It was hot.

It was a fact rather than someone's off handed comment about the weather. The Heart Pirate's submarine had surfaced to do some routine maintenance, and as such, they all happened to be in need of fresh air when the air filter had broken down.

Unfortunately, the island they had traveled toward overnight was clearly experiencing some kind of heat wave, and the Heart Pirates found this out as soon as the submarine had surfaced and they had all piled out gratefully onto the deck for fresh air. Most of the crew, upon feeling the muggy heat, had gone back inside the ship to grudgingly bear the stale air inside, as it was not as bad as the sweltering outside temperature. A few of the braver crew set out some sheets in an attempt to block out the sun, and ended up lazing about on the deck of the ship in attempt to enjoy the cool breeze when not directly in the glaring sunlight.

Penguin was not one of them.

As soon as he had realized what the outside temperature was and the fact that the humidity was nearly unbearable, Penguin had forgone any attempt of fresh air and instead chose to linger in his room. It wasn't much better than outside when he really thought about it, but when Penguin had seen some of his crewmates cheerfully taking off their clothes and laughing at one another's temperature preferences, he decided it would be safer to stay by himself. Because if most of the crew were stripping down to their pants or boxers, or, in the rare case, completely naked, the Heart Pirate decided that he did not want to take the chance of catching a glimpse of Law similarly dressed.

It didn't matter that this very thing had happened at some point in the past, and all because Penguin had had a change of heart some time in the past year or two.

Penguin stretched out on his bed with a disgruntled exhale as he turned onto his side and picked at his tank. It was soaked with sweat, as had the previous tank from two hours ago had been. With a grimace at the very thought of remaining sticky and sweaty, Penguin gave in and pulled the tank over his head and tossed the article of clothing carelessly into one corner of the small room. With a relieved sigh over the relief that bare skin gave him, Penguin slumped back down onto his bed and stretched out. Normally, he wouldn't have minded going around the ship bare-chested, but after a run in he had had on Zou with a creature with sharp claws, he did not want Law to see him without a shirt on of some kind.

The Heart Pirate closed his eyes as he eventually flopped over onto his back to better spread out and deal with the hot feeling the stale, hot and stifling cabin gave. Penguin sincerely hoped that the mechanic had what he needed to fix things on the ship, because otherwise tempers were going to begin to flare. The Heart Pirate let out a sigh and absently brought one hand to his chest to absently reached absently trace three rather large scars that began just below his left collarbone, where it traveled across his chest and abdomen and down to his right hip. Penguin's fingertips began to shake the further along he felt the scars, before he dropped his hand and let out a shaky breath. He had been damn lucky that that strange monster that had attacked him had lost interest in him as Penguin might have otherwise been gutted as well as torn open. Penguin still couldn't believe that strike he'd been given with those claws had not completely ripped him open, and was lucky that the rest of his crewmates were nearby and able to drive the creature off.

And Penguin was glad of the fact that Law was not around to see it happen, because it embarrassed Penguin to think that he had not sensed the creature near him, when he and some of the crew had gone out to scout Zou. Penguin didn't want to think about what Law's reaction would have been to see him bleeding out on the ground with his skin torn from where the creature's sharp claws had raked him across the front. Penguin didn't remember much other than being hastily brought to the ship while his crewmates tried to prevent him from bleeding out. Even now, months later, Penguin still had dreams of the creature coming back and finishing the job. While those nightmares had lessened, Penguin still couldn't prevent the twinges he felt from time to time that came from the healed over scars.

The Heart Pirate stared up at the ceiling blankly, before he couldn't stand the stale and warm air any longer, nor the fact that he was incredibly thirsty. With obvious reluctance, Penguin rolled off the bed and sluggishly walked to the door. Even just standing up today was the worst, because it made him feel like shit. And not only that, the weather's humidity was causing his chest to twinge with phantom pain that had come with the healed over claw marks, and more often than it had before.

Penguin shuddered, even now, to think what would have happened if he had been struck from another direction. Would he even still be standing like he was right now. Or what could have happened had those claws sunk into his flesh just a bit more than they had. Would it have killed him? Would it have prevented Penguin from seeing Law return to the crew? Penguin gave his head a firm shake and banished the thoughts. He was still there, and that was all there was to it.

Problem solved, even if there was still a lingering fear of the unknown.

