Chapter 8
The next day was just like the previous ones, only there was more suspicious or concerned looks that the patients and the workers cast him. Law remained calm and strived to act in his normal manner. Through his deputy and the heads of the departments, he informed the staff that there was no reason to be worried; there was nothing wrong with him, he could work normally, and they shouldn't attach any importance to what was published in the press. He wished that this announcement reached the patients as well.
He believed that affair wouldn't affect his work, but in the evening he learned that he'd been very naive. When the last admitted patient left his office, and Law dimmed the upper light and opened the window, ready for paperwork, a knocking on the door was to be heard. The next moment, Bepo slipped in the room, followed by Ikkaku and Clione. Law frowned at that unusual combination, but then he thought they probably wanted to consult with him some case... a patient that needed interdisciplinary treatment, although he found it difficult to imagine such a person.
"We have a real medical council here..." he muttered, switching his desk lamp off, then took off his glasses and leaned back. "How can I help you?"
Bepo stayed by the door, but the other two scattered over the room: Ikkaku walked up to the cabinet and leaned against it, while Clione sat down on the couch opposite her and crossed his legs. Law had each of them respectively at 3, 6, and 12 o'clock now, and felt almost cornered; at least there was the desk between him and them. He shifted his eyes between the three doctors and frowned, for it seemed they planned to stay here longer. Instead of saying something, however, they kept silent, which made him feel both anxious and irritated.
"Well?" he asked. "I don't have a whole day..."
"We want to talk with you about this situation," Ikkaku started, folding her arms and piercing him with the gaze of her brown eyes.
"You refer to that rubbish in the newspaper?" Law replied, looking at the pile at the edge of the desk. "There's no reason to attach any importance to it. You should know better-"
"You must slow down, Law," Ikkaku said as if she hadn't heard him. "If a head doctor faints in the middle of the day in his hospital, and in full view of the patients, it's a serious matter. This has gone too far."
"We all know that the work means the world to you," Clione spoke, "and it gives you a lot, too, there's no doubt. But enjoying its benefits, you can't ignore the load it puts on you. If you don't tell yourself 'stop' now, it's going to be like a downward spiral. Even if your body can take it, your psyche starts to be tired."
"There's nothing wrong with my psyche," Law snapped, giving him an angry look. That was why he didn't like the psychiatrists: they could explain every disorder and every symptom by mental factors...
Clione didn't reply, except that his eyes said, 'Really?'
"Clione put it in pretty words, but the truth is you're a workaholic, and we're all well aware of it," Ikkaku continued. "We've been knowing you for over twenty years. You're always extremely ambitious in everything you do, and give it your all. The thing is, workaholism always has a sad end, both for the person in question and people close to him. Sooner or later one reaches that particular line, that after crossing it everything starts to collapse. You also have that line, and I'm afraid you've got pretty close to it. You're not a superhuman, Law, nor you're getting any younger," she said with emphasis. "You must finally understand you should start to take care of yourself."
Law glared at her. It hadn't been even five minutes since they'd come here, and he was already terribly annoyed. "And you thought that if you gang together, I would certainly listen to you?" he asked with irony. "You're wasting your time. I don't-"
"Why are you so hell-bent on not listening to us?" Bepo spoke from the door, for the first time; his voice was calm, cautious, emotionless. "Why do you stick to your way... even though you're hurting yourself or are on a right course to do so?"
Law clenched his fists and said nothing. He fixed his eyes on his desk and was frantically thinking how to wiggle out of this conversation. He was under the impression that in the last weeks he'd been hearing only about his work from others, and he was losing his patience. He'd kept reassuring or simply ignoring them, and they still wouldn't leave him be. But he'd be damned if he let them mess with his head, and yielded to their absurd demands...! There was no reason that he changed anything in his work, that was all!
"How many times should I say that I'm all right?" he called in exasperation. He would have never thought that such words could make him so frustrated, but they did, repeated over and over. "I am fine. Fine. Should I spell it? My only problem is that my employers have been persecuting me with their nonsense comments and absurd demands for months now. You know, when I opened this hospital, I was certain that, if anything, people would complain about their amount of work, not mine. What you're doing is some farce. How many people will come here the next time? All staff will appear to try to convince me?" he asked.
"You know we don't say these things because we want to oppose you," Clione slipped gently. "Even though we 'ganged together', like you said, it's not about imposing our will on you."
