Archive of Our Own ^beta

"NO! YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING!" Ace screamed, unable to believe what he was hearing. Sabo stood frozen, horrified by the news that had just been dropped on them.

"The only way we can stop this from getting worse is with a heart transplant," the doctor explained. "But Luffy is so small, we don't know if we'll find a match in time. He is currently at the top of the donor list, though."

It wasn't much reassurance. How else were the brothers supposed to react?

"Unfortunately, this means he'll have to stay in a long-term hospital under intensive medical care," the doctor continued.

Ace sat in stunned silence while Sabo paced back and forth.

"We're placing him in one of our most trusted facilities, Grand Line Hospital. It's top-notch," the doctor said, trying to sound positive.

"Mr. Luffy, do you have any questions?" the doctor asked the sick boy.

Luffy looked up from the hospital bed, tilting his head with a smile. "Nah!"

The doctor nodded before glancing at Ace and Sabo. "You two seem to have a lot of questions." He sweated under their intense stares.

. . .

Sabo wheeled Luffy out of the hospital, the younger boy kicking his feet as his brothers murmured in worry.

"My lord, he needs a heart transplant, this is fucking insane, Sabo. What are we going to do?" Ace groaned.

"I don't know. We can only hope for the best. Let's not show our worry to Luffy, you know how he feels about that," Sabo said, nudging Ace.

Ace sighed but nodded in agreement.

They helped Luffy into the car. He sat still, staring off.

Sabo went to return the wheelchair and collect some documents for Luffy. When he came back, Ace was getting ready to drive them home.

"This paperwork needs to be submitted by next week. That's when he'll be transferred to the long-term hospital," Sabo sighed, looking down at the stack of papers.

"My god, my job is gonna kill me," Sabo muttered, stressed. Ace frowned.

"Don't worry about it, Sabo. I'll talk to Pops, I should be able to take a couple of months off," Ace reassured him.

Luffy looked up, frowning.

"Guys, I'll be fine," Luffy tried to comfort them.

His brothers smiled at him.

"We know, Luffy," Sabo said with a grin before looking back at the papers.

Luffy frowned, knowing they were just brushing him off. He loved his brothers, but sometimes, he wished they would just believe him, that they didn't always have to worry.

Then again, he couldn't blame them. Luffy had Danon disease and late-stage heart failure.

Luffy pouted in the back of the car, staring out the window.

Once they finally got home, he was about to jump out of the car and run to his room, but Sabo stopped him with a scolding.

"Don't get out yet, Luffy. Wait for either me or Ace to help you," Sabo said as he got out of the car.

Luffy didn't know what to say, so he just sat there until Ace opened the door, smiling softly at him.

"Want a piggyback ride, or do you want to walk on your own?" Ace asked.

Luffy grinned up at his older brother.

If Luffy had to choose who he'd rather stay with at the hospital, it would be Ace, not because he loved Sabo any less, but because Ace gave him more freedom and let him make his own decisions.

"Piggyback ride!" Luffy cheered with a giggle.

Ace nodded, turned around, and let Luffy climb onto his back. He shut the car door with his foot, hearing it automatically lock before heading inside the house.

As Ace passed the living room on his way upstairs, he noticed Sabo already working on the paperwork.

"Luffy, how about you take a nap? By the time you wake up, dinner will be ready, okay?" Ace said.

"Okay!" Luffy grinned as Ace set him down in his room. He crawled into bed, got comfortable, and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Ace turned off the light and left the door slightly open before heading back downstairs. He sat next to Sabo and sighed.

"Sabo, you don't have to worry about that paperwork right now. How about you take a nap while I prepare dinner?" Ace offered.

Sabo shot him a glare.

"If one of us doesn't do this now, it'll never get done," he said before turning his focus back to the documents.

Ace sighed, rubbing his face in frustration, then got up and left Sabo alone.

It had always been this way. The two of them constantly stressed over their younger brother. And poor Luffy only had them. His father was out of the picture, his mother was unknown, and their grandfather, Garp, was always away working.

Ace and Sabo had gotten used to Luffy's behavior. He acted like a ten-year-old, even though he was seventeen and about to go on eighteen.

Of course, it wasn't his fault, it was because of his disease.

