so important? Sure, she could plant a flag in a small patch of dust and rock, declare that she had been there and had come to know him intimately. But from a distance, who would even know that she had left a miniscule mark?

Sometimes she wondered if it was a blessing that he felt so untouchable because every night is temporary. Each night eventually gives way to the morning and erases dreams, fantasies, and most tragic of all - the moon.

Law marched across the gang plank, followed closely behind by the Heart Pirates. The crunching of their boots across the dirt and rocks broke the silence of an otherwise still night. After all the pirates had walked onto land, Goby hastily pulled the gangplank up and back into the Polar Tang before darting back inside to submerge once again, hiding the vessel underneath the dark waters.

The moon was full and high in the sky, lighting their path as they quietly wove their way through backstreets to the town square. The air was tense, June could feel the crowd around her gearing up for a war. She struggled to keep up with their long-legged strides filled with the determined pulse of a steady familial heartbeat. For every step they took, June found herself taking two, creating a disjointed rhythm that mirrored the anxious thrumming of blood in her own veins.

The Heart Pirates' eyes were locked forward, unwavering in their faith in their captain's guidance. June's own eyes wandered to the sky, taking comfort in the glow of the moon before landing her gaze on Law who led the parade. His shoulders were pulled back, his stance proud, the gentle white rays of the moon danced across the skin of his neck and seemed to shine off him.

He had brushed past June without a word when he had disembarked, eyes focused on his goal. In this lull before the storm, June found herself in awe of him once again. She wondered what he was thinking, if he felt the same uncertain fear that she felt. He was obviously still irritated with her but June still felt comforted having him guide her through this night.

The moon had descended onto Rocky Port, and the island was powerless to fall into his orbit.

They arrived in the town square, the gentle tinkling of falling water from the grandiose fountain was the only sound to be heard in the sleeping town. The falling streams caught the light of the moon, reflecting stars into the night; June closed her eyes and made a wish, one full of hope that all their plans would go without a hitch and everyone would return home unharmed.

"Everyone scatter, but stay near here. Wait for me to return then we'll make our move." Law's low voice carried across the square. He turned to face his crew, their rapt attention solely on him. "Bepo, Shachi, Penguin, June-ya, lead me to this woman that marine-ya showed you."

"Aye, captain." The pirates answered with a salute then separated to hide in the shadows leaving the selected few behind to guide Law to Mai's home.

When they reached the home, Law dropped the bag he was carrying to the ground, a muffled clang and rattle came from the fabric sack. He bent to the ground to remove a set of heavy chains along with a sturdy lock.

"You're gonna chain her up?" June asked. "That's a bit overkill for someone like her, don't ya think?"

Law didn't answer, keeping his back to her while he stood up. He held the chains out to Penguin who accepted the items without a word.

"Wrap these around Bepo. When you're done, we go inside."

June was baffled, watching Bepo stand still as a statue while Penguin and Shachi wrapped the chains around him in looping coils, securing them in place with the lock.

Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin followed Law up the steps to the front door, June jogging after them. Law summoned a room, swallowing the house in a blue light. He pulled out his sword and with a few easy motions, punched the knob and lock from the door leaving behind an almost perfect hole. There was a clatter on the other side of the door when the metal knob met what sounded like a hardwood floor.

Law pushed open the door, walking inside the unlit home. Moonlight filtered in through the windowpanes, scattering across the floor and resting on hanging potted plants around the living room.

"June-ya, with me." Law commanded, taking confident steps toward the hallway. June followed after, watching him open every door he passed searching for Mai.

A bathroom. A coat closet. A second bedroom.

Finally they reached the end of the hall, he opened the door unceremoniously and was met with the click of a revolver pointed straight at his face. There was Mai, with tears beaded at the edges of her severe glare, her jaw trembling. She had changed into a nightgown with her hair decorated into a braid, the gun in her hand was rattling in her unsteady grip.

Law smirked and with a twist of his wrist, he switched the revolver out with a tulip from the front yard.

Mai gasped, dropping the flower and stumbling backwards to catch herself on the nightstand behind her.

"Nice try, but that's not going to work with me." Law chuckled. "I admire the tenacity though."

"What do you want from me?" Mai's voice wobbled. She sniffled, a single tear ran down her cheek and dropped off her chin to soak into her gown. "Are you here to kill me?"

"We're going on a trip to the base, so we should probably get you dressed for work." Law finally looked to June then. "How about you help her out, June-ya? And while you're at it, pick something out for yourself." He walked back out into the hallway, holding the doorknob. "I'll give you both some privacy, but if I hear any rough housing, just know that it won't end well. She may not look like it, but June-ya has a pretty powerful right hook."

Law closed the door behind him with a faint click. Mai's glare slid over to June who met her stare with a meek smile. "Ya might wanna hurry, he's not the most patient guy."

Mai walked on shaking legs to her closet, throwing open the louvered doors with enough force to make the shutters quiver. June averted her eyes when Mai roughly pulled her gown over her head, catching a brief glimpse of a bare back before becoming enthralled with a small porcelain seal on a nearby shelf. June listened to the rustling of fabric, flicking her eyes over to the closet occasionally to make sure Mai was only working on getting dressed.

When Mai was finished, choosing an outfit much the same as earlier, June picked through the wardrobe. She selected a simple blue dress, pulling the article over her tank top and shorts then layering her bag atop that.

"Where's your keycard?" June asked.

"In the drawer." Mai answered.

June pulled out the card, a simple white rectangle of plastic with a black bar on the back. She unzipped the front pocket of her bag, dropping the keycard in, then zipped it shut. "Is there a passcode that goes along with it?"

"Seven-three-five-one." Mai spat each word with disgust.

June nodded then walked over to the bedroom door. Her hand reached out for the knob only to clench into a fist, she turned around to look at Mai once more, guilt weighing heavy on her shoulders. "Everythin' will be alright, Mai; you just gotta do what Law asks. It may not seem like it, but we're tryin' to help y'all out tonight."

Mai scoffed, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. "Empty words from pirates who broke into my home to hold me hostage."

June sighed, gripping the knob behind her.

For the greater good, or whatever.

On the other side of the door was Law, leaning against the wall. He looked June over and nodded approvingly at her outfit then met eyes with Mai. "Follow me. And not a word out of you or else you won't like how I keep you quiet."

They followed Law back out into the living room where Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin stood patiently in the entryway.

Mai gasped, tripping over her feet. "Is that a bear?!" She yelled, scrambling backwards to escape past June back into the hallway. June grabbed her shoulders, turning Mai back around and guided her to stand in front of Bepo. "Don't worry, he's friendly."

"What did I say about talking?" Law admonished her, slight amusement evident in his tone. "And that's my navigator. You'll be getting to know him very intimately soon."

"Hi, I'm Bepo." Bepo greeted her with a toothy smile.

Mai shuddered.

"This is the plan: once we're done here, June-ya and Bepo will go to the base and get what we originally came here for. I will go back to the town square to begin our attack. Shachi and Penguin, you'll stick with Glare-ya here until June-ya and Bepo are able to meet us." Law motioned for Bepo to step up next to Mai then leaned down to speak directly to her. "I want you to listen very carefully, Glare-ya. Do as I say and you'll walk away as if nothing happened and be able to go back to business as usual. Nod if you understand me."

Mai nodded.

"And June-ya." He turned to face her. "I'm only sending you because you know what to look for. Nothing extra. You've proven yourself to be untrustworthy already and I don't like surprises. Now, is there anything else you're hiding from me before I send you out?"

June looked between his amber eyes, shrinking beneath his icy stare. She picked at the skin of her lower lip with her teeth nervously as she thought again about all the truths she had withheld from him out of fear of the repercussions.

She shook her head, slowly.

Law's eyes narrowed, there was obvious mistrust there. June took a second to grieve over the fracture between them she had inflicted.

He straightened up, placing one flat palm on Mai's chest and a fist holding his sword by the scabbard on Bepo's. "Let's get started then."

Something shot out of the backs of Bepo and Mai before snapping back quicker than June could process. Their bodies stiffened for a moment then relaxed. Bepo grimaced and frowned, his tongue traced his teeth then he gasped. He looked down at himself, panic etching itself onto his face.

"I–You–How is this possible?" Bepo's voice whimpered, flexing his paws under the chains binding him.

Mai shivered, she lifted her hands in front of her face and curled her fingers then pinched at her blouse. "How do you all keep warm like this? Is this why humans wear so many layers?"

June's jaw dropped. She was beginning to see Law's plan show itself in a mind-bending fun-house of horror style that June was beginning to associate with Law.

"Glare-ya." Law spoke to Mai who was currently residing within Bepo's body. He pulled back his room with a smug grin. "You'll understandably be with us for a little while, unless you're fine with being stuck like this."

"I don't!" Bepo exclaimed, waving Mai's hands in front of Law's face. "Look at these things! How do you even lift anything with them?!"

"You'll figure it out." Shachi answered with a snort.

"Bepo, I need you to focus on what I need you to do, which is stick with June-ya. This is only temporary." Law sighed.

Bepo stared at Law through Mai's glaring, watering eyes. His pouting lip shook, he went the extra mile to add a pitiful sniffle to his kicked puppy-dog façade.

Law grimaced with poorly concealed disgust. "That's not going to work while you have that face." He turned to June and pointed the hilt of his sword in her direction. "Take Bepo to the base and get what we need. Meet us in the square afterward, we'll be convincing the marines to evacuate the island with a little force."

"Wait, you're just trying to evacuate the island?" Mai asked, her chains rattled when she stood straight from looking herself over. "What in the hell are you doing here?"

"Don't worry about it, just do what the captain says and you'll be fine." Penguin responded.

"Guess we should head out then, Bepo." June stuck her hand through the hole in the front door to pull it open. "Good luck, y'all. We'll be back soon."

"Nothing extra, June-ya. Just stick to the plan." Law's tone held a thinly-veiled warning within it.

June averted her eyes to the ground, nodding. She followed Bepo out of the front door and led him toward the marine base in silence, feeling thoroughly shamed.

"June, hold on! I can barely walk in these!" Bepo's voice called out from several feet behind her.

She paused then turned around, apparently in her internal turmoil she hadn't noticed that she had left Bepo in the metaphorical dust. He was walking as quick as he could in the heeled boots he wore but every few steps had him stumbling. June jogged back to Bepo and threaded her arm through the crook of his, helping him balance as she led him down the street.

"Your hips are too stiff, Bepo. Ya gotta loosen them up a bit." She bumped her hip against Bepo's, encouraging him to allow them to naturally swing with his steps.

"Let's just get this over with, I'm ready to be back in my body again." Bepo whined.

"June? Mai?" Coby jogged from the entrance of the base to meet them halfway down the road.

"Not exactly." June's voice pitched up nervously.

"Hi, I'm Bepo." Bepo released June's arm to stand up straight, he bowed slightly in a polite greeting.

"I didn't think you'd be alright with this, Mai."

"Not Mai, Bepo. He's the Heart Pirates' navigator." June explained. "Law switched their consciousnesses so Mai is in Bepo's body and so on."

Coby stared at Bepo, stunned. "Your captain can do that?"

The ground rumbled beneath their feet, their eyes looked to the sky above where the town square was located. High in the air were floating chunks of building, street, and perhaps a fruit cart or two. They watched on as stones, brick, and wood began to swirl in a mesmerizing dance. The fountain June had wished upon hurled itself into the clock tower that stood watch in the center of Rocky Port. The fountain knocked jarringly into the large bell at the top, shattering into pieces and denting the bronze bell with an ear splitting clang.

No doubt, the city was awake now.

June looked to Coby then, rubbing her aching ears with a frown. "Seems like he can do a lot of surprisin' things."

"He's…terrifying." Coby spoke, eyes still trained on the flying bits of concrete that were being thrown in a calculating way down empty streets and into empty buildings, sending clouds of dust and rubble high into the air.

"Don't let him hear you say that, ya might make his head fat." June rolled her eyes. "Coby, we need ya to show us how to get to that filin' room."

Coby nodded, dazed then led the group into a sprint toward the base, passing half-dressed citizens leaning out of their windows with wide-eyes. As they approached the front doors to the base, June could hear marines shouting, scrambling to put on their uniforms and grab their weapons. Dozens of bleary eyed soldiers spilled out of the door to race past them. June, Bepo, and Coby squeezed through the crowd to make it through the entryway.

A mountain of a man with a shining bald head and his uniform jacket thrown over his pajamas stood in the middle of the hallway, screaming orders at the men running around him like confused ants. "Squad B, get your asses in gear! I want cannons rolling out now! Tila, get your men in line and out that door!" Based on the tassels and medals adorned on his wildly gesticulating arms, June was pretty sure this man was at least a Captain, maybe a Commodore.

Coby ushered June and Bepo toward the far wall, away from the scrambling marines to inch carefully toward a hallway near the back of the room.

"Coby! Do I see your sorry ass trying to run away from a fight?!"

Coby let out a startled squawk then grabbed hold of June and Bepo's hands, leading them in a sprint into the hallway, angered shouting followed them down the corridor demanding Coby come back or face a brutal punishment.

"Wow, Coby. He sounds worse than the captain when we're in trouble." Bepo looked over his shoulder to see a steaming red face staring at them from the end of the hall.

"I can't exactly let him see June though." Despite the firm tone of his voice, June could see that Coby looked close to a heart attack. "We're almost at the elevator. I'll have to leave you there to work on getting everyone off the island."

He led them through a series of twisting hallways, squeezing them by crowds of marching marines and captains yelling orders into their snails until finally they reached a set of metal doors. Coby punched the down button then leaned forward to balance his hands on his knees to catch his breath. June shifted her weight nervously, waiting for the doors to open.