"No?" asked Law sarcastically, looking at him. "Well, it sure seems to..."
"We're not your enemies," the psychiatrist calmly returned his gaze. "We've been on your side for over twenty years, just like Ikkaku said. That's why we're here today."
Law suppressed a sigh. He knew that well, knew that he shouldn't be mad at them... but it didn't change the fact their opinions and views were different. And when one couldn't persuade another into accepting their point of view, then even the most patient person would lose it sooner or later. Still, they had to find some kind of solution... a civilised one.
"It is obvious we can't reach a mutual understanding in this matter," he said, trying to remain calm. "No matter what you say, you're not going to convince me. I acknowledge your point of view, but I'm not going to adopt it. Can we still continue our cooperation despite this disaccord?"
Ikkaku shook her head, and Law felt angry again for dismissing his good will so outright.
"No, because we're too worried about you," she replied.
"You are unable to influence how I live my life...!" Law called in despair.
"That's why we want to persuade you," Bepo said. "You're an obsessive workaholic. I don't know your reasons... But it would be good if you could look at it objectively and ask yourself if everything is the way it should be."
"There is no reason," Law replied, "except that I have the Ope Ope no Mi and can help people that no-one else can. It's always been like that and will always be."
Bepo nodded. "That's true, but don't forget there's more and more diseases we're able to cure without the Ope Ope no Mi," he pointed out. "During the last decade, many novel treatment methods have been devised in this hospital. We've pushed the medical science forward, yes, we... this very Corazon Memorial Hospital you once decided to open," he emphasised. "It's not a fairy tale; it's reality, and we shape it with our own hands. Countless papers were written based on our work, and that in turn led to updating the medical textbooks or even writing them anew. New generations of doctors and nurses study from them. Moreover, the surgical and diagnostic technology have been greatly developed. Your work brought a progress of biochemistry and pharmacology as well, to say nothing about understanding the pathological processes. Ten years ago some disorders were a mystery, and now they are known in the whole world, their mechanisms figured out, and the treatment available for everyone in any hospital."
"Yes, but there's still many diseases that only the Ope Ope no Mi can cure," Law replied. "And new ones appear all the time. The other day, I treated a patient with encephalopathy. His brain tissue looked like a sponge, and the mutated proteins were wreaking havoc in his organism. I had never seen anything like that before, nor had I heard that anyone had described such a case," he noted. "It's impossible to remove all diseases from the face of the earth, they would always be here, and new ones, too..."
"It still doesn't change the fact that less and less people need the Ope Ope no Mi," Bepo stressed. "According to your secretary, the average time before admission had been reduced from over one year to three months! It's something that hardly any hospital can achieve."
"But for those who need the Ope Ope no Mi even three months can be too long," Law pointed out. "And it sometimes is," he added in a lower voice. "That's why I can't and don't want to work less than I am able to."
"Nevertheless, that significant reduction in waiting time can't be explained just with you working more," Clione interjected. "If less patients are referred here, which is a fact, that means that more diseases can be cured without the Ope Ope no Mi, in the local hospitals, just like Bepo said."
Law said nothing; he stared at them in silence and wondered once again what he should do to make them give up and leave. He'd never wanted to associate with stupid people... but the problem with the clever ones was that they wouldn't be easily brushed off. He took a deep breath, ordering himself to remain calm, again.
"Then, what do you want from me?" he asked directly, having decided it would be the fastest way, although he didn't really want to know their answer.
"That you work less. You could shorten your work day... or, even better, take a day off from time to time," Bepo suggested.
"That's out of question," Law replied, folding his arms.
"Which one?" Clione asked.
Law shook his head and stared at his desk again. It seemed that he really needed to use all arguments, even though he'd rather not reveal certain things about himself. "Bepo knows how I feel upon learning that a patient scheduled for the admission died before the appointment," he said reluctantly, waving at Bepo. "He can give you a story about it... And you tell me to take a day off...! During one day, I can cure even ten terminally ill patients. Even if those ten aren't dying, somewhere on the waiting list are those that a single day can decide about their life and death. I can't imagine that I take a day off, knowing that someone dies, someone I could have cured but I chose to postpone it for the next day," he muttered, trying not to look at Clione, who probably would find a proper and professional word for such feelings.