With a small growl over the doubt still in his mind, Penguin wandered into the small kitchen on the submarine. Any further dark thoughts immediately vanished as the Heart Pirate couldn't help but smile at the sight of Bepo half in and half out of the small freezer. Even though Penguin couldn't see the other's expression, he knew that the white bear had to be absolutely miserable in this kind of weather.

"So the freezer still works but not the air filter?" Penguin asked as he entered the kitchen the rest of the way, side stepping around Bepo before lightly reaching over to lightly slap his furred crewmate on the back.

"Captain said he would have enough to fix the freezer if it broke down too, and that I could stay like this as long as I needed to." The white bear's voice was muffled.

"How long do you think the freezer will stay cool with you like that?" Penguin asked as he reached over to a cupboard above the freezer to take out a glass.

A faint noise emitted from the white bear in some sort of response, but even if it was not audible, Penguin understood that his crewmate was not about to move from where he was any time soon.

Penguin sympathetically patted Bepo on the back again, more gently this time, before he took his glass over to a sink to fill it with water. He was relieved that the water, at least, was still cold, but was not sure how long the supply would last at this rate if everyone insisted on drinking it in massive quantities. Penguin sipped absently, his gaze falling onto a coffee pot. Penguin drank some more and smiled to himself, remembering the last time the crew had run out of water and how Law had shambled everyone's body parts around because someone had used his water that he had set aside that was to be used in the coffee pot. Everyone tried to lay blame on someone else, knowing how much Law loved his coffee, and when no one would confess, Penguin had taken it upon himself to make some excuse for the person who had taken the water. The Heart Pirate refilled his glass, and couldn't help but continue to smile to himself at the past event.

Then, shaking himself out of those thoughts, Penguin glanced at the coffee pot again. The Heart Pirate's hat was still on his head, and moved as his head tilted back as his shaded gaze flicked to the clock on the wall. Penguin decided that it was about time to make some coffee, because Law would come searching for it in the next few minutes. The Heart Pirate knew that no matter what the weather, his captain would always insist on some coffee around midday, as it was now. Penguin busied himself with making a pot of coffee, and as soon as it had brewed he poured a cup out into a mug, and that was when he heard the door to the kitchen open. Without missing a beat, Penguin lifted the steaming mug of coffee and automatically held it out to the side without turning around. And as soon as the mug left his grasp, the Heart Pirate crewmate knew it was who he thought it would be.

"I thought you would want some coffee around now. I can't believe that while we're all melting out on the deck and inside that you still insist on drinking something hot like coffee." Penguin commented as he went back to drinking his water.

"Mind over matter." Came the short response.

Penguin felt that the remark had been made with a smirk. Law's voice did have an amused tinge to it after all.

"If Bepo can go without complaining about the temperature than I'm sure the rest of you can manage dealing with the heat. And I will drink something regardless of whether or not it is similar to the temperature outside."

"I suppose so." Penguin said vaguely. He had just realized that he wasn't wearing his tank anymore, and that if he turned right now, Law would see the scars and ask questions. He knew that his captain already had enough on his mind, and he didn't want to add to it any more than he already had with that kiss he'd given Law a week ago. It didn't matter that his captain had done nothing in response to it so much as the fact that Penguin had even kissed Law in the first place.

"There was something that I noticed over the past week, and I finally decided to ask Shachi about it earlier, but he wouldn't give me a straight answer." Law said suddenly, and his voice sounded closer.

"He does do that." Penguin said, acutely aware of the fact that his captain was standing very close to him now, and he didn't want to move lest he do something that he might regret.

"He said that some of you went to Zou a few months ago." Law's voice held a hint of something that the other Heart Pirate did not like.

"Well, you did tell us we were to wait at Zou while you were gone." Penguin knew that his words were a flimsy way of avoiding the truth, and that Law would find out any time now what had happened. Or, at least, hazard a guess. And all because Penguin couldn't be bothered to deal with wearing some kind of shirt and sweating it out.

"I told you to wait, yes, but not to go exploring the island on your own. Shachi wouldn't tell me if you lot found anything while you were on the island. He also did not have any explanation as to why some medical supplies, including those needed for surgeries, were suddenly gone, which I then had to resupply before we left a little over a week ago." Law was all but breathing down Penguin's neck by now, tone curious. "You wouldn't happen to know the reason, would you? I'm sure you all would have let me know if someone had been injured, correct?"