Bepo awkwardly held his arms out as if he were about to take flight, the sleeves of his blouse clung to him. "You humans sweat too much, this is awful."

Ding!

The doors opened, revealing a modestly sized elevator covered in stainless steel paneling.

"You'll be heading to the lowest level. Good luck June, Bepo. I hope you're able to find what you need." Coby waved them off as they stepped onto the elevator.

"You too, Coby. Thank you for everythin'." June smiled.

"Stay away from that big guy with the red face, he was kinda scary." Bepo said while waving.

Coby chuckled. "I'll do my best."

When the doors closed, June pressed the button reading B10. A light began to flash with a shrill, high-pitched beep next to a card reader and a keypad by the selection of floor buttons. She pulled out Mai's keycard from her bag then punched in the code, silently thankful that she had thought to ask for it before leaving Mai's home.

The elevator lurched, unlocking itself to drop at a speed that had June's stomach jumping up into her throat.

Or maybe that was just the nerves.

"Do you know what to look for?" Bepo asked.

"Yes, but also no." June tapped her foot on the ground impatiently. "If their files are split up into sections, it could be under 'MADS' or 'Scientific Research' or 'Doctor Vegapunk', even 'illegal' or 'disbanded'. I'm just hopin' that their filing comes with a Dewey Decimal System or somethin'."

"A what?"

Ding!

What lay beyond those silver doors was a small room with a single, metal door at the end. Bepo and June approached the door apprehensively, expecting to trip an alarm or perhaps drop into a comically deep pit with spikes at the bottom.

"What's that?" Bepo pointed at an odd, backlit glass screen jutting out from the wall next to the door.

"It kind of looks like…" June leaned in close to the screen. She pressed her finger experimentally onto the top of it.

The blue light flashed red and a loud horn blared through the room in warning causing June to jump backward away from the screen. She looked up to the ceiling to meet eyes with a security snail which was no doubt streaming footage of the room somewhere.

"Fuck. Bepo, put your thumb on the screen, I think this is a fingerprint reader."

Bepo quickly placed his thumb on the glass; the lights flashed green and the faint click of the door unlocking echoed through the small room. June grabbed the handle and pushed the door open, rushing in.

"We need to hurry. Hopefully everyone is too busy with Law to come down here right away."

Lights flickered on above them, revealing towering shelves filled with boxes overflowing with cataloged treasures, weapons, and papers. The room was massive, packed tightly with contraband that would sell for hefty prices to black market dealers or desperate, war torn countries.

June's eyes looked above her to see large signage labeled F.37 - G.5; she hoped that this meant everything was stored alphabetically rather than by some foreign filing system.

"Bepo, you head that way and look for anythin' labeled 'MADS' or 'Lineage Factor'." She pointed toward the right of the room. "Grab anythin' you can find, we'll sort through it later on the Tang. I'll head this way and see what I can find over there."

"Aye!" He saluted before running off to disappear into an aisle, June could hear his boots clomping gracelessly across the floor while she hurriedly made her way down an aisle labeled 'B.21 - C.8'.

Her eyes scanned the boxes surrounding her. She muttered the words on the labels aloud, sweat began to bead on her forehead. Her ears twitched at every sound that reverberated through the room, fearing the arrival of marines through the door at any moment.

"B. B.67. No. Shit." She muttered, running further down the aisle. "B.94. C. C.12." June stumbled over her feet, skidding to a stop. Her hands gripped three large filing boxes at the front of the 'C' section and ripped the covers off. Her clammy fingers thumbed through the tabs, searching. Papers scattered across the floor around her, unwanted documents were thrown over her shoulder to clear her line of sight for the one set she desperately wanted.

June groaned at the empty box before her then dented the cardboard when she roughly kicked the box away. She pulled the next one to her and began the process again.

Paper fluttered in the air, sailing to the ground, her shoes left track marks on the clean sheets. She had begun to wonder if she was searching through the wrong section when she finally found a green tab toward the back of the box. June pulled out the file and let out a shaky laugh.

Caesar Clown.

June pulled the stack of papers from the file and shoved them into her bag, crumpling the documents into an untidy ball. Even if they couldn't find anything on MADS tonight, June figured she could at least allow this one shortcut if they hit a snag in their mission tonight.

"June! I found it!" Bepo called across the room. "Let's get out of here and meet up with the captain!"

The loud screech of an intercom activating echoed through the room, June winced at the pain it caused to her already aching ears.

"Citizens of Rocky Port!" Coby's grainy voice came through the system. "Pirates are attacking the island and more are on their way! Hurry to the docks and we will evacuate the island! This is an emergency, don't pack anything and come straight away! Ships will be leaving in thirty minutes!"

Bepo skidded around the corner of the aisle. "We gotta leave!"

BANG!

The door to the room kicked open, June heard several sets of boots rush into the room.

June ran toward Bepo and grabbed his arm, pulling him to the end of the aisle to hide behind an endcap.

"June? Was that you I saw on the cameras? I never thought I'd run into you here of all places!" A voice called out into the room, it sounded vaguely familiar but she couldn't quite identify it.

"Who is that?" Bepo whispered.

"I don't know." June answered, peeking around the corner while pulling on her gloves. Two marines wielding rifles had entered the aisle, pointing their guns straight ahead. "Follow me, quietly."

She led Bepo through the next aisle over, tiptoeing their way down. June held out her arm to stop Bepo then motioned to have him grab the shelving next to her. She waited, looking through the slats, timing her next move. When the marines were lined up with the shelf, she and Bepo pushed with all their might, toppling the shelving over and causing a domino effect.

The men screamed as they were crushed underneath the heavy shelving, trapped. Several other shelves clattered to the ground, sending boxes flying and creating mayhem.

"They're over there!" Another voice shouted from the other side of the room.

June and Bepo ran down the aisle only to encounter into another group of three marines. June ducked low, sliding into the legs of one of the men and toppling him over. Bepo leapt high into the air, landing a flurry of kicks onto the second man.

The third fired his gun, grazing Bepo's shoulder.

June tucked her legs in to catapult herself from the floor to land an uppercut into the jaw of the third marine, knocking his jaw shut with a crunch and rendering him unconscious. Bepo grabbed the rifle from the man on the ground then swung the butt into his head.

They stepped over the unconscious bodies, making their way to the exit.

The click of a revolver stopped them.

June turned around to meet gazes with a set of stormy gray eyes, she could see sand-colored hair tied into a messy ponytail beneath a marine cap.

"Amon?" She blurted out, unsure if what she was seeing was real.

"Good to see you, June. Seems like you and your pirate friends are still great at creating messes." He spoke with a hate filled grin.

"You know him, June?" Bepo asked warily.

June swallowed dryly. "He's from Waffle Still, he's the bartender's son."

"Was from Waffle Still, that place is nothing but a pile of blood and dirt now. You and your crew ruined everything! Because of you, everyone is dead!" Amon shouted, pointing his revolver at June. "I only made it out because I was outside of that fucking birdcage! If you hadn't come, that asshole Doflamingo would've gotten what he wanted and left!"

He was too far away for June or Bepo to make a move. If they took one step closer, Amon would fire; June held her hands up placatingly while looking around the room for something she could use. "Amon, we didn't know that would happen. I can't begin to understand what you've been through, but you have to realize we didn't have anythin' to do with it. The Birches led Doflamingo there."

"Do you know what it's like to hear your friends, your family scream while they're cut to ribbons? I don't think I've slept since then. I'm lucky that Basar and his crew found me, even luckier that they decided to pick me up."

"So you're the informant?" Bepo accused, eyes widening.

"I am. When I heard Basar's plan, I wanted to help." Amon declared proudly. "Fuck the government! They're the ones who put those pirate maniacs in positions of power and let them do whatever they want! What did they think was going to happen?! A warlord system?! Are they fucking insane?!"

June spotted a shelf precariously balanced near Amon. If she could just knock over the one next to her, it could fall over into him and Bepo and her could escape. She just needed to keep him talking.

"I agree. It's a very flawed system, we also wanna see it disappear." June spoke, inching her way slowly to the shelf. "But why join the marines then? Why be a part of the system?"

Amon glared at June. He pointed the gun at the ground near her foot and fired, hitting the concrete floor. June screamed and jumped backward into Bepo who caught her in his arms.

"Don't move." He warned darkly. "I joined specifically for this night, to feed Amon information and help him with his plan. After he burns this place to the ground, we'll set out and keep tearing down bases until there's nothing left."

"What's the point of hurting other people like you've been hurt?!" Bepo exclaimed. "What about the families living here?!"

Amon looked to Bepo then and tilted his head to the side. "You know, I'm surprised to see you here, Mai. You've always been the straight-laced type." He pulled the hammer back on his revolver. "I can't allow you to leave here and tell everyone about me, that'd ruin our plans so I'll just have to kill you now. I'll be taking June back with me to use against that traitor, Trafalgar." Amon aimed his gun at Bepo. "Sorry, Mai. Just know it isn't personal."

There's a theory that time slows down when someone is in a critical situation, when life or death is on the line and adrenaline is pumping through their blood. It's been speculated that the perception of time doesn't slow, but instead the brain begins to go into overdrive, allowing a person to take in more information and make quicker decisions.

In this moment, June felt it.

She saw Amon's pointer finger flex, pulling back the trigger of his gun. The resounding blast sounded muffled, distant. June reacted without thinking, pushing Bepo to the side against the wall. She felt the bullet pierce her abdomen, the burning, searing pain that bloomed within her.

Her vision went white momentarily before the dark bled in. Stars exploded in her eyes when her head hit the floor.

There was a scuffle.

She absently heard the noises of an altercation, another gunshot, more struggling and then–-

Silence.

Her vision blurred, locked on the ceiling. A single, swinging lightbulb shone brilliantly and reminded June of the moon. Comforting, strong, ever present in her mind.

Something eclipsed the moon, a voice called out to her.

June just felt tired.

Maybe a nap would make her feel better.

They're late.

That was the only thought that ran through Law's mind while he knocked back another wave of marines with broken cobblestones.

The Rocky Port citizens had all evacuated and he could see Basar's ships beginning to pull into the harbor. The marines' own ships had put up a valiant fight, shooting their cannons at the three large ships but had ultimately been torn to pieces by massive explosions.

Law couldn't wait much longer. Soon Basar and his army would land and the Heart Pirates would have a separate situation on their hands.

Where were Bepo and June? How long did it take to find a few measly documents?

"Surrender, Trafalgar and we'll consider going easy on you!" A marine commander shouted through a snail, amplifying his voice.

Law laughed. Rocky Port looked like a giant chunk had been ripped off it by an army of giants, if he handed himself over he'd never see the outside of a prison cell in Impel Down.

He switched the cannon balls shot at him with the rubble in front of the commander, explosions shook the ground and sent marines flying backward. He watched the soldiers roll on the ground, groaning.

A separate explosion lit the harbor north of the town square aflame.

Law sighed, he was too late. Now he'd have to deal with the mess June and Bepo had left him in.

Commanders barked orders, the marine forces split with half of them running north toward the harbor. Around Law, he saw his crewmates knocking marines back but leaving them mostly unharmed. That had been something Law made clear to everyone. When the Heart Pirates fled, the marines would be left to deal with Basar and his pirates so they would need to leave the opposition disoriented but able to fight.

Sometimes Law could be kind.

"Everyone, we've got trouble to the north! Get ready!" Law shouted.

"Aye, captain!" His crew responded.

Pirates began to spill into the square, shouting their war cries with weapons held aloft their heads. Leading them was Basar, an unsettlingly pleased grin splitting his lips. When a group of marines ran at him, aiming their rifles, he lifted a fist sized piece of stone from the ground and threw it.

"Boom!" Basar shouted.

The stone exploded in the faces of the marines, sending the grunts flying a large distance away.

Law grimaced; this ability seemed like a headache to deal with.

"Trafalgar! I've got a few words for you!" Basar shouted over the fighting, all around him pirates collided with marines, pushing them back and cutting them down.

"Lend aid to the marines!" Law shouted to his crew.

"Aye!" They shouted, moving in on Basar's pirates. The Heart Pirates began to mow down Basar's crew, Jean Bart led an impressive offensive start by lifting a group in his massive hands to throw at a wall.

Basar frowned, he began to march over to Law. "I just wanted to talk but if you want to do it that way, then I won't argue!"

He slammed his hands onto the ground and shouted, "Blast!" A long line of light began to shine through the cracks between the cobblestone, reaching out toward Law. Explosions ripped through the stones, sending shrapnel through the air; Law switched himself with a plank behind Basar. While he was still crouched, Law swung his blade aiming for Basar's side.

Basar rolled away, throwing a handful of gravel into Law's face.

"Spark!"

The gravel ignited, snapping painfully against Law's skin. Law slapped his free hand on his face, wiping away the gravel and clearing the smoke from his vision. When he could see again, Basar had placed his hand against the building beside Law.

"Boom!"

Law looked up to see the building explode into a shower of falling brick. He threw his hand out and switched himself again with a boulder near Basar.

Who had anticipated the move.

Basar shot his hand out, his fingers grazed the lip of Law's hat. Law's eyes widened, his hand flew up to grab the cap to throw it aside.

"Boom!"

Law's fingers had barely let go of his hat before it had exploded into a blinding show of ash and fur. His fingers felt singed, he felt the punch of the blow up into his shoulder. Law grimaced, recoiling his arm to his chest.

Basar laughed uproariously. All around him, fire began to crawl up the buildings. The pirates and the marines appeared to be evenly matched with the aid of the Heart Pirates; what they had in strength Basar's crew trumped them in numbers.