Now, in the kitchen, Ace started preparing dinner. Although he wasn't as good at cooking as Sabo, he decided to give it a shot.

. . .

A doctor sat in his office, finishing up paperwork so he could finally head home for the day. A knock at the door interrupted him.

"Come in," he called out.

"Ah, Doctor Trafalgar, may I come in?" another doctor asked with a smile.

"Oh, Marco. Yeah, come on in," Law said, sitting up straight as his colleague entered.

"I just got word from East Blue Hospital. They have a long-term patient being transferred in," Marco began, and Law nodded.

"He has Danon disease and is in the late stages of heart failure."

Law's eyes widened slightly. He'd never had a patient with that disease before. This could be interesting.

"Good kid, too. It's a shame a boy like him has to go through something this deadly," Marco continued. "He's at the top of the heart donor list, but his chances of finding a match are severely low. He's small, even for his age."

Marco slid Luffy's medical chart across the desk, and Law picked it up, scanning through it.

Law frowned.

Luffy seemed like such a bright and kind young man. It was painful to see how much he was suffering.

"Yikes... These symptoms are severe. At this rate, let's just hope he can last a year," Law muttered.

Marco nodded grimly. "Yeah. If he doesn't get a transplant soon, I don't think he'll make it past a year. And even if he does get one, there's still the risk of rejection."

"Yeah," Law agreed. "But we'll just have to put him on a high dose of immunosuppressants."

The two continue to discuss the newest patient coming in soon.

. . .

The ride to the hospital was quiet. Luffy, usually talkative and energetic, simply stared out the window, arms crossed, lost in thought.

Ace noticed and nudged him. "What's up, Lu? You okay?"

Luffy blinked and turned to his brothers with a grin. "I'm fine!"

Ace and Sabo exchanged a glance.

He was lying.

Luffy hated looking weak, so he always put on a brave face, grinning from ear to ear.

Clutching his straw hat, he turned back to the window.

When they finally arrived at Grand Line Hospital, a nurse wheeled Luffy inside. The moment they stepped in, Luffy was hit with the familiar scent of antiseptic, the sounds of coughing, and hushed voices filling the air.

"We'll take you to your room," the nurse said with a smile, pushing Luffy's wheelchair as Ace and Sabo followed closely behind.

Luffy's new room was small but comfortable. It even had a window overlooking the courtyard, which made it feel less suffocating.

"Dr. Trafalgar will be with you shortly. Get settled in," the nurse said before stepping out and closing the door gently behind them.

"So, Lu, how do you feel?" Ace asked with a grin.

Luffy looked up at his brothers, his smile faltering. "I don't wanna be lonely. Are you guys gonna be able to stay with me?"

Ace and Sabo exchanged a glance before sighing loudly.

"About that, Luffy..." Sabo started, rubbing the back of his head. "We still have work, so Ace and I are gonna take turns staying with you until we figure out our schedules."

Luffy nodded. "Okay! As long as I have one of you here." He giggled, tucking his feet under his thighs.

Suddenly, a knock at the door made all three of them turn their heads. The door opened gently.

"I'm Dr. Trafalgar Law. I'll be your primary doctor for pain management, and I'll also be the one performing your heart surgery," Law said, his sharp gaze flickering between the brothers.

"I just wanted to go over visiting hours with you two. Since you're family, you're allowed to stay overnight, but we can't provide a bed. However, the couch over here is a futon. The only thing is, you can't enter after 5:00 PM and can't leave after midnight."

Ace and Sabo nodded, listening intently.

"You're also allowed to bring food from outside, as long as it's not during an exam or when Luffy's receiving an IV," Law continued, going over the hospital's protocols.

Ace and Sabo listened, but all they could focus on was the unspoken reality, Luffy was getting worse, and time was running out.

As Law finished explaining the hospital's protocols, he glanced at Luffy, who was still holding his straw hat tightly in his hands.

Despite the usual carefree grin, there was a glint of uncertainty in his eyes.

"Any questions?" Law asked, flipping through Luffy's chart.

Luffy tilted his head. "Nah!" he chirped.

Law raised an eyebrow. He had read enough about Luffy to know the kid was stubborn, but something about his forced cheerfulness made Law feel uneasy.

Sabo exhaled through his nose, running a hand through his hair.

"Well, as long as he's getting the best care, we can handle the rest."

