~

"Are you happy, you brat?"

"Luffy, no. I'd rather die. Not this old witch." Law coughed and freed himself from Luffy's grip.

"I'm still a youthful 139, Trafalgar."

"Torao stop being a kid! You need help!" Luffy scolded and immediately moved to help Law. Then something clicked. "Wait, you know each other?"

Law could only glare weakly but his footing gave out and he had to lean on Luffy who picked him up again. Luffy ignored the trail of blood he noticed there was on the carpet the entire way from the elevator to the door.

"Those are questions for later. Bring him in." Doctorine said and went inside the room, quickly spreading a sheet and preparing the couch for Law. Luffy carefully set the older down and Law resigned himself to his fate, he was in no condition to run away. "What happened to this brat?"

"He was shot two times, well that's what he said." Luffy answered because Law was clearly having a hard time keeping his head up. "That was two days ago. But he took the bullets out."

Kureha pulled her gloves on followed by her prescription glasses and stepped closer to Law, pulling the bloodied sheet off him to see the wounds. She tsked at the blood seeping from the abdomen wound. She judged Law's lack of response and movement as the situation getting worse, she took a side-glance at Luffy and figured he won't attack her too for what she was about to do. The old woman sat down on one knee and without warning dove her palms in both the bullet wounds, hard. Law's eyes flew wide from the pain and he almost roared. Luffy winced from just seeing that and clenched his hands at the realization that he could just watch.

"One of the bullets is still in your abdomen." Kureha concluded.

"Something's in there." Law spoke at the same time.

"He said you took them out." The woman questioned and started preparing the tools she would need to perform the operation.

"How the fuck even... He shot me two time and I took two complete bullets out." Law breathed but he was starting to lose it, he couldn't think how this happened.

"Well there's something definitely in there." Doctorine mused and brought her things to the coffee table.

"No wonder it feels so uncomfortable..."

"Luffy, can you give blood?" Kureha asked mentally making a list of steps for the procedure.

"Yeah sure!"

"Sit there for the time being." Luffy sat down on the other couch and watched as the old woman adjusted the sheet so the couch won't get bloodied then began with opening up the old stitches and taking them out. Luffy never had trouble with blood but this was Torao's blood and his flesh that he was seeing and he didn't like seeing the older like this, opened up and vulnerable so he moved his eyes to somewhere else, avoided looking because it was reminding him of the nightmares.

Doctorine worked diligently and made haste to minimize the risk of further infection, the sedative was doing its job, she noticed, even on someone as resistant as Law. The bullet was far back so the pull on the muscle was worse than when Law had got the first bullet out. Nevertheless, the woman pulled out a round golden bullet and held it up to examine it. The internal pressure must have eased because Law opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Kureha looking at the still bloodied bullet.

"Bag it. Don't let it contaminate." Law said through the haze of still wondering how the fuck he got three bullets when the gun was fired twice.

"Wanna get even with the shooter?" Kureha asked dropping the bullet in a ziploc bag and putting it aside to clean and stitch Law back up. She prepped a vein for blood transfusion and other fluids then beckoned Luffy over, silently.

"Kinda." Law closed his eyes again once Kureha had begun to clean the area after stitching. He winced when he felt a needle prick in his arm, he deduced it was the blood transfusion and opened his eyes to see Luffy sitting on the ground beside him, really close, his arm resting on the available space on the couch and a tube connecting their blood vessels.

"I see your stitch job has gotten better. Are you still pursuing that research?" The old woman taped the needle on Luffy's arm and made to gather her things back.

"Requires a lot of stitching, yes. Still a work in progress." Law answered closing his eyes back. Luffy made a confused noise very close to Law's ear.

"The brat doesn't know?"

"I'm not obligated to advertise it."

"Torao does a lot of weird stuff but he's a really good doctor!" Luffy added, he knew there was something Law did that he didn't know, apart from the black market thing.