"You can't beat me like that, Trafalgar!" Basar shouted gleefully. "Though I must admit, you almost had me there in the beginning!"

Law frowned, he was beginning to feel the fatigue from using his power too long. He knew that if this carried on much longer, he wouldn't have the energy left to switch Bepo and Mai back or make his escape.

He needed to end this, quick.

"Getting tired?" Basar asked cheekily, lifting another large stone off the ground.

"Not at all, just thinking about how shitty your plan is that it was derailed by a woman with an overactive sweet tooth." Law answered with a bored tone.

Basar's lips pulled back into a sneer, he reared his arm back like a pitcher and let his shot loose. "Boom!"

At the same time, one of Basar's pirates ran behind him. Basar's eyes widened, reading what Law's intention was.

"Shambles." Law flicked his wrist, switching the rock with the pirate. The explosion hit Basar in the back of the head, knocking him forward into an unsteady stance.

Law flew forward, sword pulled straight back. "Injection Shot!"

The hit landed squarely into Basar's chest. Law's blade fired like a gun, sending a shot into his target. Basar catapulted backward at a lightning fast speed, crashing into the flaming building behind him. He left a crater where his impact landed; after a tense second, his unconscious form peeled from the brick to crumple onto the street below.

There was a lull in the fighting, Basar's forces paused to stare in horror at their fallen captain. The marines roared with renewed vigor, using the opportunity to overtake the pirates.

Law recalled his room with a tired, but relieved, sigh then he pulled his crew south, away from the fighting and back toward where the grand fountain had once stood in the square.

"Captain, what do we do? June and, uh, Bepo haven't made it back yet." Tsu asked worriedly.

"We need to get out of here otherwise we'll be in trouble once the marines are done in the north." Law answered, staring down the street leading to the marine base.

"What if they're in trouble? Maybe one of us should go and see if something happened?" Uni fretted.

Law didn't have a chance to feel torn about his decision, a woman's voice punched through the fighting and the explosions with a hair-raising shriek.

"Captain! Captain! We need to get back to the Tang, captain!"

Bepo stumbled down the road, carrying June on his back. Law's heart dropped when he registered that Bepo was positively covered in blood. Law hadn't realized he had broken out into a sprint until he was already close enough to see June's pallid face. He reached out a trembling hand to feel the pulse on her neck.

Thready. Racing. Barely there.

"Captain." Bepo cried, tears falling heavily from his eyes. "He shot her. She pushed me away and, and–"

She felt so cold. Her honey eyes cracked open, the depth and warmth Law had become accustomed to seeing there was instead replaced with glassy hollowness.

"June!" Ikkaku gasped. "Please tell me she's alive, captain!"

Law could feel his breathing hitch in his chest, trapped behind his sternum. All he could think about was that the last thing he had said to her was that she was untrustworthy.

June tilted her head to the side to rest her cheek against Law's hand. He could feel her rapid, shallow breaths graze across his burnt fingers.

A switch flipped in Law's brain, the one that distanced himself from situations like this. The one that handed the reins over to the emotionless side of him so he could fix things and keep his crew safe.

"Bart, take her." Law felt like he had taken a back seat in his own body. "Ikkaku, call Shachi and have them meet us at the rendezvous point. Tsu, call Goby and have him surface the Tang."

While Jean Bart lifted June off Bepo's back, Law began tearing a long strip off the side of his shirt. With June cradled in Bart's hands, Law tore the front of the dress she was wearing and pushed up the tank top underneath to reveal a heavily bleeding gunshot wound.

He wondered if the bullet nicked an artery.

June's choked screaming when Law started pushing the strip of cloth into the hole rattled him. It was a disorienting feeling; it was almost as if he were floating above himself, watching his own hands working to pack the wound tightly. Once Law was finished, he pointed a crimson finger up to Bart. "Keep pressure on it, a lot of pressure. We need to staunch the bleeding until we get back to the Tang."

"Aye." Bart covered June's abdomen with a single hand and pressed down; she whimpered pitifully at the action. "Sorry, June. We gotta keep you alive until I can teach you how to play poker right."

"You called them?" Law looked at Ikkaku and Tsu who nodded. "Let's go."

Rocky Port passed in a blur. The Heart Pirates thundered through the island, ignoring every marine in their way. Thankfully, the battle to the north was still raging on which held the attention of the marines who would stare after the Hearts with exasperation before choosing instead to continue north.

When they reached the Polar Tang, Shachi, Penguin, and Mai were waiting, pacing in circles.

"Prepare to submerge! We need to move fast!" Law shouted. "Glare-ya, get over here!"

"What happened?! Why is my body covered in blood?!" Mai stumbled forward to stand next to Bepo.

Law didn't answer. He summoned a room and roughly planted his hands in the center of Bepo and Mai's chests, switching them back into their bodies unceremoniously and leaving a bloody handprint on Bepo's boiler suit.

Law and Bepo breezed past a horrified Mai who was left whimpering at the sight of blood coating her, she winced and gripped her shoulder.

"Get June-ya to the surgical theater!" Law continued to bark his orders while he walked through the entrance to the Tang, closing the metal door behind him. "Bart, keep pressure on until I say so."

Law followed Bart and Tsu down the steps and into the surgical theater. He gestured for Bart to lay June down on the table while he quickly gathered his instruments. "Tsu, hook her up to a vitals machine and start her on oxygen." Law rushed across the room with his table and positioned himself to the left of June to start an IV. "June-ya, what blood type are you?"

June mumbled incoherently in response.

Law gritted his teeth, finishing the IV by flushing it with saline. He felt the Polar Tang's engines rumble beneath his feet, the vessel shook as it began to sink into the ocean. Law stood up and reached over June to grab her jaw, facing her eyes towards him. "June-ya, what is your blood type?"

June's eyes crossed slightly, her eyelids fluttered. "A positive." She mumbled.

"That's not an answer, June-ya." Law growled. He looked up to the vital sign read out to see an absolutely dismal set of numbers; her blood pressure was bottoming out, her heart rate was elevated to compensate. "Tsu, grab me two units of S negative blood and hook her up to it."

Law picked up a set of scissors and set to work cutting off June's tank top and the rest of her dress, leaving her torso bare aside from Bart's hand and her bra when Tsu fearfully exclaimed. "Somethings wrong!"

Law looked to the IV site and saw that June's arm had begun to erupt in hives.

"Turn it off!" Law shouted, reaching for another saline flush. He disconnected June's IV from the blood and cleared the line. His mind raced, she needed blood. What could Law do if he couldn't give her any blood? "Hook her up to fluids. This adds another layer of urgency to this." Law decided, he pulled an antihistamine from the cabinet and slowly pushed the medication through the line while keeping a close eye on June's breathing.

Still clear. Still shallow. Still alive.

Law took a deep breath and summoned a room. He couldn't risk putting June under anesthesia like this and being unable to give blood only made the situation more dire. Law needed to move quickly, he needed to close the wound or else…

He didn't even want to consider the alternative.

The only option left was to push his stamina to the limit by using his power to perform this operation.

"Bart, when I tell you to let go, I want you to keep an eye on those vitals. If they drop, tell me. Tsu, I'm going to need another set of hands over here; I hope you have a strong stomach."

"Aye." They responded, weary apprehension evident in their voices.

Law pulled on a set of gloves and lifted his scalpel off the table, his hand shockingly steady despite how cold he felt.

"Let go."

She was like the sun.

And since Law spent a good portion of his life underwater, he typically wasn't the biggest fan of that specific celestial body. His first steps onto the deck of the Polar Tang after an extended stint hidden in the depths of the ocean came with a collection of his least favorite sensations.

The sun would zero in on his retinas and caused his pupils to constrict painfully, rendering him momentarily blinded by the unforgiving light and depending on where they surfaced, the heat would hit him next. Even though sometimes the Polar Tang could feel stifling, generally it was well climate controlled for The Heart Pirates' comfort so anything out of his realm of control, like the sun, took a fair amount of time for him to adjust to; and even then, he was never completely comfortable.

Law felt that was an apt description for June; blinding, uncontrollable, and with a baffling warmth that often left him feeling uncomfortable. And just like the sun, he would often look at her with narrowed eyes and an irritable scowl.

The sun is a beautiful thing despite the discomfort it may bring him. Her sunsets painted his sky with a warm array of colors that mesmerized him and pulled his stare until she disappeared below the horizon and marked the day as complete. After years of nothing but metallic grayscale scenery, Law had been blindsided by the sudden bright splash of colors that had invaded his steel home. He found himself wanting to soak in her sunsets and was surprised that he had become a glutton for the unnamed feelings her warmth and color sparked in his chest. Law wanted to pause her sunsets indefinitely and soak in the various pleasures of existence, to enjoy the heady laughter and thrilling freedom he hadn't experienced in years. The thought of allowing himself to live in those moments under the sun made him dizzy; Law had never allowed himself to live for himself but somehow, she had started to cultivate the seeds of possibility within him.

It both excited and terrified Law.

Law found that the sun had a knack for shining a light on the darkest, most hidden parts of himself; it frustrated him to the point of near insanity. Maybe it was a blessing that she sat so high in the sky, forever kept out of his reach. Law thoroughly believed that if she moved even an inch closer, he would melt or be reduced to ash underneath her searing touch.

Her sunrises had been fascinating to watch.

The gradual reveal of her full glory astonished him as he learned the different facets beyond her bright face and scorching rays. As stunning as her sunsets were with their explosive oranges and passionate reds, her sunrises were equally as awe inspiring with their dusky blues and solemn purples. Since the day she had arrived on the Polar Tang, Law had been fascinated by the sun's hidden faces. And even though a stray beam of rising light may snipe Law's eye and cause a momentary flash of pain, he had committed himself to learning each and every secret she could show him.

But sitting beside her hospital cot, Law realized that he had begun to take sunrises for granted.

He lived his life recklessly; being a pirate was an occupational hazard. And while on some days it seemed unlikely that he may live to witness another day, he always felt comforted that at least the sun would always rise again in the morning and warm the planet.

Law's days blurred together without the presence of the sun. He was listless, haunting his cold operating room in anticipation of another sunrise. His gaze remained locked on the horizon, waiting for a twin set of eyelids to flutter open and bless him with another new day full of promise.

Notes:

I don't do cliffhangers often, but when I do, I feel like I'm cruel.

This is what you all wanted after over a month of silence, right? A nearly 15k chapter ending in a cliffhanger?

I'd like to see more soul switching from Law though, it's a really neat power.

Chapter 20: Sunrise

Summary:

Law waits for the sun to rise and June is a lot more trouble than Law was ever prepared to deal with. He's pretty sure he hates her.

Notes:

Depression is a hell of a thing. I hit a low point for a bit there (I had expected it so I was prepared but still out of commission for about a month) but I've bounced back and am ready to write again! For a minute there, it was a struggle to even write out 500 words and every once in a while I'd be hit by a 2K sprint then nothing for days. But here we are, another monster for our enjoyment.

I hope you like a bunch of Law POV by the way because I got it in spades here. I'll be real with y'all, I teared up writing some of this. And other parts…well…I'll just let you find out. I'm getting too attached to these characters, for real.

Now you may be asking, "Ayeeelien, why the hell are you posting a 15k chapter? This is too much!" And to that I say, "Because I couldn't bring myself to break it down. It all just fit so nicely together. :)"

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Shachi stared absently at the Polar Tang's navigation console; he had been polishing the same spot for the past fifteen minutes. Round and round his hand went, the rag loosely clutched in his fingers circled a point on the console that was beginning to shine like a mirror he could clearly look upon his reflection in.

The mood within the Polar Tang had been tense and listless for the past five days. While the Heart Pirates were successful in their mission and had also managed to escape Rocky Port, there had been one casualty that had shaken the pirates deeply. June was still unconscious, hardly showing signs of waking up any time soon. The captain barely left the side of her bed, obsessively watching vital signs and monitoring for any changes. And Bepo, their poor navigator, was an absolute wreck. He blamed himself for what happened and seemed to be close to breaking down into tears at any moment.

Shachi felt like he was stuck in some sort of emotional limbo, and he wasn't the only one. While June wasn't an official member of the Heart Pirates, she had lived alongside them for a year. She was as close to a crew member as someone could be without a formal invitation from the captain so her being struck comatose above the Heart's heads felt much the same as if anyone else had been gravely injured.

In short, this sucked. Massively. Horribly.

Shachi missed arguing with June every morning about how she put hot sauce on her scrambled eggs and cayenne pepper in her coffee. Who else was he supposed to bicker with about meaningless shit without it turning into an all-out brawl?

If June didn't wake up soon, Shachi was going to wake her up and kick her ass himself.

Shachi jumped when his snail began to ring. He sighed then switched out the rag he was holding for the transponder snail in his pocket. He didn't know who would be calling at this time, there was hardly anything going on right now aside from waiting with bated breath for some sort of news.

"Good afternoon. You've reached the Knuckle Sandwich Delivery Service where our motto is 'The first one is just an appetizer'. Who can we help you feed today?"

There was a pause then a familiar but unsure voice came through the snail.

"Sorry, I think I might have the wrong number. I was looking for someone named June?"

"Coby! How's my favorite marine doing?" Shachi fell backward into the chair behind him with a smile, propping his feet up on the console.

"This is Shachi, right?"

"Who else? You didn't know that you had a direct line to the King of the Engines?"

"Right…" Coby made a poor attempt at hiding his rolling eyes. "I know that our alliance, or whatever you want to call it, ended when you all left Rocky Port but I wanted to make sure everyone made it off the island alright. After I got back, I found out there was an incident in the basement where Bepo and June were."