"We're all fine right now, so there isn't anything to be concerned about any longer." Penguin bit his lip at the slip up and knew that Law had heard it when his captain suddenly had a hand wrapped around his left forearm.

"Any longer, was it? So someone was injured. I assumed as much. I thought Shachi was pointedly trying to leave out that fact and I guess I was right." The tattooed hand tightened. "And since that was the case, I took it upon myself to give everyone a checkup yesterday, whether or not they wanted it."

"Well, you are the captain. Though I don't see why you bothered to give everyone a checkup if we're all perfectly fine." Penguin dared to say, even if he was internally squirming because Law hadn't let go of his arm and he knew exactly why that was, and the Heart Pirate crewmate cursed himself for not being more careful.

Penguin had sneakily managed to avoid said checkup yesterday by avoiding Law all day, because he knew that as soon as his shirt would off, his captain would know exactly what had happened.

"I have come to the realization through those checkups that no one has had anything amiss with their health since I've been gone apart from a minor sickness here and there." Law gave Penguin's arm a firm squeeze. "And by process of elimination, and the fact that you are the only one I haven't checked over, then that would lead me to believe that those missing medical supplies have something to do with you. Am I right?"

"I suppose you would be, unless those supplies just got misplaced." Penguin fell silent as Law stepped closer, and wasn't sure what to do other than to hold still and not do anything that would be deemed inappropriate. And then Penguin felt Law's free arm snake around him from behind, and that caused Penguin to flail his free arm until he was able to steady himself on the counter.

Law didn't seem to notice as he merely focused on the task at hand and started to feel along his crewmate's skin.

"Captain?" Penguin bit his lip as Law's fingertips traced his skin methodically, and inwardly began to panic because he knew that Law was sure to feel the difference in skin from where he had scar tissue. Penguin knew that his captain had found those scars when Law went very still behind him, before he pressed closer, almost to his back as the dark haired pirate's fingertips dipped heavier against the skin and presumably to feel along the three distinct scars that were there.

And then again, as if Law couldn't believe that they were there in the first place.

"Penguin…"

The Heart Pirate nearly flinched at the warning tone in Law's voice, but couldn't help but notice that there was also a faint trace of worry there as well. And then his captain's hand left his abdomen, and for that Penguin was grateful, because if Law had touched him any longer he might have started to get distinctly uncomfortable. Rather, he would have become aroused and that would have been awkward to explain. Penguin felt Law let go of his forearm as well, and as the silence was nearly unbearable following the loss of touch, Penguin began to fidget because he couldn't see the other man or to try and figure out what was going through his captain's mind right now.

But as soon as Penguin turned around, he knew that the other had intended to guilt him into doing so because Law was immediately in his personal space again, with both his hands to his chest this time, to inspect the healed over yet slightly jagged claw scars. Penguin discreetly backed up a step to grip the countertop in case he attempted to grab Law instead.

"The supplies could have been misplaced, huh?" Law asked, a little sarcastically, as he began to prod along the scar before he frowned when Penguin flinched ever so slightly at the prods. "Does it still hurt?"

"It comes and goes. It took some time to heal, so I guess it would-"

"You're lucky that didn't get infected. Otherwise all the medical supplies on the ship wouldn't have helped you." Law ran his hands over the scars again, before he lifted his gaze to meet Penguin's, expression clearly displeased. "What were you thinking, going into unknown territory like that? You could have died if your wounds had been any deeper than it looks like they were."

Penguin tried to listen to the scolding, he really did, but he'd just noticed, in that moment, that Law was dressed like the rest of the crew. That was to say, he wasn't wearing much other than a pair of pants, which made his tattooed torso was clearly visible. Penguin gripped the counter tighter when he saw that there was perspiration dotting his skin, and the Heart Pirate had the inappropriate thought then and there that he wanted to taste Law's skin.

Law clearly did not like the fact that his crewmate seemed to be distracted.

"Are you listening to me?"

Law's demand seemed to come from far away, because Penguin was having a hard time keeping his now rather lusty and sluggish mind under control. And then Law was even closer to him, and as soon as those golden eyes locked with his, Penguin couldn't restrain himself anymore. Since Bepo still had his head in the freezer, and no one else was around, Penguin struck as quickly as he could before Law could figure out what he had in mind.

