Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine. I'm just passing through.

A/N1: Many thanks to:

Spell406 for proofreading

Dreamichwan for a lovely companion art (link in my profile)

and this year's opbigbang organizators, especially Bea and Stephanie for watching over this event and indirectly making me write something at last :)

A/N2: Post-Breed, pre-Dressrosa filler with minor canon timeline divergencies.

Trigger warnings - References to genocide, slavery and drug abuse

Bedside Manner

Staying on top deck was a mistake.

The creak of sails and hum of waves were the only sounds coming from the darkness outside of Law's eyelids. The air felt warm on his face, with hint of salty breeze coming from the open sea.

Trafalgar Law struggled back into awareness, despite a lulling rhythm of waves crashing against the Straw Hats' ship. The problem was in a silence that miraculously befallen the deck. The other pirates were either engulfed in their share of chores, or simply relaxing quietly in the afternoon sun. He could hear occasional splash of water as another fishing bobber was being cast over the rail by the sharpshooter of his host crew. Few feet away a gentle snores marked continuous rest of former pirate hunter Roronoa, possibly still with his captain sprawled haphazardly over him in what Law would describe as casual fashion.

Falling asleep in the middle of the day was not on Law's agenda. He would not risk mission's safety so close to Dressrosa. Through the pain of uncooperative limbs, Law shifted into an upright position. Were they sailing at optimal speed? Open sea vessels were difficult to asses.

"Where are you going?" Stiff and cranky, Law turned to see Straw Hats' navigator looking at him over her sunglasses. Beside her, Nico Robin raised her head from the book she's been reading so far. "Come join us! We still got some booze from the morning left!"

Sunbathing was not an option either. Law pulled his hat over his eyes in search of diplomatic response.

"This will have to wait, Miss Navigator. I need to see your shipwright."

"Franky?" Navigator seemed confused. "He should be on the lower deck in his workshop… But if it's about the schedule, we have still some five days left until Dressrosa. Come on, I'll give you a discount!" she called after his retreating back.

But Law was already on the doorstep leading under the deck.

The inside was colder. Law closed the door and let his still vague sense of direction lead him through the extravagant dining hall in the presumed direction of Straw Hat shipwright's whereabouts.

A clean corridor led him by the rows of doors, although the closer inspection revealed every one of them to be the wrong destination. Finally, he stopped at the last doors.

'The sick bay, led by Dr Chopper. Please knock and come in',

stated a proud little plaque. Law's thoughts immediately turned to the small, mascot-like reindeer with a bit of a temper and, probably, the only person over the seas capable of raising Bepo's spirits in regards to his bounty.

He was halfway back through the corridor when he heard the doors swing open behind.

"…Hello? Is anybody here?" Speak of the devil. Law was pretty certain his footsteps went unnoticed. To humans, anyway.

Well, too late to back out now. Law waited to be noticed by Straw Hat in question.

"Law!" The reindeer scrambled behind the cover and moved out of it as the afterthought. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong? Are you sick? Come in, I'll check you up straight away!"

Myriad of emotions fought for dominance in Law's head – annoyance at being found out, embarrassment at being lost and compromising necessity of admitting it to the fellow pirate. He shifted to face Chopper.

"I need no treatment." Nor any second opinion, even had factual need arose. Thirteen years of sea voyage taught Law not to rely on anyone else than his own crew. "I was just passing by on my way to the kitchen."

"Oh." The initial enthusiasm seemed to fade momentarily. Still, Racoon's face lit up again. "Come in!"

The inside was spacious and surprisingly bare. The memories of Law's own laboratory jabbed at him with unwanted comparisons Immediately after setting his foot in Chopper's domain. The submarine specifications did not allow spacious rooms, but with a bit of planning it offered satisfactory working conditions.

Chopper was retrieving spare stethoscope and gloves out of the cabinet. The creaking sound of unoiled hinges brought Law's attention back to the matters at hand.

"I assure you," Law started, as another piece of equipment was drawn to the desk," that if I felt any problems with my health, I would have saw to get a proper treatment myself. I am a doctor as well."

The guilty look flashing across Racoon's face was the only indication of disappointment. Still, he didn't put away the jar of some strange looking leaves immediately.

"Still, you are our companion, right?" he asked quietly. The jar was away now, as the smaller doctor moved on to mash some of its' contents in a bowl "Still, you hardly ever leave the deck. We take turns guarding Ceasar, but it's like you don't trust us to do this. I thought…" the reindeer's hands clasped around the stony base and there they were again, Punk Hazard and celebration party at hand. Law hated sappy things. Which was probably why he decided to cut to the chase.

"My ship is a submarine." He leaned back against the wall comfortably. "I don't get to travel under the open sky too often and so I wish to make the best of it." It wasn't entirely a lie. Still, some artistic licence was taken as Law guessed that teaching the basics of pirate competition would be a lost cause in this case. His eyes swept the room, looking for distraction.

