(A/N: They are adults in this one)

(Warnings: None)

Penguin couldn't admit it, no, he wouldn't admit it.

Why should he? It wasn't that serious that he needed to bring Law into this. He could very well handle this on his own.

No, it was bad and Penguin knew Law would kill him if he found that he had been hiding this from him. He'd kill Penguin for not telling him, for not letting him help like he had made him promise he'd let him; he guessed that's what happens when your doctor is also your captain.

What exactly was it that Penguin wasn't willing to admit? He was an insomniac. It was a pretty straightforward reason. He couldn't sleep, his mind constantly fighting him to stay awake when he should very well be asleep.

Even if somehow he does manage to catch a few winks of sleep, nightmares were around every corner just waiting for him to sleep so they can plague his dreams and force him awake in the end anyways.

Though, you might be wondering why this is even a problem for him? There were pills for this exact reason, weren't there?

Penguin's captain was a doctor; thus he must have insomnia pills stored away somewhere in that archive of an infirmary. Even if this fact was true, Penguin would never ever ask Law for help.

Penguin had this thing called stubbornness - as did law. They equally matched each other in hardiness, not allowing anyone in to allow any aid. Penguin would bet money that Law would tell him no to the medicine just to teach him a lesson not to hide things like this. However, every time someone on the crew is in need of aid, Law is right there to help so sometimes he even doubts that bet.

The two had been friends for years, becoming one of Law's most trusted friends. Knowing each other for so long allows Penguin to know what things he needed to tell Law about and this wasn't one of them. Besides, Penguin didn't need to worry him; he didn't need to upset Law anymore than he normally is. He was fully content in not letting him know at all.

Maybe that's why he was lying wide awake in bed at 4 am laying in between Shachi and the wall. While Shachi was snuggled into his side, fast asleep, Penguin was unfortunately the opposite.

Law was onto Penguin, he knew he was. Penguin had messed up. He had made a careless mistake and now he was suspicious. It was Penguin's own fault really. Who combs their hair with their toothbrush and tries to brush their teeth with a hairbrush? The mess Penguin left in the bathroom was enough to raise concern alone.

Now, he didn't ever right out call him out on it but he did always silently judge him for it, especially when toothpaste was around.

Law watched Penguin during the day, he could swear it. He could feel his harsh gaze on his form whenever he'd start to sway while working and he could hear his footsteps when he followed Penguin's lethargic form around the sub. It really was hard to convince someone that he was really drunk and not sleep deprived, especially when he was constantly popping ibuprofen and functioning half asleep while he was just standing around.

Why didn't Penguin want to take the pills? He was worrying Law more by not telling him anything than he would by just telling him he had insomnia. It wasn't like Law would judge or anything. It wasn't something he could control.

Penguin hated being a burden. Or more specifically, he hated wasting supplies on something he didn't absolutely need. Law disliked anyone who wasted supplies with them being so hard to obtain out at sea so Penguin promised himself he wouldn't use any unless absolutely necessary.

Even if Law would give him the pills, Penguin wouldn't take them. He'd just say he'd take them and slide them back in the infirmary the next time Law was busy. What if someone really needed them and he had just wasted them?

Maybe there was some milk left in the kitchen cabinet. Penguin could never resist a warm glass of milk, remembering that trick his mother would always pull when he couldn't sleep as a child. Penguin shimmied out of the other's grasp, not even disturbing Shachi who he long envied for being able to sleep like a rock. He grabbed a pillow, sliding it within his reach for him to latch onto. It would be fine. Shachi wouldn't know the difference.

Slipping out on light feet, he ran down the hall. He's been down this path before, sneaking around when the others were asleep during his bouts of insomnia. Never been caught once and he very well planned on keeping it that way.

Now inside the kitchen, his eyes had already adjusted to the darkness but he didn't trust himself not to trip right now so he turned on the light before being set to work as quickly and quietly as he could.

/

Law grunted from his place in bed, already knowing that Penguin had left his room. Law wasn't stupid. He knew when someone was awake and sneaking around on his submarine. It had to be Penguin as he was always the only one exhausted during the day while everyone else was wide awake. He's tried asking him about it but it never gets him anywhere.

Tiredly, he pried his eyes open, already hearing the shuffling and movement in the kitchen. He couldn't just ignore that.

That meant only two things: Penguin was either in there or someone broke into the sub somehow and was making themselves a meal. Either way, he knew someone was in there. He stood and walked out of the room only clad in his boxers and tank top, goosebumps popping up on his skin as the cold air hit him when he left the safety of his warm bed.

He stopped at the kitchen doorway, leaning against the door frame to stare at his half-awake Nakama. As suspected, it was Penguin and by the looks of it, his other theory as to why he was awake seemed to be correct as well. Insomnia.

Penguin's eyes were barely holding open, shakily pouring a glass of milk but missing the cup completely thanks to how shaky his hands had become. You'd think with how hard it seemed for him to stand, he'd be able to just pass out easily, but no. Even if he closed his eyes now, he'd just sit there in agony in a state between sleep and consciousness.

Law was amused. He knew - he had always known. But it was somehow amusing watching the other try to hide it and pretend nothing was wrong with his sleep cycle. He had known the moment he found Penguin in the kitchen peeing in the sink, thinking it was the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" he asked, the same question he asked Penguin every time he catches him. The same question that always received the same response.