"Weird doesn't cut it. He interned under me for a while, this one is a genius in medicine." Luffy beamed at the praise Law was getting from Doctorine. "If only he really used it in legal medicine."

"Huh?" Luffy asked. "He's a doctor. Aren't you Torao?"

Law and Kureha stared at each other, Law silently telling her to let the matter go.

"He is a doctor. I was just teasing the brat." Kureha said. "You aren't leaving here until I say so and if you so much as try to deceive me you brat, you know what will happen."

"Yeah Torao, her policy is you either leave completely healed or in a body bag." Luffy provided, remembering from the time when Nami was sick.

"I know Mugiwara-ya." Law sighed then turned to the older doctor. "I am not stupid, I'm not running away but if some trouble comes knocking at your door because of this, that's your problem." Law smirked and Kureha waved his bratty attitude off with a shake of her grinning head.

When Law was left to his own thoughts as Doctorine left to clean her tools, and Luffy was unnaturally silent, the fluids he was receiving in his blood started acting stronger and soon Law found his eyes slipping close. Law was wondering how Luffy knew the old woman but his mind was blanking on him, so with the safety of being around Luffy and in the competent presence of Kureha, Law could finally let go and slip into unconsciousness. He knew now he was going to be ok.

Luffy wanted to sleep too, he was so tired from his nerves constantly worrying about Torao and now that his blood was leaving him, the effects were getting worse but he couldn't let himself sleep. He had left Law thinking that the older could take care of himself but it got worse and Luffy considered himself responsible, once was enough, he needed to stay awake and keep an eye out should something go wrong again. When Doctorine got back, Luffy shared a look with her, silently asking if Law would be ok because he was still pale and shaking and sweating and feverish.

"This brat is strong. He'll live through it." The woman put Luffy at ease and sat down on the other sofa with his feet up, she was going to wait till she could take the needles out. Luffy didn't say anything to her remark, not even a question about how she knew that Law was strong, and if something had happened before too. He just continued to sit beside Law. "You should lay down too, all that blood leaving you is going to make you sick."

"I'm ok." Luffy said and shifted closer to the surgeon, resting his head near the older's. Doctorine watched the two and sighed. "Chopper was really happy after meeting you."

"Of course he would be, that idiot son." The woman laughed and shook her head. The only reason she wasn't staying with Chopper or the other way around was because Chopper currently lived on hospital campus and was needed on emergency basis sometimes.

Luffy grinned and felt himself dozing off too. With Kureha watching, Luffy felt like he could close his eyes for a few minutes. He didn't dream about bad things happening to Law again but he did get completely woken up when Law shifted and accidentally fell off the couch.

"Motherfucking-ugh!"

"Torao you ok?" Luffy asked between giggles, rubbing his eyes, noticing that the needle was out.

"I'm going to punch you if you don't shut up." Law glared and shifted to get up but he wasn't strong enough to that on his own yet.

"Ok sorry." Luffy controlled his laughter and helped Law sit on the carpet against the couch he fell off.

"I should heal fast now since I've got your blood. You have insane healing abilities." Law joked holding his abdomen and breathing slow, deep breaths to control his racing pulse.

"It's because of the meat."

"Yeah well, food is difficult for me." Law sighed. "Did you fall asleep sitting like that?" He pointed when he saw Luffy stretching probably to straighten his back. He did remember the younger sitting beside him before he himself had fallen asleep.

"Mmhmm." Luffy nodded absentmindedly.

"Help me push the couch back."

"Why?"

"After falling from it once, I am not going to sleep on it so help me make room on the floor." Law said. "You take the couch."

"If you're only doing this so I can sleep on the couch, Torao, that's nice but no thanks. You take the couch."

"Too uncomfortable." Law imitated Luffy from back when.

"Then the floor it is for both of us."