However, it was Ikkaku who spoke next, "Then, why shouldn't we create a better system of selection or queuing?" she suggested. "The new wing is being built in order to admit more patients, right?" she asked, looking at Bepo, who nodded. "I take it that the waiting time for treatment will shorten. Why shouldn't we form two queues: one for those who require the Ope Ope no Mi urgently, and the other for those who would do with the elective treatment? We could also create the urgency grading. Am I correct that so far the referrals have been accepted in the order they arrived... and the admissions scheduled accordingly?"
Law nodded. It was the main policy of the Corazon Memorial Hospital to never discriminate. "Yes, but if a referral mentions it's an urgent case, then we admit a patient free of turn," he replied.
"What if we make our own referral template?" Ikkaku went on. "Out hospital is special, so it wouldn't be strange if we required a specific referral. Apart from typical information, the form would contain also the urgency classification, like 'within a week', '1-4 weeks', or 'over 1 month'. I suppose the doctors wouldn't have problems assessing the patients' condition and classifying them as due group, but we may print the criteria on the reverse, too, along with the instruction how to fill the form."
Law stared at her in silence. The idea didn't sound bad... and maybe it really increased the chance that those in need of urgent treatment would receive it in time. "But wouldn't the patients and doctors criticise us for such a change?" he asked. "What about our policy of admitting everyone who needs treatment? Wouldn't they say we divide patients in more and less ill?"
"But we will be dividing," Ikkaku replied. "The question is, is there anything unethical about it? No. It's normal in medicine that there are urgent and non-urgent cases, and it determines every doctor's work. It's obvious that some need to be treated sooner, and the others may wait. Why should the Ope Ope no Mi impose or demand different criteria? Even if someone criticise us, we would act according to the most basic rule of the medical science."
Law mused. He couldn't find anything that he wouldn't like about the idea. "I think we can try," he said slowly. "But I'm afraid there will still be patients who won't live until their admission... for example they'll suddenly get worse or-"
"Instead of thinking of the pessimistic scenario, you'd better do something sensible," Ikkaku interrupted him. "For God's sake, Law, you're not responsible for all people in the world...! Or how other doctors work. You can't feel guilty because someone assessed the condition of their patients as better than it really was, or didn't allow for the possible complications. It would be a sheer arrogance, nothing else," she said coldly. "In any case, the urgent patient will be sent here at once, and the rest will be given an appointment. The most important is that they arrive here in time. But we won't feel remorse if they won't have arrived for reasons beyond our control. Right?" she asked with emphasis, but Law didn't react to that provocation, although he should have, for then she added, "And if you have problem with that, there is sitting a specialist who will be more than happy to help you overcome it," and pointed at the psychiatrist.
Clione looked at Law sheepishly and cleared his throat, then shook his head. "I may prepare the project of the form together with your secretary, and you can approve it later," he offered, leaving Ikkaku's words without a comment. "We'll need to send it to the Ministry of Health to be distributed in the hospitals. I think it's the most sensible way...?"
"If you could," Law muttered. The matter was fixed, so there was no point in talking about it any longer. "I really appreciate your proposal," he added in a lower voice, making Clione and Ikkaku nod.
"What else can we do?" Bepo asked. "Do you have any other ideas how we could control your work even better, so that you could sometimes allow yourself a day off?"
Law bristled immediately. He'd almost forgotten that the conversation concerned that particular topic. Damn, they were so stubborn... "I really appreciate your proposal," he repeated. "We're going to put it into practice, and I'm sure it'll have only positive results."
Ikkaku and Clione exchanged looks before looking at him again. "That idea would make sense only when it gives you some freedom and allows you to take leave from time to time," the head doctor of the fourth floor said. "If you know that you can control the urgent patients, you will be more at ease, right? And you won't feel guilty about having a day off."
"Those are two different things," Law replied. "I'm not going to take a day o-"
"Law, this is growing tiresome. Please, don't prolong it," Ikkaku murmured, displeased. "We give our best to play along with you, but you only take and don't give anything. Knock if off, man."
Clione wave at her to make her stop, never taking his eyes off Law. "Even if you don't like it, something must be done," he said. "We're not going to leave here until you promise us to decrease your pace of work, Law."
Law glared at him.