"I couldn't sleep, go away," Penguin mumbled coldly. Refusing to look at him, he tried again to pour himself a glass of milk and once again missed completely but somehow even worse this time, spilling it on the floor. Welp, that's going to have to be mopped.

Only a few drops made it into the cup, most of it ending up on the counter or on the floor. The messes he always managed to make drove anyone who found them insane. Law would always clean them if he found them first and every time he'd ask Penguin to tell him what was wrong, but he always got that same answer; yet, he still asks.

It wasn't the fact that Penguin couldn't sleep, but that he can't sleep. He was an insomniac of course - he didn't have a medical degree for nothing. He narrowed his eyes; it had been fun the first few times he found him like this but now it was just sad. Penguin clearly needed those pills even if he didn't want them.

With a sigh, he walked past Penguin to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. He flinched with a delayed reaction when he rested his hand on his shoulder.

"Go to my room." He said in a whispered voice, scaring Penguin a little with how gentle he sounded. Penguin wasn't one to fight against his captain, especially now when he just didn't have the energy to argue. He nodded his head and went to Law's room, already hearing him starting to clean up his mess while he stumbled away.

Once seated on Law's bed, he shook his head, pulling his signature hat over his eyes as his face turned the color of Shachi's hair. He was embarrassed that he had been caught after he thought he had been so careful. He pulled his knees to his chest and let out a shaky breath, wishing he hadn't left his room at all. Somehow, this was so much worse than he thought it'd be. All he wanted was to just go back to suffering alone. Yeah, that sounds nice.

Penguin's head shot to the door when Law entered the room. Law closed the door behind him and made a beeline for his bedside table; immediately, he began rummaging around inside for something. The second Penguin heard the sound of a pill bottle being shaken he scooted back right against the wall.

Law sat down next to him, holding up the little bottle for Penguin to see. He could see from here that it was insomnia pills. He's eyed the pill bottle in the infirmary enough times to know exactly what it looked like. A part of him was shocked that Law had figured out what was wrong with him but another part has always kind of known that Law knew. To be honest, it was actually a little bit of a relief that he didn't need to pretend anymore.

He watched in dismay as Law popped the pill bottle open and took out two white pills. God, what he wouldn't give for those to be tic tacs.

"C'mon, here, you need these pills." Penguin shook his head hard, covering his mouth with his hands.

"No. I don't need those pills, Law. Just put them away already." Penguin stubbornness was coming to full fruition now, and at such an unfortunate time as well. Why did he have to be so stubborn when he very clearly needed these pills? This was a perfect time to use these pills for their intended purpose.

"Yes, you do. You have insomnia. It's not exactly a secret with you stumbling all over the place all the time." He pushed the pills closer to Penguin, only resulting in him fumbling away against the wall like they were the plague. With a sigh, he set the bottle down on the bedside table, grabbing the water bottle he had brought with him.

"Fine. If you really won't take them, I won't force you." He visibly relaxed, putting his arms down. He was so thankful that his captain was being lenient for once.

Out of nowhere, Law tilted his head upwards before gaping his mouth open like he was in awe of something above. It confused Penguin greatly since when looked over he saw nothing but darkness. He opened his mouth to ask what he was looking at, but the second he did, Law pulled him into a headlock and shoved the pills into his mouth, forcing the tip of the water bottle in his mouth as well.

Penguin gagged the minute they touched his tongue and readied himself to spit them out. It didn't work though; Law seemed to read his mind and be quick enough to cover his mouth and nose with his hands.

"Sorry, did I say I wasn't going to force you? I meant I am."

Penguin screwed his eyes shut, his lungs screaming for air not long after. He eventually gave in, gulping down the pills, grappling at Law's hands to let him go while some water leaked down the corner of his mouth. The second Law pulled his hand away, Penguin coughed, greedily sucking in air.

"Fuck you! What the fuck is wrong with you, you asshole!?" He went straight to hitting him, pissed that he pulled such a stunt with him. Instead of getting angry though, Law rolled his eyes, breathing out a huff of amusement at his flailing arms.

"Hey-!"

Pulling Penguin's arms sternly so he would stop thrashing, he gently forced him down to lay on the bed with him. To Penguin's dismay, a yawn escaped past his lips. The pills already seemed to be doing their job to Law's relief. A sleep-deprived Penguin was harder to deal with than normal Penguin.

Law watched with a gentle smile as Penguin's eyelids drooped before fully slipping shut with only a few more mumbled curses. With a relieved sigh, he pulled Penguin's hat off, running his hands through his black hair to soothe his sleeping friend.

It wasn't uncommon for members of the crew to share a bed and this was no different. It wasn't nearly as common anymore since they grew older for Law to initiate the sharing of a bed but it still happened - like now. Once he was satisfied that Penguin wasn't going to wake back up anytime soon, he placed the blanket over the both of them.

"Next time you can't sleep, just tell me, I'm getting sick of cleaning up your messes along with everyone else's." he lowly mumbled towards Penguin before falling asleep with his arms wrapped around him.

(A/N: I know forcing someone to take pills is overdone but I had to do it after having Penguin's insomnia hovering over him the past few chapters.)