Shachi chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment, conflicting thoughts about whether he should spill the truth to Coby warred in his head. "Yeah, they were able to get what they needed and get out."

A breath of relief came through the snail. "That's good. I can't believe that one of Basar's men was able to infiltrate the marines and help set up that whole attack. Luckily, they have him along with Basar and his crew in custody. They won't be seeing the outside of a prison cell for a very long time."

"Good." Shachi grumbled spitefully. He was happy to hear that Amon would more than likely wither away behind bars, was ecstatic to know that Basar would be held accountable for what he did. "Sorry about the damage we caused, I'm sure everyone is breaking their backs to fix it."

"It's fine, it's better than having a pile of bodies to sort through. If you hadn't made a mess, I wouldn't have been able to keep the civilians safe. I wanted to call and say thank you for that, the Heart Pirates saved a lot of lives."

"Right. I'll let my captain know that at least one marine appreciates us." Shachi answered sarcastically.

Coby laughed heartily. "Is June around? I wanted to thank her personally, it's because of her all this happened after all."

"Uhh." Shachi popped his lips and feigned an airy tone. "I think she's with the captain right now going over the information they got but I'll let her know you called."

"Thanks." Shachi cringed at the bright smile on his snail's face. "Have her call me back at some point, I'm sure she'd like to hear how everything is shaping up over here."

"Sure…Look, I gotta get back to cleaning the navigation deck. Keep your nose clean, Coby. No more alliances with pirates."

"Don't worry about that. I think I've officially closed that exciting chapter of my life." Coby said with a laugh. "Bye, Shachi."

"Later."

The call ended and left Shachi feeling the small stirrings of guilt within his gut. What Coby didn't know wouldn't hurt him, but he still felt bad about lying. Shachi had faith in his captain's ability as a doctor and in June that she was obstinate enough that death wouldn't be able to hold her.

Shachi still needed to teach her how to properly eat her pancakes after all.

The beeping of a high-pitched heart rate monitor rang out in time with the rhythmic pulsing of the heart resting on the metal table next to the head of June's bed. Law counted the beats, watched the chambers squeeze in a fascinating show of physiology that both comforted and disquieted him. Despite the continuous, and seemingly effortless, work the heart was performing to keep June alive, Law couldn't help but feel apprehensive about looking away even for a moment out of fear that those chambers would still.

June's heart had stopped for approximately twenty-three seconds while laying on Law's surgical bed during her operation.

For twenty-three seconds, June had been dead under Law's hands. And during those twenty-three seconds, Law had frantically shouted orders for his minimally trained crewmates to slam medications through her IV line. And for twenty-two and a half seconds, Law massaged June's heart in his hands while sending measured electrical pulses through his palms into the organ with hope that he would feel those chambers clench and relax again.

When the atriums squeezed, when the ventricles compressed, when June's chest began to rise and fall again, Law realized just how dark the room seemed without June to brighten it and how terrified he was of living in a world covered in shadows again.

Law had been shaken by the experience. He thought about how it seemed that everything he cared about in this world was under constant threat of falling through his fingers no matter how desperately he tried to hold on. He thought about the people he had already lost, the people he feared losing, the person who had nearly disappeared if it weren't for his quick thinking and Devil Fruit Ability.

The shadows of the departed closed in on Law, the weight of responsibility ever looming over his shoulders.

He ordered Tsu and Jean Bart to not tell the rest of the crew what happened in the operating room, he didn't want anyone else to worry or feel responsible.

Law's own heart had jumped high into his throat and lodged itself near painfully against his windpipe, it had yet to descend back into his chest even five days later. Every breath felt stiff, food had been difficult to maneuver around the lump in his throat. Forget even attempting sleep, it had been near impossible due to the restlessness that came with the unreasonable urge to fix something he had no control over.

Logically he knew June was stable, that he didn't need to hover as much as he did, but the fear remained. He had tried to fill his time by raking through the files that Bepo had tearfully handed over after June's surgery.

The papers were still wet with her blood when he flipped through the manila folder; Law had swallowed dryly around the ever-present lump and set the file aside to dry. He hadn't been able to bring himself to revisit it until two days later and even then, it was difficult to make out the words through the rust-colored stains. Eventually he was able to decipher the words detailing intimate details of the MADS project. He poured over information chronicling the discovery of lineage factors and how it could be utilized for various mind-bending scientific breakthroughs.

Cybernetics. Gigantification. Cloning. Disease creation. Artificial Devil Fruits.

The science behind it all made Law's head spin and he wondered exactly what Doflamingo was doing with this information. He couldn't possibly be making his own Devil Fruits, could he? It would explain the containers of animal lineage factors the Heart Pirates had discovered on Waffle Still; but what would Doflamingo gain by creating Artificial Zoan Fruits?

Toward the end of the documents was a location specifying where Doctor Vegapunk and his team had conducted these experiments: Punk Hazard.

Law doubted there were too many facilities equipped with the proper machinery needed to continue this work. He suspected that whatever Doflamingo was doing, there was a very strong possibility that it was happening on this hidden island. Further down was a list of Vegapunk's team which included Vinsmoke Judge, Queen, and Caesar Clown.

Vinsmoke Judge was immediately stricken from Law's mind as a person of interest; there was a fraction of a percent of a chance that the ruler of the Germa Kingdom would work for someone like Doflamingo. And after reviewing Queen's work within MADS, it seemed as though he was more interested in developing devastating artificial diseases using lineage factor.

Law was fairly certain that Caesar Clown was his target, his potential gateway into Doflamingo's whole operation. And while Law should've felt excitement, he felt little more than gratefulness at the sacrifice June and Bepo had made for this information; whether the exchange that had been made was even worth it remained to be seen.

Now all he could do was impatiently wait for June to wake up and confirm if he was right.

Law stood from his seat to check how much artificial feed was left before it needed to be switched out for another bottle; it seemed to be running well through the nasogastric tube he had placed in June. While it was good that she was still getting nutrition and fluids, what she really needed was a blood transfusion.

Law had tested June's blood against all types of antigens with the hope of figuring out exactly why she had an allergic reaction, but what he found baffled him. June reacted negatively to every single blood type. And when he had gone so far as to put her blood under a microscope, he was shocked to see biconcave discs rather than the normal, flatter, target shaped blood cells that he had been expecting.

June couldn't receive blood because her cells were abnormal, different down to their very shape and how they function. It was just another mystery to add to the increasingly long list of questions Law had about June.

While Law checked over June's oxygen, his eyes wandered over her pallid face. He counted the freckles sprinkled over the bridge over her nose, his thumb swept over his favorite one tucked into the corner of her left eye. Law remembered how that freckle would crease whenever she smiled and tried not to think about how much he missed those smiles. June's eyelashes fluttered briefly, making Law's breath hitch with anticipation. When she remained still, Law let out a despondent sigh through his nose.

Every once in a while, he would see June's fingers twitch or her eyes contemplate opening and that's what kept Law hopeful. That's what convinced Law that June was still fighting to live.

What a stubborn, infuriating woman.

There was a double knock at the door, Law turned around to see Ikkaku and Uni let themselves in.

"Hey, captain." Uni greeted him, overly kindly in Law's opinion. Both of his crewmates approached him warily, as if Law would dart off like a scared animal if they made a sudden movement or loud noise.

He must really look rough if they were treating him like he was fragile.

"We haven't seen you in a bit." Ikkaku started, pointedly avoiding looking at June on the bed. "Thought we'd come and get you for dinner."

"I can just take it here like I have been." Law raised a single eyebrow at her, confused about exactly what they were getting at.

Uni and Ikkaku glanced at each other then looked back at Law. "Sure. But it might be nice to have a change of scenery, right?" Uni suggested.

Law was suddenly struck by how much of an idiot he had been. Not only had he failed June by putting her in danger and nearly lost her completely due to his carelessness, but he had completely abandoned his crew amid an emotional whirlwind. Morale was at an all time low despite their overall success and of course they would be looking to their captain to lead them through this.

Law ran a tired hand through his hair, no doubt making it stand more on end than it already was; he cringed slightly at the tangles that snagged on his fingers. Perhaps eating dinner with his crew and grabbing a shower before coming back to June's bedside wouldn't be the worst thing he could do. "Fine." He agreed reluctantly. "Let me just finish up here and I'll come down."

His heart clenched painfully, nearly cutting off his breath at the sight of Uni and Ikkaku's relieved smiles. The tension in their shoulders visibly melted away as they looked at each other with thinly veiled giddiness.

"Aye, captain! I'll go tell Blake to set a plate for you at your table." Uni excitedly rushed out of the room, leaving the door open behind him for Ikkaku who instead remained standing with her gaze locked firmly on Law.

"How is she?" Ikkaku asked softly, approaching the bed and finally allowing her attention to shift down to June. Law watched her twirl her fingers around one of the several corkscrew curls spread across the pillow beneath June's head. "Do you think she'll wake up?"

"She's stable." Law answered, fiddling with the tubing attached to the bag of saline above the bed. "Sometimes she moves in a way that makes me think she's about to wake up but then she just goes still again."

"What a tease." Ikkaku chuckled. "She's really good at keeping us on our toes, isn't she?"

Law scoffed. "That's one way to put it."

Ikkaku lowered her face to June's and placed a gentle kiss upon her forehead then whispered something Law couldn't hear against June's skin. Ikkaku straightened after a moment, wearing a tearful smile. She wiped her eyes with a sniff then looked back to Law with a smirk. "Alright, a watched pot doesn't boil. Let's go get some grub." She walked to the door, grabbing the knob then looked back at him. "Even you need a break sometimes, captain."

The door shut behind Ikkaku. Law could hear her slow footsteps retreat down the hall, fading away until all he could hear was June's breathing and the beat of her heart through the monitor. Law turned back to the bed and carefully rolled June onto her right side then shoved some pillows underneath her body to keep her in position; he could imagine the angry chewing out he would get from June if she woke up with bedsores.

Law brushed the hair out of June's face, traced a circle around his favorite freckle with his thumb. "I'll be back, wait for me." He reached for the heart on the bedside table, pocketing the organ before he walked to the exit. He spared a final glance to June then clenched his jaw, tearing himself away from where he wanted to be to go where he was needed with a decisive click of a shutting door.

Eighty-five.

Eighty-eight.

Eighty-four.

Law counted the beats of June's heart against his abdomen from where it rested in his hoodie pocket. He pushed pieces of chicken around his plate, occasionally lifting a bite to his mouth to swallow; it tasted like sand.

"Do you think I could fit my fist in my mouth?" Clione asked, considering his hand.

"No, it's physically impossible." Penguin answered, blandly.

The captain's table was crowded. Tables had been pushed together so people were crammed shoulder to shoulder on the benches, Law could hardly move his arm without accidentally elbowing Clione in the side.

Eighty-two.

"I think he can do it." Shachi added with a lopsided grin.

"Yeah, come on. Show us what you got." Locke egged Clione on, slapping a crumpled bill on the table. "I bet you won't be able to make it halfway."

"I think he'll just get stuck and the captain will have to fix him." Bepo spoke around a mouthful of food, spitting pieces out onto the table in front of him.

Eighty-six.

"If you get your fist stuck in your damn mouth, don't expect me to save you from your bad decisions." Law groused then ate another forkful of chicken.

Ikkaku tossed a bill of her own onto Locke's. "I bet he can do it, he's got a big enough mouth and maybe it'll finally shut him up if he puts a stopper in it."

"Rude." Clione curled his fingers into a fist in front of his face. "I'm gonna try."

"If you puke, you're cleaning it up!" Ridley shouted from down the table. "I'm not mopping up after you just because you're being an idiot!"

Ninety-five.

Law's eyebrows furrowed at the small jump but figured that he had just miscounted. He watched on with morbid interest as Clione began to stick his fingers into his mouth, making it to the knuckle before he started having trouble. The Hearts cheered him on, fists pounded on the table and money began to fly through the air as bets began to be placed. Law smiled for the first time in days at the ridiculous display, he could always count on his crew to lift his spirits when it felt impossible for him to pull himself out of whatever pit he found himself stuck in.

Ninety-three.

No, he had been right. It wasn't much of a jump but she was still within a normal range. It was expected that her heart rate would be a bit high due to the blood loss but Law would just check to make sure there were no changes after dinner.

Clione had somehow managed to fit another inch of his fist into his mouth. His face was starting to look purple, his eyes watering; Law hoped for his sake that he wouldn't vomit everywhere otherwise Ridley would leave him with a blackeye.

One-hundred eleven.

Law shot up from his seat, his crew stared at him with wide eyes. He tripped over the bench when he swung his leg over, stumbling into a run out of the mess hall and up the stairs back to the operating room. A series of unwelcome scenarios played out in his head. A hemorrhage. An embolism.

A death.

He focused on the racing beat in his pocket, faintly registering the racing crowd of footsteps following him. When Law reached the operating room, he inhaled a shallow breath and threw open the door only to feel the air get punched out of his lungs at the sight that met him.

"There's my hero." June croaked, she unsteadily pushed herself to sit up on the bed. Law's heart finally dropped back into its home in his chest and fluttered warmly. Butterflies, he remembered someone called this feeling once.

She held her arms up and open in an inviting gesture. A blinding smile stretched across her dry lips that crinkled the freckle in the corner of her eye making Law want to simultaneously trace his lips over the spot while also cursing her for putting him through so much stress he was pretty sure he had lost ten years off his life.

"C'mere Bepo." June rasped out a giggle.

Bepo pushed past Law to tearfully throw himself into June's arms, enveloping her in a tight embrace.