"It's not only us who worry about you," Bepo said. "We made a survey amongst the staff members and the patients recently. Over ninety-five percent of the hospital employers is of the opinion you should work less. Amongst the patients, it was eighty percent," he informed, taking several sheets out of the pocket of his coat. "Just listen. 'Dr Law works so hard, he should rest more often.' 'He should get a long holiday for what he does for the humanity.' 'I bet he'd like to sometimes sail in his pirate ship, but he only stays in the hospital all the time.' 'He starts his work before 5 AM, I don't know when he sleep.' 'I fear that he will work himself to death.' 'A doctor should be fresh, otherwise his patient may suffer.'" He looked at Law again. "And so on... Most people believe you're overworking yourself, and they fear that it will negatively affect your work."
"It won't," Law snarled. "How-"
Ikkaku banged her fist on the top of the cabinet when her fiery temper finally spoke up. "You're acting like a brat!" she called angrily. "It's beyond me how someone like you can be a hospital director. And my boss!"
"Ikkaku, calm down," Clione said before looking at Law again. "But it's true that your defiance doesn't look good in this situation. I understand that you feel like opposing everyone who doesn't think like you... I also think I understand the reasons for your workaholism..." he added in a softer voice. "But is there really no chance that we reach a compromise here?"
Law stared at him for a longer while in silence. It was true, he couldn't stand it when someone told him what to do... and he didn't allow it. He realised his defiance could be seen as childish, but... He acted the way he considered right. He wasn't going to give up. And they... none of them had any power to make him change his priorities. Even if they ganged up on him, the whole hospital... they couldn't affect his decisions.
"Go away, I'm busy," he said in the end.
Clione shook his head, and Ikkaku said, "Idiot!"
Bepo sighed sadly, then moved from the door and took a Baby Den Den Mushi out of his other pocket to say to it, "Chopper, bring him."
Law frowned; however, before he managed to ask anything, he could hear the stomping in the corridor that filled him with sheer terror. The next moment, the door was opened with a bang, letting inside the Pirate King, Straw Hat Luffy, who smiled at Law, which was more than grotesque in this situation.
Law answered to that smile with an expression saying 'Who let him into my hospital?' and inwardly promised that person suffering or cutting the salary. He felt like grinding his teeth.
"Torao! I heard you're overworking yourself!" Luffy called after he'd greeted everyone in the room. "It won't do! I loaf all the time, and you work all the time?!"
"Nature has to be kept in balance," Law snarled at him. "Someone must work so that someone else could loaf, it's logical. What do you want?" he asked, hoping it was only a bad dream. His former crew couldn't involve Straw Hat in this business, it was impossible, right...?
Luffy took out a crumpled paper from his pocket. "I got a letter from Sabo today. The government orders you to take one day off every week," he announced merrily, waving the paper.
Silence filled the room, so deep one could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall and screams of the gulls outside; Law could also hear the words, 'one day off every week' ringing in his ears. He was staring at the Straw Hat and wondered if it was really happening. The remaining three seemed to be under the very same impression, judging from their dazed expressions: all were looking at Luffy as if they'd just seen him for the first time.
As silence and general stillness prolonged, the Pirate King finally noticed it and stopped waving the paper. "What?" he asked, looking around.
Bepo was the first to emerge from the stupor. He tore the letter from Luffy's hands and swept its content with his eyes. "Nonsense. It's one day off per month," he said.
"Is it? Ah, I must have read wrong," Luffy decided lightly, shrugging, and then looked at Law again, happiness in his eyes. "It's good, isn't it, Torao? You can visit us. Our kids will be thrilled. I'll ask Hancock to prepare something good for you," he assured, nodding in enthusiasm.
Law ignored him altogether. "What is that?" he asked, staring at the paper.
Bepo examined it from the both sides. "A letter from the Prime Minister's office," he answered and began to read, "'Through the Pirate King, Straw Hat Luffy, I notify Trafalgar Law, Director of the Corazon Memorial Hospital on Raftel, that the restriction of his working and resting hours are introduced, and that he is obliged to one day of holiday per month. The restriction takes effect immediately. All relevant documents from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour shall be mailed within five days. Signed by Sabo, the Prime Minister in the World Government.' Look yourself," he came closer and showed the letter.
The stamps seemed genuine, as did the paper with the printed decorative header and the symbol of the World Government; that was how much Law managed to assess before the letters started to spin before his eyes. He shut his eyelids tight, but telling himself it was just a bad dream didn't help. When he opened his eyes again, the three doctors and one Pirate King were still standing in his office, and the situation was exactly the same as before. He clenched his jaws so hard that his teeth ached. He stared at Bepo, who had returned the letter to Luffy.