Law didn't comment further, just let Luffy do the heavy lifting and moving and told him to pull the couch pillows down for better cushioning. He laid on his back and Luffy laid beside him, the two quickly falling back asleep. First it was Law falling off the couch that woke him up, now it was the nightmare of a pink feathered blond bastard choking Law with strings coming out of his fingers that woke the older, unable to breathe and gasping for air, clawing at his airways.

Luffy woke up with a start when he heard the noise and knew he couldn't do anything. "Baasan!" Luffy called for Kureha, panicked and scared because he could only see the whites of Law's eyes and his bandages getting red were scaring him that Torao was getting bad again. It wasn't like any panic attack that Luffy himself had went through or seen so he didn't know what was happening.

"Control his hands." The old woman instructed and Luffy held Law's hands away from his neck, keeping his nails from hurting himself. Kureha quickly got her bag and first listened to her patient's chest cavity to see why he couldn't breathe. "Tch." The woman put her stethoscope aside when she heard obstruction in the left lung, it was definitely filling up and the buildup needed to be relieved before either the man drowned or his lung collapsed.

Luffy eyed the thin sharp needle Doctorine brought out from a box and wondered what she would do with it. He didn't expect her to stick it in Torao's boob with the kind of force Nami used to slap Zoro whenever he was found sleeping on duty.

"Is he ok?" Luffy asked still panicked, now though from the reddish liquid that was pouring out of the needle Doctorine had stabbed Torao with.

"Yes, keep his neck straight." Kureha ordered and Luffy stopped moving from where he had Law's head on his lap. "Didn't know his trauma was this bad."

"Huh?"

"Whatever he went through at whatever time in his past, that trauma. It was always a possibility that some trauma might trigger an episode and seeing how bad the situation is..."

Luffy just watched helplessly. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't even save Law from his nightmares from his past but he wanted to. He just wished he knew what was ailing Law so he could help! He wanted to help! Luffy had always seen Law so composed and collected but it had all come crumbling down right then. He knew Torao had trouble sleeping and even knew that most of it was from nightmares but he didn't know it was this bad, to the point of... whatever had happened a few minutes ago. The old lady said it was trauma and Luffy could only wonder in horror how bad it actually was that something like this happened.

Luffy didn't sleep again. He couldn't. He wanted to cry from the helplessness he felt, maybe he did cry too, he didn't know. The sun was starting to come up so Luffy momentarily left Law's side to pull the curtains to keep the room dark. He was delaying getting back to Law because the older still wasn't out of the shock and was still gasping for air every few minutes even though the needle was already out and the site was taped. Kureha told Luffy it would take some time for Law to get out of that particular state, how long, she herself wasn't sure. His eyes hadn't come back and Luffy had to force Law's eyelids shut to avoid a scare every time he looked at the head in his lap. Luffy was scared and for the first time scared like this too. He had told Law that he like him. He wanted Law to be a constant in his life, but right then, Luffy was understanding how ill-equipped he was to even want someone as a constant. He didn't know even the basics of medicine. If Kureha hadn't been in the same hotel, Luffy didn't know what would have happened, he couldn't have helped Law himself – Chopper would have but it would have taken too much time and time Law didn't have then. Luffy couldn't even cook and Law needed nutrition and care in preparations of his meals. If Sanji wasn't around, Luffy would never have been able to feed Torao. Luffy couldn't even drive, what would he do in an emergency? Call an ambulance or a cab and wait? He hated it. He only knew how to punch things, he couldn't help Torao with his fists.

Luffy hated himself in that moment. He hated how powerless he was. He hated that he even thought about being good for Law. He wasn't. He had acted on a selfish whim and burdened Torao with the knowledge of his affections.

So Luffy delayed in getting back but he eventually had to. His worry for Law was stronger than his hate for himself. Law's eyes were open when Luffy sat back down beside him but he still seemed out of it. Luffy sniffled and kept himself from crying, he kept a keen eye as slowly Law came back and blinked. Once Law's awareness was back, he remembered what had happened. Law's self-loathing was claiming his mind but a sniffle brought him out and diverted his attention towards the source.