"Are these yours?" Chopper followed Law's gaze and immediately brightened up.

"Yes. Doctorine let me take some of her old books with me when I was leaving. Robin gives me some new books sometimes as well."

There was not much of it, admittedly, squeezed in the space just below the desk next to the reindeer's seat. From the place he was standing Law could see the titles such as Rhoede's Herbal Herbarium, Flowers of East Blue and New World's Herbarium – the Flora of Grand Line.

Herbal medicine, huh. Law could think of at least four benefits of widening the spectrum and one reason it never would come to be.

He stared for too long.

"Have you read this?"

The chair creaked and Law found a book almost thrust in his face. Green Hills of Four Blues. Law's mind went uncharacteristically blank. His means of treatment usually came down to a stock of ready drugs bought or robbed off the islands he passed by, rather than freshly mashed up ingredients.

"Never heard of it."

But the Racoon kept talking, and Law had imminent feeling of the direction the conversation was heading. "You are from North Blue, just like Sanji, so you probably won't be interested in this one… But maybe the others will be something for you. You could read it on the deck just like Robin does. She says the light up there is much better than in the library." The hopeful note in Racoon's voice stopped Law from immediate rejection.

He found his way out ticket.

The volume's cover was rough under his fingers. The book itself seemed worn out, with occasional greasy splotches marking the pages while some –recent- signs of care testified about its journey. Clumsily patched cover and bent pages bore finger marks.

"…I'll take a look. Thank you, Mr Racoon."

"No way I'm gonna to fa-" Chopper's face lit up yet then he snapped as the hearing caught up. "Who are you still calling a racoon, I'm a reindeer! Not a racoon!" The rest of his ramblings was cut off Law closed the door on his way out.

If staying on top deck was a mistake, then returning there was plainly a bad choice. Rough shaking snapped Law out of his sleep.

"You're up? Good." Straw Hat's swordsman let go of his arm, seemingly unfazed by having Law's nodachi –sheathed, to save some grace- pressed into his neck. "We've got trouble."

And the trouble it was. Alertness back in an instant, Law took in the rapidly darkening sky, almost choking on blistering wind which was tugging at sails. His recent spot offered some shelter from the gale, but standing up in these conditions meant a meeting with a brunt force of the wind. It was hard to believe that few hours ago more than half of a crew was involved in some form of sunbathing – but then again, that was Grand Line weather for you.

Shouts and the sound of running feet announced the revival on board as the various members attempted hasty preparations for the upcoming storm. Raised voices quickly became lost in the wind, though.

… the joys of open sea. Law pushed away a nostalgic thought of his own vessel. The only thing you had to worry about were the Sea Kings and underwater volcanoes.

"-ould get through with a good propulsion! Where's Franky!?" Straw Hats' Navigator was fighting the wind, squinting down at a log pose while clutching at the wheel to steady herself against the weather. The sunbathing spot nearby was abandoned, with colourful seats stashed hastily over nearest railing, all traces of relax gone.

Where was Ceasar!?

Law's head snapped to the place he has last seen the scientist chained to. The spot was empty, with shards of broken glass and something akin to metal glittering among the lawn in the choked sunshine. Frantic, Law grabbed the Sharpshooter's arm who just happened to be running by, safely weighted down against the storm with a bundle of ropes.

"Where is Ceasar!?" Law shouted, but the answer was lost in the wind and upcoming rain. Longnose motioned to something behind him and turning, Law saw Black Leg standing in the bright lit doors of the kitchen.

"Get in!" he made out through the howl of wind and the rain.

"Good," the Cook said as, dripping and cold, Law made it into the dining hall finally. "Now I can join the battlefield. You two – " he glared at the two people seated just by the fish tank, " –behave. Wait for me, Nami-swaaaa—!"

Ceasar squawked at disappearing Cook, but said nothing at being singled out. It did little to Law's satisfaction to see the man almost as soaked as Law himself. The appearance of scientist's other companion, though, was what brought sinking feeling to Law.

Straw Hat's grin was as wide as it was out of place: the captain was sprawled over the sofa, seemingly unconcerned by the strain his ship was, without a doubt, under right now. Behind him the Wano samurai with his son were clutching at the fixtures in a synchronised attempts to steady themselves against the progressively struggling vessel.

"Buckle up, guys!" The doors opened and Sharpshooter all but fell inside, breathless. "We're bursting out of here."

The announcement didn't sound good to Trafalgar's ears, as the vision of his own submarine's propel systems flitted through his mind. Forced escape in such conditions above water was daring, bordering on insane. He turned to the pirate. "What d-"

And then the world lunged forward.