"You want to know how much that paper means to me?" he dawdled. "I wouldn't even wipe my ass with it. I'm not going to listen to the politics."
"Let me remind you we're no longer the pirates and we should respect the law, just like everyone," Bepo pointed out.
Law got up and leaned over, putting both hands on his desk. "No-one tells me how much I should work!" he raised his voice.
"What about the subsidies we get from the government? Our activity is financed both by state and private money. Even if you don't collect your salary, what about out hundreds of workers? To say nothing of the cost of medications or maintenance," Bepo reminded. "We can't function without the public money, such are the facts. If they cut off the subsidies, we won't last long only on the private donations."
Law gaped at him in silence. He was under the impression it was the worst day of his life... one of the five worst. One of those he'd never allowed to happen if he'd only been able. Thousands of chaotic thoughts swirled in his mind, none of them sensible; he was filled with thousands different emotions, none of them pleasant.
"They can't close us," he uttered in the end, sitting down on his chair again. "The Corazon Memorial Hospital is one of the greatest treasures in the world, they can't-"
"No, Law. You are one of the greatest treasures in the world," Bepo corrected. "And the government is well aware of it. You must take care of yourself. What's the point in working yourself to death?"
"Yeah, yeah!" Luffy called, apparently displeased with the act he'd been forgotten. "Of course, Torao, you must take care of yourself. I wouldn't be able to work all the time..."
"And that is why you're a king, and I'm a doctor," Law muttered.
"That's true, haha!" Luffy laughed as if he'd heard a good joke, but Law was far from laughing.
He still couldn't believe it. They'd conspired against him, everyone in the hospital including Bepo. And they'd brought Luffy in it, too, and even Sabo. He felt like he'd used to feel long ago: that the whole word was his enemy. Their reasons didn't matter; Law felt betrayed, felt like losing his footing. It was as if he had to, again, battle all the rest of people, alone, without a single companion on his side. He bit his lips and folded his arms, wishing that they all vanished from the face of the earth.
Luffy stopped laughing. "I didn't let you stay on Raftel so that you overwork yourself," he said. "You wanted to fulfil your dream, and it's true that the dreams are worth risking one's life... But it's no use to harm yourself if there's no need," he added, which was very wise for him... even though Law didn't agree, for the need was still there, for he was still realising his dream. "And you're so unwell already that you faint during the work...! Even I know it shouldn't be like that. Using the Ope Ope no Mi all the time shortens your lifespan, right?"
Bepo and Ikkaku groaned in unison. Law stared at Luffy and clenched his teeth, almost wishing him a sudden death... Right, he'd mentioned about it long ago, probably during fight with Doflamingo on Dressrosa... How could he be so stupid...?! But it wouldn't even occur to him that Straw Hat would remember something like that, and after so many years, on top of it. Once again, he had underestimated him. He'd never, not even once, mentioned that in his crew's presence, and now Luffy carelessly had undone all his efforts. Well, he could blame only himself.
"Is that true?" Clione asked.
"Damn you all... It had nothing to do with the Ope Ope no Mi!" Law said, ignoring the psychiatrist's question... although it was the answer itself. "It was just a short faint, and you're making a big deal of it!"
"Two faints," Bepo corrected; he still seemed to be shocked by Luffy's words.
"Two?" Ikkaku asked, anxiety growing in her eyes.
"Yes," Chopper confirmed, entering the office.
"It is decided, then," Clione said.
"What is decided?" Law called, jumping to his feet again. "I'm not going... Listen to me, only I have the Ope Ope no Mi," he tried to convince them. He was under the absurd impression that the tables had turned... and it wasn't nice at all. "Even if we implement the changes we've spoken about, we will still have plenty of patients. Only I can help those people that the conventional medicine can't. It's obvious I must treat them... everyone I am able to, no matter the cost. That's how I imagine my life until the very end."
"What if that end comes too fast?" Ikkaku asked.
Law regarded her coolly, sitting down. "Then the Ope Ope no Mi will be reborn and someone else will become the greatest do-"
A punch in his face cut him short. "TORAO!" Luffy yelled, jumping onto the desk. Before Law managed to react, the Pirate King grabbed him by the shirt and shake him. "I don't let you say such selfish things!"