"Hey! Be careful! I'm not about to fix anything if you pop her stitches!" Law shouted when he saw June wince. His empty threat fell on deaf ears though when the rest of the crew piled into the room, surrounding the bed while chattering animatedly.

Law drifted around the periphery of the room. Moving from spot to spot along the wall every few minutes when his crew would move in such a way that he could no longer see June over their shoulders. His eyes were glued to her face, watching for signs of discomfort or pain but he only found joy. She jumped from conversation to conversation, giving each person a hug, a kiss on the cheek, or a weary but amused laugh.

"I'm telling you, June, I must have some magic powers 'cause you weren't moving at all until I came and planted one on you!" Ikkaku laughed heartily, clapping June on the shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm a regular Snow White." June joked playfully. "Couldn't ya have come and visited me sooner then? Maybe I wouldn't've had to take a five day nap."

"Who's Snow White?" Uni asked, leaning over Ikkaku to look at June.

"Oh, uh." June stuttered, seemingly flustered, then waved her hand dismissively. "Just some fairy tale story from home."

"Woah, do you think you could tell us some stories?" Shachi pushed his way to the front. "It'd be cool to hear ones we've never heard before."

"Maybe once I get out of this bed, yeah." June agreed reluctantly while picking at the sheets.

Law didn't know how much time had passed with him orbiting around June, held in her gravitational pull but never drawing closer. Eventually he spotted her stifling poorly hidden yawns behind her hand, obviously pushing through her exhaustion to continue speaking with the crew. Whether she was doing this to put their minds at ease or because she was being too polite to let them know she needed to rest, Law had no problem being the bad guy.

"Alright everyone, clear out." He ordered, quickly gaining the attention of the room. "I need to look June-ya over."

He was met with a chorus of groans and resistance.

Law retaliated without words but rather a convincing glare that had his rambunctious crew mumbling a series of half-hearted agreements as they shuffled out the door. Law held back Blake for a moment, requesting to have soft foods brought up in the morning for June so they could start weaning her off the artificial feed. When the room was empty aside from June and Law, the silence felt oppressive. June stared at him with an almost knowing smile; Law feared for a fraction of a second that she could read his thoughts and that she could feel the butterflies that whirled around like a swarm in his chest.

He cleared his throat and shifted into a business mode. That was something more comfortable, more familiar. Work, duty, responsibility .

June watched him move around the equipment; checking, measuring, resetting. And while he worked, he asked his questions.

"How are you feeling?" He asked while refilling the artificial feed. Law would forever be thankful that they carried bottles of the feed in a pharmacy on the first island they stopped at for medical supplies after Rocky Port.

"Exhausted, which is funny to me since I just woke up from bein' asleep for five days." She jested lightly.

"Any pain?" Law questioned while pulling up a pain medication into a syringe, already knowing what June's answer would be.

"Yeah, it's not unbearable but I'm feelin' pretty uncomfortable." June answered while adjusting herself on the bed, cringing slightly. She watched Law push the medication through her IV with an amused expression. "Look at you anticipatin' my needs. I'm gonna recommend ya to all my friends who get shot while infiltratin' government bases."

"Or, better yet, we could just avoid getting shot altogether." Law replied, keeping his eyes on the plunger of the syringe as he slowly pushed the medication into June's veins. When he heard her sigh with content, he couldn't help but allow his lips to quirk upward at the corners with satisfaction at her relief.

Law could feel June's eyes follow him through his motions, watching him curiously with half-lidded eyes that showed the fatigue begin to overtake her.

"Ya look like shit." She whispered while he pulled his stethoscope out of a nearby drawer.

"Well, you're not looking so well put together either." He dismissed her, putting the earpieces into his ears. "Hopefully we can start weaning you off the oxygen tomorrow, maybe even pull out the nasogastric tube if you can tolerate some food."

"Hey, Law." June croaked, her voice sounded muffled to Law's plugged ears.

He ignored her.

"I'm going to listen to your lungs now then have a look at your stitches. You'll need to get more rest tonight so I won't keep you up much longer." He reached forward to place the diaphragm on June's chest, focusing on her steady inhales when he heard the distracting rumble of her garbled voice through the stethoscope.

"Law, hold on a second."

"Stop talking, I can't hear."

June's hand covered his own, gripping it gently to guide the diaphragm in front of her face. He heard her quiet whisper travel up the tubing to caress the inside of his head.

"I need ya to turn off for a minute. Talk to me."

He finally met her gaze then, faltering under her sweet, honey gaze. Law reluctantly pulled the stethoscope out of his ears to set onto the table and slowly lowered himself onto the seat positioned next to her bed. He waited patiently for her to speak, nerves beginning to stir within him.

June blinked slowly at him then gingerly turned herself onto her left side to face him head on; Law wondered when she had begun to see through him clearly as if looking through air.

"Tell me what happened."

And if he was made of air, he could feel himself thinning. His mouth felt dry, the dinner he had forced himself to choke down twisted angrily in his stomach. Law's fists clenched in his lap, his nails dug deep into the skin of his thighs through his jeans.

"You died." Was that a slight waver in his voice? He was pretty sure he could feel himself disappearing into the still atmosphere around them.

June closed her eyes and hummed after a strangled moment. "I see."

"That's it? 'I see'?" Law was dumbfounded, he wasn't sure what he had expected but it hadn't been those two monosyllabic words.

"Well, it's not like I would've known I died. Honestly, I'm surprised I've made it this long. When I first came onto the Tang, I was pretty sure I would be dead within a few months." Her eyelids lifted to look at Law once again. "Ya seem to be takin' this a lot harder than anyone else. I just wanted to be sure you're ok."

Ok? Him? Ok?

Wasn't she the one in the hospital bed? Wasn't she the one with a stitched up hole in her gut? Wasn't she the one who had passed on from this world for twenty-three seconds only to be brought back miraculously and landed into a coma for five days?

And she was asking him if he was ok?

"Fuck you." The words punched out of him, full of sudden rage. "Do you even know the trouble you've caused? How much I–" Law cut himself off, biting into his lip to staunch the words from tumbling out.

How much I worried about you?

"I did cause quite a mess, didn't I?" She had the audacity to let out a giggle that sounded like gravel tumbling through her throat. "How'd ya do it? Bring me back, that is. I was in pretty rough shape."

Stunned, Law was struck dumb and stunned. He numbly pulled June's heart out of his pocket to show her the organ beating rhythmically in his palm at a wonderfully steady pace. June reached out to grab her heart, pulling it close to turn over in her hands with fascination. Law realized he would've been fine with her putting that heart back in its home, cradled in her chest where it was supposed to be. He wondered why exactly he had held onto it this long, why he hadn't returned it months ago.

"I guess it makes it easy to do what ya need to do when ya have easy access." She surprised him again when she placed the heart on the bedside table, nudging it closer to Law. "Ya should hold onto it. Obviously ya handle it better than I ever could."

Law didn't know what to say to that. He felt like he had been given permission to guard over something priceless, something completely precious that he had no right blemishing with his touch.

"You scared me." What was he doing? Trafalgar D. Water Law doesn't admit to fearing anything. This woman had an innate knack for loosening his tongue and stirring up emotions that had no right to be kicked up like dust, blinding him and clouding his senses.

"I'm sorry." June mumbled then broke out into a cheeky grin. "How about ya forgive me though and I promise I won't jump in front of any more guns."

Law scoffed. "Never. As if you could ever stop getting into trouble."

"It's not my fault, I think I'm a magnet for it or somethin'." June hid a yawn behind the back of her hand. "I think it adds to my charm."

"Something like that." Law murmured with a smile. "I think I'll go now, catch a shower before bed. Get some rest, I'll be back in the morning." He moved to stand but was stopped when June's hand suddenly shot out to grasp onto his own. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry, I just…" She pulled his hand closer to cradle against her chest, appearing uncharacteristically sheepish and unsure. "Please stay, I feel better with ya nearby. Ya can go if ya want but I just–"

"I'll stay." He settled back into his seat, returning her grip with a comforting squeeze of his own. "Just for tonight though."

"Ya spoil me, captain." June curled tighter around his arm. "I won't be upset if ya leave when I fall asleep, just by lookin' at ya I can guess that ya haven't seen your bed for a good minute."

"Shut up and go to sleep. The faster you drift off, the quicker I'll be in my own bed."

June hummed a tired agreement, allowing her eyelids to close. Law felt those damnable butterflies swirl happily within his chest again while he affectionately ran his thumb over June's jaw.

He hated this woman.

A knock was what woke Law. He groaned lowly and turned his head on the sheets underneath him to face the opening door and see Blake walk through the entryway with a plate of food.

"Oh! Captain. I didn't think you'd be here." Blake looked visibly surprised to see his captain evidently waking from his slumber in his seat next to June's bed.

Law's bones creaked and popped as he lifted himself to a sitting position in his chair. He tilted his head from side to side, stretching the tensed muscles of his neck and back that screamed their displeasure at him having fallen asleep in a hunched position. June was still wrapped around his arm, Law's palm cradled her warm cheek in a gesture that appeared almost loving to an onlooker.

Law's face heated, embarrassment evolved into a flare of irritation. "She was scared, so she asked me to stay here last night."

"Aye, captain." Blake answered, an annoying flicker of what seemed to be understanding in his eyes. "How lucky we are to have such a caring captain like you to lead us."

"Shut up, Blake." Law claimed his arm back from June, shaking the feeling back into the limb until it tingled with pins and needles. Blake met him with a booming laugh that began to stir June awake with a tired sigh.

Law was sure of it now, he hated this woman. But watching her eyes flutter open, seeing her bleary gaze meet his own with a familiar warmth that doused him from head to foot, he couldn't help but feel thankful that his wish was granted.

Another sunrise to greet the world with a day full of promise.

June's skin was beginning to unbearably itch with restlessness.

Days.

It had been days already since June had woken up and Law wasn't budging on letting her out of the bed for longer than fifteen minutes every few hours to walk around the room.

Now she understood Law's rationale. Because June couldn't get that blood transfusion she so desperately needed, it was easy for her to get winded from just walking at a leisurely pace from the bed to the door and she found herself needing to take sitting breaks often.

But she had already been weaned off the oxygen, lost the feeding tube on the first day of her being fully awake. Her stitches looked beautiful; her wound was healing wonderfully. June didn't even need pain meds anymore to manage her discomfort. She should at least be able to go down to the rec room or walk across the hall so she could look at a different set of bland, monochromatic walls.

No, says the scowling hard-ass captain, you need to improve more before I'd feel comfortable letting you move around the sub.

June was pretty sure she hated Law right now.

However, the thing is, Law wasn't present at all moments of the day. So, June waited semi-patiently for her moment to figuratively pounce on her chance for a jail break.

Oh, ye of little awareness. The schemer thought to herself while watching the captain mill around the room from her seat on the hospital bed, if only you knew that this chicken will soon fly the coop and taste sweet freedom.

"I don't like that look on your face." Law narrowed his eyes suspiciously at June.

"What look?"

"That one." Law gestured his hand vaguely toward her. "That look is rarely followed up by anything I approve of."

"You're fuckin' rude, ya know that?" June feigned an irritated frown, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ya shouldn't go around sayin' ya don't like how a lady's face looks."

"I'll be sure to remember that next time I see one." Law quipped back with a smirk. "Right now, though, all I see if a mischievous child looking to get into something they know they shouldn't."

June's jaw dropped with an indignant gasp. "E-fuckin'-'scuse me?!" She shouted. "I am such a lady!"

Law chuckled, turning back around to finish putting away the wound wash he had used to clean June's stitches. "Show me some proof and I might change my mind."

"Whatever, punk. I don't need your damn approval." June pouted. "Just remember I'm still the eldest here, ya should be more respectful."

"Physically, maybe. The jury is still out on mentally." Law closed the drawer with his hip then turned around to lean back against the counter.

June landed what she hoped was a scathing glare on Law. But the harder she screwed up her face to convey her irritation, the wider the damn grin on Law's face grew until June could barely see him through her squinting eyes and her cheeks hurt from the deep frown she had pulled her lips into.

"You look stupid." Law finally said after almost a minute.

"Ugh!" June exclaimed and threw herself back onto the bed, pulling the blankets over her head.

"What are you doing?" Law asked through poorly concealed laughter.

"Takin' a nap! Ya can't harass me while I'm asleep and I don't need to take this abuse!"

June heard Law approach the bed, he pulled the blanket down just enough to reveal June's still glaring eyes. "Are you done with your fit?"

"I dunno, are ya done bein' a bastard?"

"Not even a little." He answered smugly.

"Well then, I guess ya have your answer." June tried to pull her blanket back over her head but met resistance that kept her from disappearing Law from her field of view. "Whaddya want? I'm tired."

"We're landing at the next island in about an hour and I'll be going ashore to help restock our medical supplies. I should be back by lunch to bring up your food."

"Fine." June answered curtly. "Say 'hello' to the sun for me."

"I'll be sure to pass the message along." Law rolled his eyes and flicked the blanket back over June's head. "Enjoy your tantrum."

"Don't worry, I will!" June called out.

She heard Law walk his way over to the door and switch the light off before leaving. A devious grin split June's lips. All she had to do was wait, freedom was so close she could barely keep herself from jumping out of the bed. And thus began the dreary task of counting the minutes until it was safe for her to make her move.

At ten minutes, June could feel the excitement buzzing unbearably through her veins.

Thirty minutes had her fidgeting restlessly in bed.

When forty-five minutes had rolled around, she could hear the engines of the Polar Tang whirr until the submarine breached the surface of the ocean to dock at the island.

Sixty minutes was a struggle. June was close to jumping out of bed and putting her head through the wall out of agitation when she heard the crew stomping up the stairs to disembark.