Penguin cut his captain's words off by seizing an arm and pivoting around to trap him against the counter, and pressed himself comfortably against the back of Law's body as he braced one hand on the counter next to his captain's. Penguin's other hand went to the base of Law's neck, and gripped the other man firmly there as he leaned over Law's shoulder to mouth the side of the other man's throat. And since he wanted more, Penguin began to lick his way firmly down the side of his captain's throat. And when the angle was wrong, Penguin tugged back with his hand to turn Law slightly, so that the other man was leaning sideways on to counter. Penguin growled something low in his throat.

It wasn't good enough.

Penguin let go of Law's neck to press him against the wall next to the counter instead, and used his hands to pin his captain's shoulders to the wall in order to keep him in place. Penguin gave a quick swipe of his tongue over Law's throat and felt the other man swallow, and vaguely saw out of the corner of his eye that his captain had braced himself against the wall. Satisfied, Penguin licked and kissed his way down to Law's collarbone. The Heart Pirate left kisses here and there, and as he gave rough licks and nips to the sweaty skin, Penguin decided that Law must have had some good kind of shampoo because he tasted clean and not sweaty like most of the rest of the crew smelled like. Dismissing it from his mind, Penguin made his way to the other side of Law's collarbone, and placed a kiss there. He felt Law begin to shake slightly and decided that he shouldn't press his luck too much longer.

But he couldn't help it.

Penguin let go of Law's shoulders as he dared to give him a hug, despite the fact that they were both hot and sticky and the body temperature between them was unpleasant as soon as their bodies made contact with one another. But the longer he held his captain in that hug, the more Penguin decided that he liked it and made one last brief kiss to the side of Law's throat, before he seemed to get a hold of himself and realize what he was doing. Penguin abruptly let go of Law and hastily left the kitchen, though not without tripping over Bepo first. And when it sounded like Law had come to help him up or something else entirely, Penguin skittered the last few feet and all but threw himself out into the hall. He quickly straightened up and fled to his room, grateful that this time his captain did not follow him. Penguin lowered himself onto his bed as soon as the door was closed and stared at the floor, appalled with himself.

Why had he done that?

He had already thought that the kiss from a week ago might have caused Law to drive him way, so what about what he'd just done in the kitchen? Would Law perhaps just think that the heat had just gotten to him and let it go?

Penguin wasn't sure what reaction he would receive, so he made sure to make himself scarce for the rest of the day, which essentially meant that he stayed in his cabin. There was, however, no reprimand, and for that, Penguin was grateful. The Heart Pirate resolved to try even harder to not give in to those sudden urges he felt toward his captain.

-x-

When Penguin wandered out of his room to mingle with his crewmate's later that night, he was again met with Law's indifference like he had before, because his captain was pretending as if nothing had happened.

"I still need to have you go to the infirmary for a checkup." Law stated, the Heart Pirate captain fxing his eyes on Penguin as soon as the other man was close enough. "I don't want to miss anything that might get everyone else potentially sick."

Penguin stared hard at his captain's retreating back, but did as asked. The checkup itself was not so hard, but what was difficult was keeping his hands to himself as Law went about carrying out the checkup.

But there was no mention of what had happened between them in the kitchen, and as soon as he was finished, Law merely waved his crewmate out.

Penguin went out of the infirmary as if in a daze, mainly because he had been expecting questions over the scars on his chest. Instead, he had been met with clinical detachment as Law inspected the healed over wounds, and Penguin was quietly surprised that he had not received concern or anything from his captain like he had in the kitchen earlier in the day. Penguin was very confused over his captain's actions, and that confusion would only grow in the following days.

It seemed to Penguin that Law had begun to do little things here and there, like seek him out specifically to ask something or some menial task, for no other reason that to get a rise out of him of some kind. That wouldn't have been any different than normal, but Penguin couldn't help but start to feel as if his captain were perhaps doing those little things here and there on purpose in order to try and set him off again, for whatever reason.

And when the Heart Pirates anchored on an island for another resupply run a few days later, Penguin again found himself tested, and by the end of that day, he was almost certain that Law was up to something.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

A/N: I see those favs and follows, so I will assume that means that people are at least interested in where this is going (and it is my personal opinion that this chapter turned out better, but that could just be me).