Chapter Text
Bepo wasn’t entirely sure how but by following the Pirate Empress’ ship, the Polar Tang was successfully making its way through the calm belt without much trouble. After the crazy, restless few days when the captain had made the crew sail to Marineford to assist in the war, followed by the mad dash away from Admiral Aokiji and the entire navy, Amazon Lilly was finally within sight and the mink was more than happy to let his captain know. All of them sorely needed a break but Law more so than anyone.
Hopefully, the Amazons had good enough doctors and medical equipment that would allow Law to leave his patients’ sides for long enough to actually sleep for more than two hours at a time. Bepo was really worried about his captain’s health; him not getting enough sleep was nothing new but he needed to at least relax and worry about his own body for a change once in a while.
After checking on the recovery room where the Knight of the Sea was sleeping alone, Bepo made his way towards the operation room where Straw Hat Luffy was still connected to all the machines that had kept him alive before he stabilized. It was basically a miracle he survived—all thanks to the Captain’s skill and his devil fruit—but he was not out of danger yet and that was why Law tended to spend most of his days with him, keeping an eye on his vitals and changing the IV drips as needed, making sure he was there in case something went wrong all of a sudden.
It was honestly a bit out of character for Law. Bepo understood Straw Hat Luffy was still in a bad condition and that Law’s pride as a surgeon was on the line, but he had never seen him quite this dedicated to saving someone’s life. He wondered whether there was more to them going to Marineford than Law’s claim of ‘I just felt like it.’ Maybe he had come up with some plan where Straw Hat could play a part? But well, it wasn’t like Law would tell him even if he asked and Bepo didn’t mind; after all, the Captain was always planning something and he knew what he was doing—most of the time at least—and Bepo knew he could trust his best friend. He would tell the crew when he thought the time was right.
Arriving at the door to the OR, Bepo was about to knock when a voice from inside the room carried over to him, “Where am I?” Bepo didn’t recognize the slightly slurred and muffled voice so it must have been Straw Hat. It was unbelievable that he was already awake.
Law replied only a second later, his tone as flat as ever, “This is only the fourth time I’m telling you this but this is my BDSM dungeon.”
Bepo froze, his paw that was getting ready to knock falling back down to his side. Law was joking around with a patient. He almost couldn’t believe his ears. It was normal for Law to throw sarcastic remarks left and right but not jokes, especially not with people who he didn’t consider close friends. Bepo knew eavesdropping wasn’t exactly a good practice, but he couldn’t just walk in now and he couldn’t just walk away either. He did still have to let the captain know they’d be arriving at the island soon. Plus… he felt bad about it but he also couldn’t help himself. It was too rare an opportunity to witness Law this relaxed, if through closed doors, and Bepo wasn’t about to let it slip right through his paws.
“Sounds nice,” Straw Hat replied after a short moment and Bepo could practically hear the carefree smile on his face. The mink hoped Straw Hat was so happy because he didn’t know what ‘BDSM dungeon’ meant or because of the cocktail of painkillers he was most certainly on and not because he genuinely thought those places were fun. Bepo really, really wouldn’t need to know that about the young Supernova.
“Very nice. Now don’t move,” Law ordered just before calling forth a room.
Bepo heard Straw Hat gasp loudly. “This is so cool, is that a lung? Can I hold it?”
Law chuckled and Bepo’s eyes widened. Law never got this comfortable this fast with anyone. Just what kind of magic did Straw Hat pull? “I literally just put it back together so no. For the fifth time,” Law refused, his voice sounding lighter than Bepo had heard it since they had arrived at Sabaody.
“Okay.” The other pirate agreed a lot easier than Bepo would have expected, judging from what he had heard about Straw Hat Luffy’s personality. “Hey, you’re really pretty. When I become the Pirate King, I’ll make you my Pirate Queen.”
Bepo did a double take. Did Straw Hat really just say that? Did he really just ask—or more like declare—Trafalgar Law, the Surgeon of Death, to be his Pirate Queen? Bepo couldn’t help but wonder whether the the two had ever even talked to each other properly without Navy at their backs or without one of them out of his mind after almost dying.
Only a moment later, Law started laughing. It was a full out, unrestrained laughter, one that Bepo hadn’t heard in years and he could only guess that Law only let his defenses down like that because he was sure Straw Hat wouldn’t remember. But even if that were the case, Bepo was happy. Happy that his friend could let go for a bit, could relax with someone to this extent. For years now, it felt like Law was being restrained by something, some invisible chains which prevented him from moving and acting freely; always on guard. Bepo could guess what it was and he couldn’t blame him for it, but he still wished his captain was able to forget the weight of his revenge and laugh easily like this more often.
There was a warm feeling spreading through Bepo’s chest as he listened to Law’s laughter die down until Law finally replied after a while, his voice still light and full of amusement, “Another time, another place, Straw Hat-ya. Try asking me again when you’re not lying cut open on my operating table, high as all fuck on meds.”
“Fine,” Straw Hat said, his voice sounding sulky. “Can I at least kiss you?”
A beat of silence passed, and Bepo thought this was when Law would decide he had had enough fun and knock Straw Hat out but instead, he actually chuckled before responding, “Why not, I’m going to be your Pirate Queen anyway, right?”
Oh. God.
Law didn’t just kiss people. He didn’t even flirt with people, no matter how many had tried over the years—something Penguin and Shachi complained about because apparently, not flirting back with human women was a crime or something. Maybe Bepo would understand if they were bears but Law was human and he certainly didn’t understand either. And so, if he actually agreed to kiss someone, someone who he had specifically decided to go out of his way to save from the middle of the largest war with the Navy in over 20 years… it could only mean one thing.
Trafalgar Law had a crush.