Finally at ninety minutes when the hallways had quieted and June was sure that everyone who had gone ashore was far enough away that she wouldn't be seen, June all but leapt out of her bed and shambled her way to the exit. She poked her head out of the door, looked up and down the still hallway for any potential witnesses to her crime. Seeing no one, she began to make her way to the staircase, stumbling over her pajama pants every few steps but catching herself against the wall.

June hugged the wall for balance, determined to make it to those stairs, willing her weak legs to stay upright to prevent a fall; a concussion would be a struggle to explain to Law when he came back. When she finally reached the ascending staircase, June paused. Staring up those thirteen steps had her feeling somewhat daunted. These stairs might as well have been Mount Everest, but June would not be swayed. She gripped the handrail tightly, pulling herself up the first three steps.

She wanted to taste the sea salt air, feel the sun on her skin, hear the wind whip past her ears.

Another two steps, June's forehead began to mist with sweat. Three more had June bending over to plant her hands on her knees to catch her breath. After a handful of gasping inhales, June pushed herself to ascend the remaining five steps and she finally came face-to-face with the double doors leading outside. June leaned the entirety of her weight against the first, forcing it open. When the door gave way, the momentum had her stumbling forward to slap her hands on the second iron door.

One more furious push, the hinges creaked open.

When the first licks of salty wind kissed her face, June was convinced she had never tasted anything sweeter.

She shuffled forward, pushing herself to walk until she had finally made it to the railing where she could look across the sea and watch the waves collide against the hull of the sub.

Majesty.

That was the only word that could accurately describe the beauty June beheld while looking upon the scenery around her. The call of the ocean, the power of its depths; June felt like she could finally breathe. She sank down to sit on the deck, eyes fixed forward at the horizon; she was struck by a sudden realization.

Home. This was home.

Not her crappy townhome falling apart at the seams. Not her own universe where she felt aimless, blinking into each day that blurred together with the next indiscernible from the one that preceded it.

No. Here. Right where she was now. This was where she was meant to be.

Tears made June's vision wobble; they fell down her cheeks in fat streaks that jumped off her chin into her lap. How terrible she was, how selfish to want to stay here when she was meant to return to where she was supposed to be. June sobbed into her hands, grieving over the people who were waiting for her to come back and mourned over the home she would eventually have to leave behind. She wept for an undetermined amount of time, wiping away tears that refused to stop.

"How did I know I'd find you here when I came back?" A deep voice grumbled behind June. "See, this is why I rushed through my shopping. I just knew you were planning something troublesome."

June sniffled. "Sounds like you're just tryin' to show off how smart ya are."

There was a pause then the sound of boots slowly approaching her on the wooden deck.

"Are you crying?" Law asked.

"No." June feebly denied, angling her face down toward her knees.

Law sighed deeply and set what June assumed was a hefty paper sack down on the deck before moving to sit himself down next to her. A tattooed hand cupped June's chin to pull her gaze upward to face Law, his eyes danced across June's face while a frown settled on his lips.

"Why?" He asked simply.

June just shook her head, declining to answer. She pulled her head out of Law's hand to instead look toward the sea again.

"You're one of the most stubborn people I've ever met, I hope you know how impressive that is."

"Thanks." June mumbled.

They sat in comfortable silence and eventually the Hearts began to return to the Tang. Their rowdy conversation and joy filled laughter sent painful twinges of remorse into June's chest. What was she going to do now? How could she ever tear herself away from them?

"You're here now, just keep remembering that." Law suddenly spoke. "Don't think about what could've happened, just keep moving forward. You're a lot sturdier than you think."

June almost laughed.

Law thought the reason why she was upset was because she was processing her near death, that she was struggling with the thought that she had almost departed this world in a bloody show. June wondered what Law would say if she told him the real reason why she felt so conflicted, why she was so distraught.

"Thanks for the advice, Law. Did ya get that out of a fortune cookie?" June turned her head to look at Law with a watery smirk.

"Whatever. Sit in your misery, see if I care." He looked down at her, a hint of concern evident in his eyes. "Your glasses are smudged by the way."

How could June ever tear herself away from him?

Ikkaku let out a strained groan as she lowered a hefty box of carrots onto a stack of wooden boxes holding a variety of fresh produce. She straightened herself up, stretching out her tense back with a whine.

"How do I always end up being the one to help you restock the damn pantry? Isn't Taro supposed to be stuck with this job?" Ikkaku complained loudly.

Blake wandered into the pantry after her, effortlessly carrying three large boxes in his arms.

"He's buying the meat right now. Don't worry, he'll be suffering alongside you soon enough." Blake chuckled while setting the boxes down next to Ikkaku's pile.

"Well, ask someone else to help you next time. I'd much rather be spending my time searching for scrap metal."

"Actually, I have something I wanted to run by you." Blake leaned an elbow against the shelving beside him, an uncharacteristically mischievous glint present in his eye. "I know how much you can't resist a good wager and I have a hell of a game I want to play with you."

Ikkaku's eyes narrowed with suspicion up at Blake, her lips dipped into a frown. "What do you want?"

Blake nonchalantly began to turn the cans and jars on the shelf so their labels faced outward. "Did you see the captain and June on your way in today?"

"Yeah? What of it? They were just getting some air."

Blake hummed airily then chuckled. "I dunno. They look like they're getting a bit close, don't you?"

Ikkaku crossed her arms over her chest, her frown pulling up into an amused smirk. "You think so?"

"Also, I may or may not have seen our captain sleeping in a rather sweet way with June the other day." Blakes eyebrows danced suggestively, his voice dipped into a low whisper. "I think they'd be rather good together, don't you? I bet they'll end up together by the end of the year."

"Oh, really?" Ikkaku tapped her chin, looking to the ceiling while thinking. "I bet it'll only be a few months before they're jumping on each other and making us all sick with their nonsense."

"That soon, huh?" Blake's eyes widened. "Have you seen something I don't know about?"

"Oh please." Ikkaku tsked, waving her hand dismissively at Blake. "Those two have been making eyes at each other for a while now."

"I'm surprised I haven't noticed until now." Blake wondered while considering the past year.

"I'm not. Everyone on this sub hardly notices anything that doesn't involve food, booze, or fighting."

"So, is it a deal then?" Blake extended a hand to Ikkaku. "Let's start talking price."

Ikkaku clapped her hand into Blake's, giving it a single firm shake. "You're on. But first we should set some ground rules. No telling them about the bet and no interfering, we're a neutral party."

"Deal." Blake released Ikkaku's hand with a chortle. "So how much are you willing to wager?"

Another two weeks passed.

Two weeks of June being stuck in a hospital bed. Two weeks of her recovering her strength and eating an insanely iron rich diet. Two weeks of various Heart Crew rotating through the room to make sure June wouldn't break out again.

Which is how June and Jean Bart ended up eating their dinner while June taught him how to play Speed. It was getting rather intense. Cards were ripping and bending and their knuckles were red and bruised from slapping each other's hands out of the way to slam a card down on one of the piles. The usually quiet and reserved Jean Bart was shouting frustrated expletives and jeering curses at June every few seconds.

"Come on! That was fuckin' bullshit!" June growled, pulling three cards out of her deck after Jean Bart had blocked her move.

Meanwhile, Jean Bart was furiously snapping cards down onto the two playing piles in front of him while taunting her. "You gotta be a hell of a lot quicker than that, June. I thought you said you were an expert in this game?"

June began shoving Jean Bart's hands out of the way, racing to throw down her remaining card to wrestle a win away from her opponent. "Don't get cocky, this game can turn around in a—" She harshly slapped down her last card, shaking the small table between them. "flash! Ha! Eat it, old man! I finally got a win over you!"

She leapt out of her bed to twirl around in a mocking dance. June sang an annoying, off-key tune in victory, all but shouting the words at a glowering Jean Bart. "You lo-ost, I wo-on! You su-uck, I ru-ule!"

"Again." Jean Bart grumbled, shuffling the cards together. "I'm going to teach you about celebrating too early just because you're ahead."

"Sure." June plopped herself down back onto the bed with an overly self-satisfied grin. "I don't mind takin' your stubborn pride from ya."

"Keep yapping, June. I can't wait to see the look on your face when I'm dancing around the room."

"Jean Bart? Dancing?" June gasped. "I wish I could record that."

Jean Bart dealt out the cards, an almost sinister look plastered on his face. "Take your cards, I hope your ass is ready for an embarrassing defeat."

So, they began again, rapping at each other's knuckles while laughing. Jean Bart had just planted one large palm against June's forehead to keep her away when the door to the room opened.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Law stood at the doorway, staring the two of them down.

"Teaching this one a lesson, captain." Jean Bart fell forward a few inches when June ducked out from underneath his hand.

"Oh, hold on. I got a bit too worked up there." June waved her hands and placed her cards face down on the table. She put her hand to her chest, taking deep measured breaths.

Law sighed tiredly and walked across the room to stand next to June. "What have I told you about pacing yourself? You're not completely recovered yet, June-ya."

"Sorry, I know." June rubbed her fingers against her temple, willing away a spell of dizziness that made the room tilt nauseatingly. "What's up, Law? Did ya need to check my stitches again or somethin'?"

"No, but there's something else I need to talk to you about." Law looked up at Jean Bart. "I can take over from here, thanks."

"Good night, captain." Jean Bart lowered his head respectfully to Law before standing up from his chair. He pointed a single finger at June, his eyes narrowing. "This isn't over, I'll have my dance."

Law and June watched Jean Bart depart from the room, stooping low to fit through the door.

"Dance?" Law raised a single eyebrow at June.

She let out a graceless guffaw. "He's just mad 'cause I won and took a victory lap around the room."

"I see." His lips pulled up in the corner in an amused half-smile. "And you danced around the room?"

"Of course I did, I earned it." She returned his smile with a wide, clumsy bearing of teeth. "Cheeky lil' thing ain't I?"

"Sure, that's one way I'd describe you."

"How else would ya describe me?" June laced her fingers together and rested her chin on the back of her hands, fluttering her eyelashes.

"A nuisance."

"Ass."

"Pretty childish too." Law crossed his arms, looking down his nose at June.

"Rude." June huffed.

"You're also way too impulsive."

"Wasn't there somethin' ya wanted to talk to me about?" June asked irritably.

"Yes, actually." Law leaned his weight backward onto his hip, taking on a relaxed pose. "I think you're ready to be discharged."

"Why didn't ya lead with that?" June hopped off the bed, walking quickly to the door.

"Hold it there, June-ya."

June groaned as she turned around. "What?" She whined, pulling out the syllables childishly.

"No fighting, and you need to be more aware of your limits until you're fully healed."

"Sure, sure, sure." June rushed her words. "Can we go now? I can't believe I'm sayin' this, but I miss that damn couch and I'm ready for a good, lumpy sleep."

"Well, go on." Law made a shooing motion with his hand. "I'm going to start putting everything up."

"Do ya need any help?" June asked half-heartedly while slowly inching backward toward the door. "'Cause I can stay and help if ya need." She wrapped her hand around the knob.

Law chuckled. "Get out of here before I throw you out."

June squealed with delight then zipped out of the room, rushing across the hall to the captain's suite. She was going to have such a good night. First, she was going to take a shower then she was going to go down to the rec room and see if she could beg someone to play some music for her. Or maybe she would lay on the floor of the mess hall just because she could.

But for right now, that shower was calling to her with a delightful song of heat and steam.

She quickly gathered a set of pajamas from under her couch and entered the bathroom, ripping off her clothes to discard carelessly onto the floor then all but jumped into the shower. June sighed with delight at the feeling of water cascading down her body in hot rivulets. She had cranked the heat up in the shower almost as hot as it would go, close to scalding. The shower in the bathroom off the side of the operating room barely got above lukewarm and was rather cramped in comparison to what she had gotten used to in the captain's suite.

This was absolute heaven.

She took her time massaging the conditioner into her hair, combing the tangles in her curls out with her fingers. The scent of lavender mingled with the steam when she rubbed her soap over her skin. June hummed a mindless tune to herself while she turned around under the shower stream to rinse herself off and even after she had finished, she continued to stand there to simply bask in the warmth like a lizard laying atop a rock under the sun.

After a few minutes though, June noticed that the walls had begun to bend and swirl. Black dots checkered her sight, her legs felt weak. She fumbled behind her for the shower knob, twisting it quickly to shut off the water. June's shoulder collided with the tiled wall beside her when the world aggressively tilted.

"Shit!" Gravity pulled her harshly to the ground where she landed with a wet thump on her hip. June groaned at the pain that pulsed at the back of her head; evidently, she had knocked it against the wall on her way down.

"June-ya?" Law's muffled voice called to her through the door. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." She grunted back, wincing slightly when she prodded at the sore spot on the back of her head. "M'fine, just fell."

"I'm coming in."

June's eyes widened then darted to look at the door, she gasped when she saw the knob turning. "No, ya ain't comin' in! I'm fuckin' naked ya damn psychopath!" She cursed and flopped over onto her side, barely having enough time to scramble for the towel she had left on the hanger and throwing it over herself before Law walked in. "What the hell are ya doin'?!" She yelled at him, clutching the towel to her like a flimsy blanket.

"You fell." Law answered her in a way that almost sounded like he was calling her an idiot.

June's face ignited into a shocking shade of cherry red, partially out of embarrassment but mostly out of anger. "I know, ya fuckin' smart aleck, I was there."

"Ok." He crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at June with a bored expression. "Why haven't you gotten up yet?"

June frowned then averted her eyes down to the towel covering her, adjusting it to wrap more securely around her rather than just having it draped over her. "I can't." She mumbled.