Law focused his eyes on him. "I've always been selfish," he said and took Luffy's hands off his shirt. "I've always done what I wanted, never caring about what the others thought about it."
"Me too," Luffy replied simply. "And yet I know they would still be sad if I died, and I don't want that. I know what it means to lose a dear person. You know that too, right?"
Silence fell to last for a longer while, so deep that Law could hear his own heartbeat. He was looking Luffy in the eye, and Luffy was only looking back at him. His gaze was furious, serious and concerned, and so very open, for the Pirate King was the exact opposite of Trafalgar Law and had his emotions in the palm of his hand, instead of hiding and constantly controlling them.
Finally, Law looked around the room, fastening his eyes on every person in turn. Ikkaku with a frown, upset and distressed. Clione with gentle yet concerned expression. Chopper with clear anxiety on his face. Bepo - tired, stressed out, worrying for who knew how long. And Straw Hat Luffy, the Pirate King, who had attained everything and didn't want to lose those really important things, even if he had to keep them by force. A woman, a transvestite, a mink, a reindeer, and a rubber man; they were so different, yet something connected them, and Law knew what it was. That bitter-sweet emotion in his chest, soothing all his anger, could tell him that.
Even if he wasn't able to love them with that love that made one's heart explode... even if he couldn't give them much, actually ridiculously little... even if he didn't value himself and didn't deserve it... he was aware that he was dear to them, and not only them. They'd followed him to the end of the world and were still staying by his side, despite all he said and did, despite his egoism. They didn't wish him any harm and didn't want to lose him. All their words, all their attempts to convince him... They didn't want to impose their will on him - they only wished that he sometimes thought of himself.
Were they really demanding too much? Was it really impossible that he gave up on his stance, yielded one inch and accepted their concern? Should he really fight them, even though he knew well they weren't his enemies, only allies, and the best he might have? Should he really resent them for what they were doing, when he realised that their actions resulted solely from their attachment to him? Must he really persist in his stubborn attitude urging him to work himself to death instead of being happy that there were people who cared about him just as Law, and not as the user of the Ope Ope no Mi?
'You know how it is to lose a dear person,' Luffy's words were still ringing in his ears. He knew, as he knew there was nothing worse than that. Even if he wasn't to them someone that Cora-san had been to him, comparison of feelings was pointless. When a dear person died, a hole would open in the reality, and nothing could ever fill it. It was obvious that people did what they could to never let it happen.
If back then, twenty-six years ago, Law had realised the danger... he would have done anything to stop Cora-san, right? He would have used any method and any mean to keep him from harm. Without caring about his own pride or benefit, he would have begged him to think it over... resorting to entreaties, threats, tears, maybe even violence. Such was love, and it sometimes worked against logic... and sometimes in full accordance with it.
He sighed. "One day, right?" he said resignedly, although it took all his strength, trying not to think he would always regret it. "One day per month... no more."
The relief that filled the room was so palpable that Law almost felt ashamed. Ikkaku went to the coach and plumped on it next to Clione, as if her legs stopped carrying her. The psychiatrist leaned his head onto the backrest and closed his eyes. Chopper seemed ready to jump for joy, and Bepo only nodded, never breaking the eye contact. Luffy, still squatting on the desk, grinned and patted Law on the shoulder, as if they'd never argued.
"Now you're talking like a man! That's my Torao!" he called proudly as he kept patting him. "Now… let's have a party!" he declared, staring at everyone with enthusiasm.
"Straw Hat, hey..." Law tried to object.
"I'm afraid a party is impossible right now," Bepo said quickly, coming closer. "Hospital director has a very important work to do."
"Whaaat?" the Pirate King moaned with disappointment. "You're boring... But there's no help," he decided cheerfully the very next moment and jumped off the desk; somehow, he managed not to throw down any charts. "We'll have a party when you visit us, Torao," he announced and then looked around the room. "Actually all of you should come! Actually... there's always party in my place," he informed and grinned again.
"That sounds great, thank you very much for an invitation," Bepo said politely, glancing at Law. "But now... We can't hold you up. The Pirate King must have many duties..."
"What?" Luffy asked in astonishment. "Cookies? I don't have many... Ah, I haven't eaten Sanji's cookies for a while," he said with some resentment but then beamed. "I must have him bake me some. I'm going to ask him to send you, too!" he declared generously. "See you!"
