🌹 ꌗꋪꌗ꒒ꌩꌗꃅꌩ 🌹

Pairing: Law x female!reader

FLUFF

a/n: I whipped this drabble up while at work. I was just skimming through prompts and this reminded me of our beloved grumpy doctor. enjoy!

word count: about 600

Big thanks to @acrimson-embrace for this amazing divider (and so many more)

“Hold still. I love you, but if you move again—”

Law’s voice was edged with irritation as he stitched the wound on your thigh.

You froze instantly.

For the briefest fraction of a second, the Surgeon of Death’s hand faltered. A tiny tremor. Then he continued sewing your wound shut as though absolutely nothing had happened.

Silence settled over the Polar Tang’s  infirmary.

“…What?” he finally asked, worn down by your relentless staring.

“Repeat what you just said.”

“I said to stay still,” he muttered.

“After that.”

Law let out a long sigh and began placing his instruments back in their proper places.

“Now’s not the time for childish games,” he said. A moment later, quieter this time, he added, without looking at you, “I didn’t say anything.”

He huffed and turned away, hiding his eyes beneath the brim of his spotted hat, pretending the frustration on his face came from your clumsiness, his hopeless crew, and the abrupt temperature shift from the island surface to the freezing laboratory beneath the sea — certainly not from his own words. Anyone claiming otherwise was committing outright mutiny against their captain.

The surgical lamps hanging overhead seemed to stare down at him in silent amusement.

This would probably join the collection of humiliating memories that haunted him at night. Like the time he’d accidentally blurted out that you were “always beautiful“ in front of the newly formed alliance with the Kid Pirates and Straw Hats. He’d spent six miserable months refusing to come within two meters of you unless absolutely necessary. Medical examinations and life-or-death situations didn’t count.

Though, to be fair, that had been back when the two of you barely knew each other and were still figuring each other out, when your place in the crew — and in his life — had only just begun to take shape.

How many nightmares would this particular disaster produce?

You hopped off the examination table and poked his cheek.

Then the other one.

Your captain stared at you in disbelief.

“What do you think you’re doing? Stop that immediately.”

“No.”

“Don’t be a child.”

“Don’t be a child.”

“Very mature.”

You stuck your tongue out at him.

For a fleeting moment, the corners of his lips twitched upward and something bright flickered in his eyes.

“You’re impossible.”

“Coming from the grown doctor who can’t even stand by his own words and instead pouts, avoids eye-contact and stares dramatically into corners like a spoiled kid,” you teased.

Law cleared his throat.

“That’s no way to speak to your captain.”

“Like a sulking little baby,” you added as you leaned closer until your noses nearly brushed. “Though I like you exactly the way you are”

He muttered something completely unintelligible.

Then, after silently counting to ten — each second feeling equivalent to seven frantic heartbeats — he gave up and finally closed the distance between you and pressed his lips against yours.

The kiss was warm, decisive, and far overdue.

When you finally pulled apart, Law rested his forehead briefly against yours before muttering, 

“Now can we get back to treating your injury, idiot?” 

He flicked your forehead affectionately.

You immediately grabbed the collar of his hoodie before he could move away.

“Not before the prescribed number of kisses. I have to follow the doctor’s orders.”

Law rolled his eyes.

“Again. You’re impossible.”

And then the two of you melted back into the gentle comfort of sweet, lingering kisses.

And somehow the infirmary became a very poor place for medical treatment.

When you finally pulled back a fraction of an inch, you smiled.

“By the way… I love you too.”

A metallic clatter echoed from the doorway. Both of you turned.

Bepo stood frozen, a tray of extra instruments scattered across the floor.

The bear stared and then let out a strangled noise and sprinted away at full speed, running for his life.

It's xenomorph time