"And why would that be?"

June picked at the edges of the towel. "Because the room feels like it's jumping."

Law didn't answer, instead he just continued to stare at June with a smug look on his face.

"Shut up." June grumbled.

"I didn't say anything." He answered, moving toward June to stoop down and offer her his hands.

"Ya didn't need to, your eyebrows spoke for ya." She grabbed onto his hands and unsteadily pulled herself up onto her feet. "I'm still pretty sure ya just came in here just 'cause ya wanted to see my tits. I'm buying a shower curtain as soon as we land on another island, by the way."

"No, you aren't." Law slowly guided June to the sink. "Shower curtains are a safety hazard in a place like this. If we get hit by something while someone is in the shower, they could get tangled up and hurt." He grabbed June gently by the waist then lifted her up to settle her on top of the counter. "And with your luck, you'd be the one to get a broken neck."

"Ya ain't denyin' the tits thing though." June pulled her towel up higher on her chest with an impish smile.

"Can you just for once not be a child about everything?" Law groaned. "Did you hurt yourself when you fell?"

"My hip kinda smarts, hit my head too on the way down." June rubbed her hip with a frown, trying to massage the ache out of her joint. "I'm guessin' ya wanna take a look?"

"Are you going to fight with me on it?"

June's initial reaction was to argue with Law but figured that inevitably she would end up having to let him look at her anyway. She decided she might as well have her fun by making Law's job difficult in a different way. June shifted her weight onto her left hip and crossed her legs at the knees, she reached down to pinch the edge of her towel resting on her right thigh then slowly pulled it up to expose her reddened hip to Law with an exaggerated wink. "Go on, doc. Take a peek." She said, dropping her voice into a mockingly sultry tone.

June smiled at the annoyed look etched on Law's face. Her smile grew into an outright grin when Law simply glanced down momentarily at her hip then flicked his eyes back up to hers.

"You're going to have quite a bruise there."

"Probably. Wanna get a closer look?" June teased, tilting her hip higher up.

Law moved in closer until his thighs bumped against June's knees. "Yeah, I do."

June faltered when Law's hands reached up to gently grip her neck. He slowly pushed his hands up to cradle the back of June's head, his fingers threaded into her dripping hair. She could feel her cheeks redden as Law tugged on her hair to tilt her head back, she felt her heart rate kick up a notch when Law lowered his face closer to hers until their noses were just barely touching. June's eyelids fluttered when she felt Law knead the back of her head softly, rubbing the sore spot with his fingertips.

"Are you still dizzy?" Law asked, his lips barely moving.

"No." June answered though that was a lie. She felt dizzy having Law in her space, disoriented at having him touch her in such an intimate way.

"Good." Law's lips curled upward. He dropped his hands back to his sides and moved back away from June. "You're fine, go ahead and get dressed." He turned on his heel, sauntering out of the bathroom. "And stop taking such hot showers, I could see the damn steam creeping out from under the door. That's probably why you got lightheaded in the first place."

He shut the door behind him, leaving June to blink dumbly at the wall across from her. She gritted her teeth then hopped off the counter, grumbling to herself about stupid hot pirate captains and their dumb cocky attitudes while she dressed herself in her pajamas.

June dried her hair until it was just damp, fluffed it aggressively to shake away the feeling of Law's fingers tangled in her hair.

Seriously, how was that guy so unflappable?

She wandered out of bathroom, planning on heading down to the rec room when Law stopped her. "Bedtime, June-ya."

June rounded on his voice, facing the hallway. "Oh no, nuh-uh. You discharged me, ya can't just go around orderin' me to go to bed like I'm still in lock-up across the hall."

"You're not so critical that you need to be in there anymore but you're still healing." Law wandered down the hall to the office area. June saw that he had taken the time to dress down into a set of sweatpants, probably also planning to go to bed for the night. "You still need to rest, everyone else is turning in for the night anyway. You can tromp around the sub in the morning."

June felt that itchy restlessness beneath the surface of her skin again. She paced back and forth across the floor, feeling caged in. "I just wanna do somethin', Law."

"I know. In the morning, I promise." Law held out his arm to June, tilted his head toward the bedroom. "Come on."

June let out a huff through her nose. "Fine." She walked past him to the bedroom, making a beeline for the couch.

"Not there. You're taking the bed until you're better." Law followed June into the room, pushing her arm gently to redirect her toward the bed.

"What?" June turned to face Law. "I'm not takin' your bed again."

"You are, and we aren't arguing about it." Law pushed June's chest, making her stumble back to fall onto the bed. As he started moving toward the couch, June's hand shot out to grab Law's wrist, pulling him to a stop.

"Wait. Please don't make me kick ya outta your bed again."

"You're not kicking me out, June-ya." Law spoke with a tone of exhaustion. "I'm offering up my bed so you'll heal faster as opposed to being cramped onto a couch."

"Yeah, yeah. Chivalry and all that nonsense; get into the bed." June yanked him down toward her, the mattress bounced when he landed on it. Law grunted at the landing, he aimed an exasperated frown directly at her. June released his wrist then turned onto her side to face him. "See? Now ain't that better? There's plenty of room for the two of us and then some."

"Stubborn woman." Law muttered while adjusting his pillow. He pulled the covers up over the two of them then flipped around to show his back to June. "Stay on your side. If you come over here, I have no problems rolling you back over there."

June laughed, rolling over to face the opposite direction of Law. "Night, cap."

She received a single grunt in return, one that she returned to him mockingly only to receive a light kick to the back of her shins.

June couldn't sleep.

Partially because of the desire to take advantage of being allowed out of the operating room and partially because she was still slightly keyed up from the way Law had touched her earlier. The caress of his breath against her cheek, the firmness of his fingers against her scalp. Oh, and his eyes. There had been something there, something just present beneath the surface that seemed to lay in wait for an opportunity to pounce.

What would've happened if he hadn't stopped? What if he had closed that distance and wedged himself between her legs? What if he released his hold on that fading bit of control and just dove headfirst into reckless want, damning whatever consequences there might be?

She silently cursed the little pit of desire that buzzed so annoyingly within her. June flipped onto her back, staring at the ceiling for what felt like the hundredth time tonight, willing sleep to come and overtake her. She wiggled her toes, bounced her foot up and down underneath the blanket; maybe if she literally shook the energy out through her feet, she'd be able to drift away.

"Can you just go to sleep already?" Law complained.

"I'm tryin'." June exhaled irritably. "I thought you'd already fallen asleep anyway."

"How could I? You've been shaking the bed this whole time." Law turned over to face June, she could see the exhaustion lining his eyes.

"Sorry." June mumbled, rolling herself over onto her side to face him. "I just have a lot of energy right now, I guess."

"Well, could you figure yourself out? I've got a lot to do tomorrow." Law groused.

"Wish I could, but I don't know how." June shrugged, scrunching up the pillowcase beneath her head. "Ya told me to sleep but I can't. You're just gonna have to suffer the consequences of your own requests, Law."

"I'm regretting discharging you with every passing second." Law flopped onto his back and rubbed his eyes with his pointer and thumb.

June watched him silently, taking in his features from his long, strong lines to the warmth she could feel flow out of him across the sheets. Her heart fluttered at the sight of him scowling at the ceiling above him, she felt a strong sense of fondness at his irritation.

She kind of felt like pressing his buttons some more.

"Do ya ever think about what would've happened if we did fuck?" The question surprised June despite the words falling from her own mouth. She hadn't thought before she had spoken, but then again, her mind seemed to be stuck in the figurative gutter right now.

Law's eyes closed and his eyebrows shot up to his forehead, giving him an expression that looked vaguely as if he had just sucked on something particularly sour. "Excuse me?"

"We never really talked about it, that time we almost did it on your desk that is. We just agreed that it might not be a good idea." June explained, deciding to lean into the question. "But do ya ever think about it?"

"I must be in hell right now." Law mused, opening his eyes to lock his gaze on the ceiling.

"Ya know, I think about it sometimes." Like now, for instance. Echoes of hungry kisses nipping at her skin replayed in her nerves; she shivered. "I just wanted to be sure I wasn't the only one." June continued, needling Law some more.

Law's eyebrows furrowed at that, he rolled himself over to look at June again. "Why are you bringing this up?"

"Ya told me to figure myself out so I can sleep. What better way is there to occupy myself than to annoy ya?"

"I meant that maybe you should go for a walk, not bring up a mistake that happened months ago."

"Oh!" June shot up into a sitting position. "You're alright with me wanderin' around right now?"

Law clapped a hand onto June's shoulder then pulled her back down to lay on the bed. "No, you're right. I was wrong to suggest that."

June laughed. "Well, what else can I do?" Her laughter quieted into giggles. She twirled a stray curl around her fingers while thinking about Law's words. A mistake he had called it, the word prodded painfully at her emotions and had her feeling a twinge of self-consciousness. As often as she had allowed her mind to wander back to that moment on the desk, it had hurt to hear Law say he regretted it. "Do ya mean it?"

Law had shut his eyes again, they remained closed while he spoke. "Mean what?"

"That it was a mistake. Do ya really regret it?" June twisted her tongue ring between her incisors, waiting for an answer.

His eyes slowly opened, there was an unreadable look there that June couldn't quite decipher. Was it shame? Was it disgust? It was hard to tell in the dimly lit room.

"Those are two separate things."

June felt confused at the statement. "Could ya explain that?"

There was a quiet inhale of breath through Law's nose that was pushed out his mouth. "Yes, it was a mistake. No, I don't regret it."

"So, ya do think about it." June bit back a smile.

"I do." The answer came reluctantly with a patent Law glare that almost made June snort out of amusement.

She had finally decoded that look in his eyes. Initially she had thought it was distaste, as if Law was remembering something he would prefer to be banished away. But the longer she looked, the more it became clear. There was a warring of emotions there, a simmering heat that was held back by a fraying thread.

A conflicted desire that he just couldn't allow himself to succumb to.

June scooted a smidgeon closer to Law. She wondered how weak that hold was and how beautiful it might be to watch him lose his grip on that control he so proudly wielded like an impenetrable shield.

"Do ya wanna do it again?" She asked.

"June-ya." Her name sounded like a curse when he said it, a warning for June to keep her distance.

It had the opposite effect though, it only made June giddy with excitement. She edged closer to Law until there was barely an inch of bed between them. "I wanna do it again, in case you were wonderin'."

He didn't answer her, unless a glower counted as a reply. June titled her head up to brush her nose against Law's, she allowed the skin of her lips to barely whisper against his own. "Say no right now, and I'll never bring this up again."

A stiff moment of silence had June rethinking this whole experiment; perhaps she had pushed him too far. June started to pull back, a tense smile masking the swell of embarrassment that overtook her. "I'm sorry, how about I go read in the other room for a bit? We can just forget this."

A hand tightly gripping June's hip stopped her.

"You don't get to go away, not after all that." Law pulled her back to him until June's knees bumped against his thighs, mirroring that moment they shared not too long ago in the bathroom. "I hope you know that you have the worst habit of pushing boundaries." He whispered as he pushed himself forward those last few centimeters to capture June's lips in a soft kiss.

It started with a gentle press of lips, uncertainty heavy in their movements.

June's nervous hands gripped the sides of Law's face, Law's own unsure palms skimmed around June's waist to pull her closer. One shy peck became two, then quickly morphed into a comfortable kiss, which grew into a curious sweep of tongue across a lower lip and a playful nip of teeth.

Their confidence grew.

June's hands traveled higher to grip Law's bed styled hair, pulling him nearer. Law's own hands smoothed over June's lower back to bring her even closer. She arched her back to press her chest into his, ignoring the stinging pull of her stitches.

It was nice, it made her blood sing, but she could still feel restraint in the way Law would almost retreat when June tried to deepen the kiss, pulling away just enough to stay connected but surface level. June was beginning to feel frustrated at the amount of control Law was trying to keep over himself, so she decided to try and convince him to let go.

June threw her leg over Law's hip, catching him off guard when she leveraged him onto his back so she could settle herself onto his lap. June held in a wince from the pain when her wound protested the movement. Law stared up at her with widened eyes, she answered with an amused quirk of her eyebrow.

"Are ya gonna do this like ya mean it, or do I need to find someone on this sub that will? I'm sure Shachi would fuckin' piss himself at the opportunity to—"

Her words were cut off.

Law sat up to claim June's lips in a searing kiss, full of desire and tongue. June grinned victoriously into the kiss and sighed happily at the feeling of Law's teeth pulling lightly on her lower lip before his mouth blazed a trail down her neck to lave over her racing pulse point.

"That's more like it." June commented smugly while running her nails teasingly down Law's chest, making the muscles of his abdomen jump.

"Shut up, you talk too much." He mumbled against her clavicle. His hands crept up June's shirt, raising goosebumps in their wake, to push the article over her head and toss over the edge of the bed. Law started planting open-mouthed kisses down June's chest, guiding her to lean back until she had to balance herself by planting her hands above Law's knees behind her. "And I swear, if you talk abut Shachi again tonight, I'll make you regret it."

June allowed her eyes to slide shut, savoring the sensation of Law's lips on her. "Maybe Penguin, then." She teased airily. A sharp gasp fell from her when Law pointedly nipped at the thin skin of June's breast above her nipple. Her hips involuntarily grinded downward to meet Law's, seeking friction to ease the throbbing between her legs. A pleased groan reverberated across her chest from Law, sending a thrill down her spine straight to her core. June felt a smug sense of accomplishment when she felt Law's half-hard cock twitch against her inner thigh.

