Should

Characters: Law, Uni. Rating: K+. Warnings: Minor injury

It was the simple things that did it. The Heart Pirates were an experienced crew, capable of going toe to toe with most enemies, or escaping the ones they couldn't. There were a few close calls, of course, because what was a life of piracy without those, but for the most part Law didn't have to deal with too many problems.

But when the problems did appear, so did Law's headaches. In some ways, the serious injuries were less of a hassle, because once they passed into unconsciousness at least they weren't making themselves worse. That didn't mean that he preferred them unconscious – far from it; unconsciousness brought its own realm of difficulties and there was nothing pleasant about seeing his nakama's limp forms.

However, when they were still conscious, most of them had some ridiculous ideas of bravado and insisted on doing stupid things, as was the situation Law was currently facing with no small amount of frustration.

Uni had broken his ankle. He hadn't even been doing something impressive, like fighting. He'd simply stepped on a rock, only to find the rock wasn't as stable as it had appeared and gave way beneath his weight. That hadn't been the problem. A broken ankle was a nuisance, but with some bedrest and treatment from Law it would heal up just fine.

No, the problem was Uni's attitude.

Law hadn't been there when he'd fallen. His nakama had, sensibly, called for him straight away, but the scene when he arrived had him wanting to tear his hair out. Uni was not, as he'd been told, sitting where he'd fallen and clutching at his ankle. That would have been the sensible thing to do, and Law's crew were many things, but sensible was a term he hesitated to apply to them.

Uni had managed to find his feet and hobble over the rocky terrain a reasonable distance. Law encountered him attempting to make his way back to the Tang under his own steam, and immediately ordered him to sit down with a scowl, eyeing the way his left ankle was quivering alarmingly under the weight.

"It's okay," Uni tried to tell him, limping forwards until Law forcibly stopped him. "I can walk."

As if that wasn't a line Law had heard a hundred times before from foolish nakama underestimating their injuries.

"Can does not mean should," he snapped. "Now sit down and let me take a look." Sitting down turned out to be beyond Uni's comfort zone, as he started to obey only to freeze when his balance threatened to fail him. Law sighed. "You should have stayed where you were," he pointed out, reaching for his nakama and guiding him down. Uni was tall – taller than Law – making it difficult, but they persevered in the end.

Law's Scan agreed with what Uni had told him over the den den mushi – the ankle was broken. It was a clean break, and Law reset the bone then and there as Uni grit his teeth. Wrapping it firmly in bandages so that it wouldn't move around too much on the journey back, he turned around so that Uni could cling to his back.

"Uni," he growled when his nakama didn't immediately obey.

"But Captain…" Uni protested, and Law looked back over his shoulder to fix the man with a glare.

"If you try to walk on that ankle I'll Amputate it," he promised him. As he'd hoped, the idea of hopping around on one leg didn't appeal to Uni, who finally (albeit reluctantly) wrapped his arms around his shoulders and let Law heft him onto his back.

Law wished he didn't have quite as much experience carrying taller people, because the only time he carried anyone was when they were in no state to walk (unlike some of his other nakama, who liked to pick people up for fun), but it wasn't the first time he'd had Uni on his back, and the man's taller height was no issue for him as he finished the journey back to the Tang.

"You are not leaving that bed until I say so," he said firmly once Uni was settled in the infirmary, ankle wrapped properly and suspended. "I do not care if you can walk. It will do your body no favours in the long run."

Now safely back on the Tang, Uni was far more amenable.

"Yes, Captain."

It is possible to walk on a broken ankle, just really not advisable. There's a big difference between "can" do something and "should" do something, and in One Piece there are several moments where people do things they can but probably shouldn't (Law included, the hypocrite). I'm sure it extends to the cast we haven't really met yet.

Thanks for reading!
Tsari