"I demand an explanation!" A fist slammed into the table, cutting off any discussions. Straw Hat's Navigator straightened up and looked around the table. Or glared, if bruised and sore Law was in any mood to nitpick.

They gathered, sore and tired in the dining room. They were out of danger, after dragging out hours of damage control and vigil on the lookout for further troubles. Last strands of night lingered against the dawn in the sky outside the small, round windows.

The silence seemed to solidify as the Navigator glared at those gathered at the opposite side of the table. Straw Haw blinked at sudden attention, clearly clueless. "What?"

"We would've escaped sooner had not someone switched the ropes with a fishing nets!" she growled. "And don't give me that look, I saw you playing with those not day ago!"

"Ah! Usopp showed me how to wor…" The rest of admission was cut off as with a fist, only for the words to sprang right back in their place. "They're so cool!"

"That's not the problem!" yelled the Navigator, massaging visibly red from the impact hand. "We could've been in real pinch had not Usopp – I'll get to you in a moment – remembered where are the spares!"

A chuckle stopped any further dispute. "We got through, nevertheless. Our Sunny is impressive." Nico Robin leant on her folded hands with a smile, as the bickering in the background resumed. Law wondered briefly just how often similar situations happened. Quite often, if the smirk on woman's lips was any indication. She glanced the Shipwright. "How is Sunny, Franky?"

"Super!" Self-proclaimed master of the vessel (captain aside) was hulking at the other side of the table. Sleepless night and the fight with a cataclysm did not dim cyborg's spirit. His bright attire was a startling contrast Nico's clothing. "A mere storm like that would've never brought a beast like her down!"

"All in all, we got off easily," Nico smiled as new voice joined the discussion and Black Leg materialised at the doors. There was a platter of drinks and dessert cups for two in his hand. "All thanks to our lovely Nami-swan's skills." The redhead in question smiled quickly at mention, armful of guilty heads in various stages of not-quite-apologies. Her victims were dropped unceremonially as she re-joined the table and took a proffered treat with a deceptive elegance. Straw Hat's ogling at the sweets went ignored.

"The storm threw us off course," the Navigator sipped at her drink, looking at the map sprawled over the table. "It'll be two more days to go back where we were, one afternoon if we cut the course to shorten the road. I'm not sure about the supplies –" for a moment, her eyes flitted sideways, "-but, just in case, I think we should do some restocking as we go." Red flag. Law's eyes narrowed, suddenly aware of the direction this conversation was going to take.

"We can always fish something up, if it's about the food." Unaware of Law's frustration, Roronoa opened his eye, breaking the illusion of dosing off at the gathering. The aftermath of premature justice between Navigator and her charged happen amiably behind his back didn't seem to bother him at all.

"We need more medicine and bandages," spoke a small voice and all eyes turned at resident racoon-like doctor. Despite being the smallest in size, the reindeer occupied the far seat by the end of the table. He looked drained and Law wondered briefly if there were any noted occurrences of sea sickness in non-humans. Not that he cared. "Our last stop was quite taxing, I need to restock these as soon as possible."

"It was worth it." Interjected Navigator, eyeing the gathered as if daring anyone to question it. Law didn't miss out how her gaze seemed to linger on him.

"Then it's settled," the swordsman shrugged, glancing at his captain as the latter was being uncharacteristically quiet for himself for a while now. "What you say, Luffy? What's the closest port, anyway?"

"The map states 'Luzie', but Dressrosa itself is not a day away." Everyone, barring Law, who knew these region better than anybody else, leant over the map to see the unassuming dot the redhead was pointing at. "Our planned stop at Green Bit is supposed to be short, so let's do necessary purchases at Luzie. We can restock fully at Dressrosa before the Ceasar exchange."

It was a time to interfere.

They could not afford more risk to their next landing. After his resignation, Doflamingo will be too busy fleeing Marines to retaliate. They could easily restock on their way out.

But Breed and Punk Hazard incidents brought new deal of experience to Law. Law chose to focus on simple objectives first – that is, arriving at Green Bit on time.

"Luzie's market is not that different than Dressrosa's," he spoke. Strategy aside, as eccentric as Straw Hats were, they were not shopping in the shadow of Doflamingo's ire." The supply is basically the same, although there are some offers which Dressrosa can't afford to officially affiliate with."

"Then there is no need to do two stops.." freshly revived Sharpshooter stood up, voice still quavering in the aftermath of death grip. He shrieked again, as Navigator's hand closed again around his shirt, nearly lifting him up.

"Black market means more choice; more choice - more discounts. Understood?" glowered Navigator. Sharpshooter, breathless again, managed a small nod. "Good. So shut it. Luffy?"

Not what he counted for. Straw Hat to his left looked up and grinned. No words were needed. Too late to back out, Law grit his teeth. Another detour!

"Yosh! We are going to Luzie!"