She pushed off Law's knees to press herself flush against him, planting herself firmly onto his lap. She began to rock against him, tilting her hips just so to rub herself against him. Law hands grasped onto her ass, guiding her motions while he pressed himself up into her. June widened her knees and began an unhurried pace that had her breath hitching with each thrust. Law's hands travelled up cup her breasts; his thumbs flicked at her nipples, he pinched at each peak and twisted slightly while rolling them between his nimble fingers. June's body curled forward against Law; small moans being forcibly pulled from her by his hands.

June pulled him into a hungry clash of lips, warring with him for control which she eventually wrestled from him when she began to suck lightly on his tongue; the groan Law sang into her mouth stoked the arousal swimming in her veins. June pushed Law back away from her and lifted herself on her knees, she loved the frazzled, and somewhat tetchy look he shot up at her.

"Pants off, cap. I wanna see ya." June ordered, feeling empowered by the obvious effect she was having on Law.

He tsked at her with a click of his tongue. "That doesn't seem fair."

"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure you'll find your chance with me soon." June tugged at the hem of Law's sweatpants, urging him to push them down. "I promise I'll make it worth your while." She spoke in a sing-song tone.

Law rolled his eyes and slid his thumbs below the waistband of his pants, pushing them down until he was able to kick them off. June's mouth watered at the sight of him, sprawled out beneath her with his heavy cock bouncing slightly in time with his heartbeat against his abdomen.

This was definitely a picture June would be holding onto in the deepest parts of her mind for years to come.

June held Law's gaze as she held her hand out in front of him. He looked down at her palm then back at her eyes, a question held there between them.

"Help me out. Like I said, it'll be worth it."

Understanding flashed across his face which was quickly overtaken by a look of fierce want. But if June thought that Law was going to allow her the advantage, she had been sorely mistaken. Law made a show running his tongue up June's hand from the heel of her palm to the tips of her fingers. June pulled at the skin of her lower lip when he had the audacity to suck on the tip of her pointer finger, a sly glint present in his eyes. When she pulled her hand back away from him, Law reclined back against the bed, a pleased tilt of his lips worn on his face.

"Good enough?" He asked, looking entirely composed while June pushed back how flustered she felt at the display.

She cleared her throat and reached down to grip the base of Law's cock, giving him a firm stroke upward ending with a twist of her wrist at the tip; June felt Law's body stiffen under her thighs. "I dunno, is it?" She asked mockingly, beginning a quick pace with her hand.

Law's eyelids fell to half-mast, he rested his hands atop June's thighs then held on with a bruising grip when she ran her palm across his tip to collect the slick arousal weeping from his slit to ease the glide of her motions. June planted her free hand against Law's chest and circled his peaked nipple with her thumb. A delicious, graveled noise punched out of Law's throat making June lean forward to suck marks into salty skin of his pec.

"You know, if you keep doing that then this'll be over quick." Law's voice sounded strangled, June could feel the tension pulling his muscles taut beneath her lips and fingers.

She pulled back to kiss the underside of Law's jaw then sat up. "Don't worry. We have all night, right? So where do ya want it, Law?" June asked with a smirk, licking her lips. Law's eyes gravitated to the movement, hungrily watching June's tongue peek out of her mouth before his gaze flicked back up to her eyes; June's lips stretched into a grin.

"Aye aye, captain."

June scooted further back on Law's lap, easing herself down gradually to prevent another irritation to her stitches, and settled herself between his legs. She reveled in the gasp she heard when she ran her fingers along the insides of Law's thighs. She ran her tongue along his cock from base to tip, enjoying the feeling of his smooth skin. Law let out a hiss when June took the tip of him into her mouth, a harsh exhale breathed out of him when she began sucking on the head and dipped her tongue into the slit to taste the precum leaking from him. June hummed pleasurably at the flavor, salty with an undefined musk that could only be described as 'Law'.

When she dipped her head down to take more of him, his thighs flexed, pushing more into her mouth until the tip of his cock began to rub against the soft palate on the roof of June's mouth. June pulled back with a harsh suck while simultaneously gripping the base of him with her hand to stroke up.

Tattooed hands threaded through June's hair, guiding her head further down as she descended until Law's cock met the back of her throat. June swallowed around him, her eyes watered, she fought against the urge to gag and began bobbing her head while keeping pace with her fist to stroke the remainder of him with a firm, but quick grip. Law let out a restrained groan, his eyes were clouded with lust while watching June take him. She felt her cunt clench at the sight of him; his body coated in a thin sheen of sweat, his abs clenching with each shallow thrust he sent into her mouth. The weight of his cock on her tongue felt wonderful and June absently wondered if Law would let her take him apart like this again. The thought of being able to reduce a man as powerful as Law to a panting, shuddering mess with her tongue had her rubbing her own thighs together with need.

Law's fingers tightened in her hair, urging June to quicken her pace. His breathing grew more ragged, the movement of his hips sloppier.

"You're—I'm—"

June moaned around him; Law couldn't even finish a proper sentence. She doubled her efforts, keeping her eyes glued to Law's face to watch his jaw fall slack, to see his eyelids flutter. And with a final pull of him, with one particularly brutal suck, he released onto June's tongue with a low, toe-curling moan.

The sensation of him pulsing in her mouth had June feeling a high she couldn't describe. The satisfaction of bringing Law to his climax made her feel intoxicated with her own desire. She slowly pulled off him, dragging her tongue across the veins on the underside of his cock as she went. She smiled around him when she felt Law shiver at the feeling.

June sat up, swallowing down her prize as she straightened, and snickered at the wrecked image of the notorious pirate captain underneath her. Law had thrown his arm over his eyes; his chest was heaving with effort. When he finally removed his arm off his face and blinked his eyes open, June also took pride at the deep flush staining his cheeks.

Law licked his dry lips then slowly pushed himself up, his hazy gaze cleared slightly with a few blinks. He held his right hand up as if to summon a 'room' then spoke. "Hold on a second, I'll get a towel."

"Why?" June asked, her voice hoarse, while wiping the corners of her mouth with her fingers.

Law paused then lifted his hand higher to plant his thumb on June's lower lip, pulling it down then releasing it. Heat reignited within his eyes at whatever he had seen there and before June could even process the movement, Law's lips had connected with her own and his tongue had pushed its way past her lips to rub against her own.

He maneuvered June to lay down beneath him, pushing her into the mattress. Rushed hands flew to the hem of her pajamas, ripping her shorts and underwear off with an eagerness that made June's head spin. She whimpered into Law's mouth when his fingers rubbed at her cunt, feeling the wetness that had spread to cover the high, inner parts of her thighs.

Law skimmed his lips up June's jaw to nip at her ear. "You filthy thing," He chuckled. "all of this just from sucking me off."

June whined pitifully at his words, canted her hips down into his hand seeking relief from the pent-up arousal burning in her veins. "I don't think ya realize just how long I wanted to do that."

"Tell me." His thumb pressed up just below June's clit, creating a pressure that was nearly perfect but just out of reach.

"I thought ya said I talked too much earlier." She sassed, tilting her hips down more to try and maneuver Law onto the spot where she really wanted him to touch.

He slowly started to retreat his thumb, making June panic at the threat of losing any stimulation.

"Fuck! Fine, ya damn sadist." Law laughed at her exasperation, pushing his thumb up once more while he gradually kissed a path down June's neck. "Maybe since Waffle Still." She admitted reluctantly.

"That long, huh?" Law circled his thumb around her clit, keeping June's pleasure barely on the periphery. A gasp fell from her, and her knees clamped to his hips, trembling at his teasing. "You're very needy."

"And you're an asshole. Are ya just gonna keep playin' with me or are ya gonna—" June's words cut off with a moan when Law finally sunk two fingers into her. The stinging stretch felt like a soothing balm against her aching nerves. She rolled her hips in time with his fingers, riding them with each pump into her.

"If I knew I could shut you up just by doing this, I might've done it sooner." Law spoke against June's skin, marking her chest with small bites on the way down to her nipple. June could only answer with a pleased sigh when he ran his tongue in a small circle around her; she let out another, louder moan when he started lightly nibbling on her bud.

June's fingers dug into Law's shoulders, dimpling the skin, and creating little half-moon indentions with her nails. When she felt Law finally crook his fingers up to hit that sweet bundle of heart-racing nerves within her, June couldn't help but cry out Law's name in a praise filled chant.

"Law! Oh, fuck, Law! Right there!" She babbled, tears beginning to bead at the corners of her eyes.

He groaned against her breast then released her with a quiet pop. "Keep it down, sounds carry here."

June bit her lip to try and staunch the noises spilling from her, she could taste the coppery tang of blood when she broke the skin. Law swooped up to meet her in a brief, but messy tangle of lips and tongue. June practically sobbed into the kiss, feeling the band of pleasure begin to tighten in her abdomen. Law pulled away from her to lock June in an intense, commanding stare.

"Do you promise to be quiet?"

All she could do was give an enthusiastic bobble of her head; she would promise him anything right now if he would just keep stroking that spot.

But June wasn't prepared for Law to suddenly dip his head down and latch his mouth around her clit. June's hand shot up to her mouth to muffle the high-pitched keen that emitted from her. Her thighs locked around Law's head, her free hand buried itself into his hair to hold him in place.

If his fingers were heavenly, surely his mouth was going to kill her and hurtle her screaming back to Earth.

Law sucked at her clit, thrummed his tongue against her at a tempo that had June arching off the bed. All the while, his fingers continued to thrust into her, pushing her ever higher into the clouds where June was sure that she had ascended into.

He oscillated between leisurely strokes and abusive lashings, keeping June's body in a state of pleasurable confusion. Her orgasm began to weigh heavy in the pit of her stomach, threatening to explode out at any moment. June grinded herself against Law's face, pushing his mouth impossibly close against her. She pulled her hand away from her mouth, clenching her jaw painfully to keep the wails she wanted to let out trapped in her throat.

"L-Law." June whimpered then gasped deeply when he answered her with a graze of his teeth against her clit. "Fuck, I-I'm gonna—"

He broke her.

Law's tongue pushed against her then slipped down to replace his fingers, his calloused thumb moved up to dance spirals atop her clit. A silent scream pulled from June's chest as her walls spasmed rhythmically around Law's tongue. Black spots began to dot the edges of her vision, the bed beneath her jumped and curved upward around her.

June worked to control her breathing and ease the swimming sensation in her head as she came down. She wasn't even sure if her eyes were open anymore, the only indication she had that they were was the tiny pinpricks of fuzzy light she could see the ceiling through. There was a subtle ringing in her ears that itched at her eardrums, dimming her senses further.

June felt Law climb up her heated body and engulf her with his, she responded sluggishly to his lips when they attached to hers and she hummed at the taste of her own release on his tongue. She felt Law wrap her trembling legs around his waist, let out a weak moan when he began to rub his hardening cock against her dripping cunt.

But then came a sudden shift in the atmosphere.

Law pulled away from June and softly gripped her chin in his hand. When her vision began to clear, she saw him looking upon her with an assessing eye.

"You're done for the night."

"What? No!" June's voice sounded slightly slurred and distant to her. "I'm good, keep goin'."

Law stared down at her amusedly. "I don't feel like readmitting you just because I fucked you into passing out."

"But you're…" June looked down between them at Law's twitching cock against her stomach.

"Just fine. And got a great blowjob already, need I remind you." He said while rolling off June to lay next to her.

The ringing in June's ears had begun to subside, she scrubbed at her ear irritably then turned onto her own side to face Law. "Well, I'm still wantin' it."

Law reached down to grab the blankets from the foot of the bed to throw over them. "Needy and greedy, interesting."

"Stupid gunshot wound." June grumbled while readjusting her pillow. "I have an amazin' orgasm then get blocked from the rest of the fun."

"I'm pretty sure that was enough activity to wear you out anyway. Maybe next time after you've healed up, we can see what happens." Law spoke through a yawn.

Next time.

Those words rolled around in June's head, bouncing off the interiors of her skull to splinter off into hopeful ideas of what next time could bring. "Fine." June answered petulantly, trying to conceal her excitement with a poor attempt at nonchalance while flopping down onto her pillow. "Next time, then." Her eyes began to drift closed against her will, the exhaustion pulling her down into sleep.

Law hummed a tired agreement. "Good-night, June-ya."

She kicked him playfully in the shin.

The following morning, Law woke to the sensation of a warm, soft weight pressed against his back. He nearly fell back asleep; it felt like a comfortable siren song beckoning him back into unconsciousness. His eyelids fluttered open and shut clumsily, he fought against the seductive pull and finally clawed his way awake with a sharp inhale through his nose. When awareness finally pressed into his consciousness, Law began to feel more.

The pair of legs intertwined between his own, the arm curled around his waist to clutch him closely. Law stared down at the slender fingers resting against his skin, followed the arm up and over to see June cuddled up to his back and still very much asleep.

Those fucking butterflies punched their way in through his sternum and made their home in his stomach. Law quietly, and ever so carefully, twisted in June's hold, turning to face the slumbering woman.

And he positively melted at the sight of her.

Her frizzy, corkscrew curls were splayed messily across the pillow underneath her head. Her plush lips were slightly parted with quiet breaths being exhaled against Law's clavicle. He could feel her twitch every so often, see her nose scrunch up adorably telling Law that June was still stuck in a dream. Law brushed the hair out of June's face then leisurely bent down to land a gentle kiss against his favorite freckle.

June let out a sigh and burrowed her face deep into Law's chest, he could swear his heart began to gallop happily at the unconscious show of affection. Law let out a frustrated groan and allowed his head to drop back so he could stare at the wall behind the bed, an angry scowl marring his features.

Law was beginning to reluctantly discover that maybe he didn't hate this woman.