"Luffy, one moment," Clione stopped him, moving to the edge of the coach and looking at Law, who automatically gathered all papers scattered by Straw Hat and put them in a pile agan. "I know you'd rather think of it later, but... It would be better if you decided which day you're going to make your free day. Why wouldn't you tell us now? "
Law wasn't deceived by the psychiatrist's gentle smile... but before he managed to answer, Chopper joined the conversation. "Actually... Do you really think he's going to take a day off?" the reindeer-doctor asked with an innocent curiosity, looking at the other doctors. "I bet he's going to say that something came up and he has a lot of work..."
"Well, he did agree awfully fast," Ikkaku said, and Law kind of felt offended by such a lack of trust.
"Hey, guys..."
"How can we be certain he's going to really take leave?" Clione added. "And that he not only won't be using the Ope Ope no Mi for the whole day, but also wouldn't think of work...?"
"Wouldn't think of work? I think that's impossible. We must be realistic," Bepo decided, making the others nod reluctantly.
In the silence that fell one could almost hear the intense brainwork happening, and Law didn't know if he should consider that situation comical or, rather, be angry. Much to his surprise, it was Luffy who emerged as the first from that collective thinking. He made a palm-fist tap and beamed, as if a bulb turned on over his head, which made Law brace himself, awaiting some ridiculous idea.
"That he wouldn't use the Ope Ope no Mi? I know! I know!" the Pirate King called like a kid in a class, raising his hand. "Seastone handcuffs!" he announced eagerly.
"Hey, Straw Hat... A fellow Devil Fruit user shouldn't suggest such things," Law said reprovingly.
The others, however, stared at Luffy appreciatively. "That's... a good idea," Chopper agreed, and Law immediately considered him to be another traitor. "We should procure them."
"I wouldn't be able to move," Law reminded them, trying to remain patient.
Everyone turned their heads to look at him, and it seemed they eyes flashed... before they continue the conversation as if he weren't here.
"Yes... That's a good idea," Chopper repeated.
"He would have a whole day of a good rest," Bepo added, touched. "Just think of the benefits...!"
"But... against his will?" Ikkaku asked doubtfully. "It wouldn't be very ethical, right...?"
Now it was Clione that everyone looked at. "Sometimes we use coercive measures in case of the patients who need to be tranquillised and they aren't capable of it themselves," the psychiatrist said somewhat sheepishly, but Law wouldn't be fooled by that.
He was again pierced by the five pairs of eyes when everyone turned to him. He almost shuddered at the very thought, so terrible it was. He couldn't imagine greater torture than a whole day of total inactivity; he would undoubtedly go crazy...! He would have to find out which one of them had those handcuffs, and replace them with normal ones. Long ago, back in his pirate times, that trick had saved his life several times...
It was only the next moment that he realised the absurd of that thought and felt mad that he'd let himself be drawn into their visions. He wouldn't let anyone put the seastone handcuffs on him, not even the normal ones.
And, besides, he didn't really believe they might do something to him, regardless of how concerned about him they were.
Probably.
"You could trust me a bit, okay?" he said with resentment; it was pretty much faked, for he rather felt like rolling his eyes. "You know that I always keep my word..."
"Torao, do you promise?" Luffy asked, putting his hands on the desk and giving him a serious look. "That you won't be using the Ope Ope no Mi or working at all on your day off?"
"I promise," Law muttered, trying not to grind his teeth. "But let me choose the day myself, at least," he asked, feeling it was the greatest farce of his life... and once again regretted having thought of involving Straw Hat in his business, all those years ago. He would undoubtedly reap the fruits of that decision for the rest of his life.
"All right," Luffy agreed generously. "New Year's Day would do," he said the next moment as if he'd just decided that.
"That's out of question! Anything but that!" Law almost bristled. He used to be on call on the New Year's Day, so that the majority of his colleagues could have a free day."
"Then what day?" Clione, that terrible sticker, asked, and Law once again came to the conclusion that he didn't like the psychiatrists; they wouldn't let a person off the hook before getting all their answers out of them...
"Let it be... the 16th of the month," he said resignedly. Today was 17th, which meant that his nearest day off would be a whole month from now... as far in the future as possible. He'd preferably suggested 31st, but some of them would've undoubtedly noticed that only a few months had thirty-one days, so it wouldn't have been accepted anyway.