Luffy looked absolutely wrecked. His eyes were bloodshot, either from lack of sleep or crying, or both. His posture was slouched. His body language screamed that he was not only fatigued but scared as well, of what, Law didn't know. What Law did know was that Luffy was only like this because he was accompanying Law so it must be because of Law himself that Luffy was like that.

"Did you even sleep?" Law asked Luffy, making effort to sit up, accepting help from the younger when he couldn't do it by himself.

"I couldn't." Luffy sniffled again. Law knew he wouldn't be able to convince Luffy to sleep now so he steered the conversation somewhere else.

"Where's Kureha?"

"Right here." The woman answered for herself as she came back to her couch and threw the Ziploc bag at Law, knowing he would want to have a look at it since his senses were now back. Both Luffy and Kureha watched the colour drain from Law's face when he registered the bullet. Luffy didn't know what Law had seen but he was seeing the same fear in Law's eyes again as when he had the nightmare. Doctorine on the other hand, knew.

"This changes things." Law managed to say and began to get up but fell. His body was still very weak.

"You aren't going anywhere in your condition Trafalgar." The old woman said and crossed her legs. "Heal here, then leave."

"I can't wait around for that!" Law was scared and panicking. Luffy was getting agitated watching Law like that too.

"If I know anything about the piece of shit this mark belongs to, this was just a greeting shot. You won't be hearing from them for a long time after this. It was just a little tease to see how worked up you get and what mistakes you make." Doctorine tried reasoning with Law. "Be smart."

Law sat back down, he knew Kureha was right but he was still afraid he would be found out. From the corner of his eye, Law noticed Luffy move to see what was on the bullet that both Torao and Doctorine recognized, he wanted to see it too but before he could take a look, Law closed the bag in his fist and moved it away from Luffy's line of vision. The blood had gotten off so the mark that was on the bullet was hauntingly visible and Law knew if Luffy saw it, he would no doubt flip. The younger was already bad enough from worrying about Law, the older didn't want to make it worse by showing him something that would trigger Luffy's own trauma.

"Let me see!" Luffy insisted.

"Don't be a stubborn shithead." Law's words may have been harsh but Kureha heard something else behind them. She had seen the surgeon being protective but looking at him now, she was seeing something else, another form of protection. She smiled behind her hand looking at the two but she was concerned for them as well because Law wasn't exactly from a past of all flowers and honey, and from the bullet, it wasn't going to be better too.

"Eat something, both of you, then go back to sleep." Kureha ordered then left to sleep herself too.

Luffy gathered himself enough to order food after consulting with Law and after both the boys have eaten, they're ready for bed again. Law was sure he wouldn't be seeing anymore nightmares because now he had guarded himself against those with the new knowledge of his attacker. Luffy had laid down on his back and he was watching Law toss and turn trying to find a comfortable position.

"Ugh." Law winced when he rested on his back again, it was aching from laying down like that for hours but he couldn't sleep on his right without having some support so he won't fall forwards. Luffy somehow caught on it.

"Use my shoulder Torao."

"What?"

Luffy gestured to his shoulder with his eyes and waited while Law contemplated what to do. Law eventually gave in, Luffy wanted to help and Law was in no state to refuse. It was awkward and embarrassing but Law put his head on Luffy's shoulder, turning to his right. He didn't know what to do with his left arm, how to place it so he wouldn't hurt his shoulder wound. Luffy could hear Law's brain thinking for so long that he took matters in his own hands and grabbed Law's left hand and placed it on his chest, keeping a hand over it so Law couldn't move away.

"There. Now sleep." Luffy said chuckling at the cough that left Law and closed his eyes.

"Don't hit my injuries in your sleep, I'd kick you."

"You'd have to get better before you can do that though." Luffy mumbled brining his chin to rest on the older's head. Any remark Law had was shut down from Luffy nuzzling his head. Law once again felt safe and so he closed his eyes to sleep.

~