"Sixteenth, okay," Bepo muttered, and the others nodded. Chopper went as far as taking the pocket diary out of his coat and marking the day.
Luffy made a sad face, but soon enough he shrugged. "No matter the day, you must visit us!" he called happily, and Law immediately decided that the Pirate King's palace would be the last place in the world he would visit. "I'll still be on Raftel on January 16, Torao!" he informed, then said goodbye and left, before Law managed to tell him not to run inside the hospital.
He comforted himself with the thought there were no wards on this floor, only office rooms, educational spaces and the canteen, and Luffy used to enter and exit the hospital through the balcony at the end of the corridor.
Following Luffy's suit, the others quickly left, too - apparently, they didn't feel as confident without the Pirate King, who was the only person capable of controlling Trafalgar Law - and only Bepo stayed.
"It's you who organised that, right?" Law guessed.
"Are you mad?" the mink answered with a question.
Law sighed and shook his head. "What will be, will be," he said. "But... don't inform the papers about it, okay?" he asked.
Bepo gave him a surprised look and then smiled. "Okay," he assured him.
Silence filled the room. Law was glad that the mink didn't continue the topic. It didn't result from fear; Bepo simply knew that Law wouldn't stand being praised for his decision, not after having resisted making it for so long. Also, he was probably aware how much that affair had hurt his pride. Then, even if he were happy that Law had finally backed down and modified his attitude, he didn't show that happiness, just like the rest of them. Law knew well that they hadn't wanted to defeat him, and he supposed the other doctors didn't feel any more comfortable than he.
When Bepo broke the silence, his words confirmed what Law had thought, "I'm sorry. I don't regret what we've done, but I realise it wasn't nice for you."
Law waved his hand. That was one of the many reasons why he could never be really angry with the mink. "Don't worry about it," he said. "Like I said, what will be, will be."
Bepo nodded. "Then, I'm not going to disturb you any longer. We've already taken too much of your time."
Law looked at the medical charts on his desk. "That's damn true," he replied.
"But don't stay up too long," Bepo requested, and Law winced.
Then, however, he remembered something. "Bepo... Using the Ope Ope no Mi probably doesn't shorten my lifespan," he said reluctantly. "Only when I make a very big ROOM and maintain it for a long time. But it happened only when I was fighting. I don't need to do it for treatment. Straw Hat might have spared himself saying that, when he doesn't really have any idea... You believe me, don't you?" he asked anxiously.
The mink nodded. "I do. Thanks for telling me," he replied and left.
Law leaned back on his chair and stared at the ceiling. It was pointless to get frustrated with what had happened. His decision would certainly return to him often enough - at least once per month - so he could as well stop wondering about it now. Instead, he mused over the fact that no person lived in a void. Even if sometimes he wished it was so... there were always people and circumstances that his existence affected. Was it good or bad, he didn't feel like thinking of it today; he only came to the cautious conclusion he didn't entirely hate it.
He realised he wasn't as irritated he could have been. To tell the truth... he felt somewhat relieved. Not because he'd been forced to take one day off - that he still considered completely pointless, and if he could, he would go back on his word right away - only because the whole thing was finally over. It had taken weeks, even months, but now it was out of his hair. He would no longer need to listen to others commenting his lifestyle, nor would he need to constantly assure them he was all right. He wouldn't need to hear Ikkaku's nagging and be upset by Clione's psychoanalysis. He would never argue with Bepo...
Well, at least the last one was likely; knowing Ikkaku and Clione, they would never stop bothering him. That was how they were, they nagged and psychoanalysed him, and there was no help.
He rose from the desk and went onto the balcony. He rested his hands on the railing. The air was sharp, frosty, but calm. The waves were quietly splashing on the shore. The moon was painting a silver line on the black ocean. Judging from the sounds, a ship was calling at a port. It was normal evening outside the Corazon Memorial Hospital; the world hadn't noticed that Trafalgar Law's life had been turned upside down.
He stared at the stars on the velvet firmament. 'Cora-san, have I done right thing? Is it okay? Am I really allowed to not use the Ope Ope no Mi... not help people that one day? Cora-san...?' In fact, he was asking himself, for he knew how Cora-san would've answered. 'Of course, you silly!', pat on the head and a smile.
In the end, he decided he just would have to work more on the other days. It wasn't impossible. He took a deep breath of sea air and returned to the paperwork. Getting to it was much easier than he'd expected.