Law nodded. "We'll do everything we can." He closed the file and tucked it under his arm.

"I'll check back in later, but for now, try to get comfortable. The nurses will be in soon to run a few tests."

With that, he left, the door clicking shut behind him.

Luffy watched him go before flopping back onto the hospital bed. "Man, he's so serious."

Ace snorted. "Yeah, well, he's got a pretty serious job, dumbass."

Luffy stuck out his tongue. "I bet I could make him laugh."

Sabo chuckled. "If anyone could, it'd be you."

But despite the playful exchange, the tension lingered. This was real. Luffy was staying here for the long haul, and there was no telling how long that would be.

A few hours later, after the nurses finished their tests, Ace and Sabo had to leave for work.

Ace ruffled Luffy's hair. "I'll be back later, okay?"

Luffy grinned. "You better bring me meat!"

Sabo smiled, but there was something heavy in his eyes. "Get some rest, Lu."

Luffy watched as they walked out the door, the room suddenly feeling much quieter, much colder.

For the first time in a long time, he felt alone.

Luffy brought his knees to his chest and pouted.

. . .

Later that night, Luffy noticed his brothers hadn't returned; he missed them, Luffy only talked when the nurses came in to get tests done or to give him food.

He talked their ear off, but the nurses didn't really mind it since he was kind and easy to deal with so they loved talking with Luffy.

But, they all went home and Luffy was lying in the bed staring up at the ceiling feeling the moonlight flow on his skin and glow on his skin then he heard a soft knock and the creak of the door.

"Still awake?"

Luffy turned his head to see Law standing there, arms crossed.

"Yeah," Luffy admitted. "Kinda hard to sleep in new places."

Law hummed in agreement before stepping inside. "You'll get used to it."

Luffy stared at him for a moment before asking, "Hey, Doc... have you ever had a patient like me before?"

Law's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes. He sat down in the chair beside Luffy's bed.

"Not exactly," he admitted. "Your condition is rare, and most cases don't make it this far."

Luffy nodded, taking that in. He was quiet for a moment before looking back at Law with a grin. "Guess that makes me special, huh?"

Law smirked. "Guess so."

For the first time that day, the room didn't feel quite as cold.

"Doc." Luffy sat up and stared at the older man.

"Is it bad that I... don't want to get better?" Luffy asked.

Law raised an eyebrow, shocked by the boy's words.

"What do you mean?" Law walked over, checking Luffy's IV.

"I mean... I just want to die," Luffy admitted. "I want my brothers to stop spending all their paychecks on hospital bills and worrying about me. If I'm gone, they won't have to stress over me or waste so much money on me."

Law paused, his hands stilling over the IV line.

"Honestly, Luffy... I think you're too strong-willed to just give up and die," he said firmly. "You deserve to be out there, living a normal life. Wishing this on yourself won't make your brothers love you any less, and it won't stop them from worrying about you."

Luffy nodded as he felt Law adjusting the tape on his IV.

"There's one more thing I want to do before the surgery," Luffy said with a small grin.

Law hummed in response. "And what's that?"

"I want to fall in love." Luffy bit his lip, his expression uncertain.

Law blinked, surprised, before letting out a small chuckle. "Well, that's an interesting thing to put on a bucket list."

Luffy pouted. "I'm serious."

Law smirked. "Good luck with that." He turned to leave, but Luffy's voice stopped him.

"Wait... Doc... Do you think I can? Or is it too late?" Luffy's voice was softer now, filled with uncertainty.

Law hesitated for a moment before speaking. "It's never too late to fall in love."

With that, he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Luffy blinked, stunned, before breaking into a wide smile. He giggled to himself before laying his head down on the pillow.

Meanwhile, outside, Law sighed, running a hand down his face. "What the hell am I saying..." he muttered under his breath.

. . .

Later that day, a nurse brought Luffy his new medication. Ace, sitting nearby, raised an eyebrow at the size of the pill.

"Damn, that thing's huge."

Luffy took the pill, chugging a bottle of water to wash it down, but immediately grimaced. "Ugh... that tastes awful."

"Sorry, Luffy," the nurse apologized. "This new medication is meant to help with your more intense symptoms. We had to give you the highest dosage."

Luffy leaned back on the bed, but within seconds, a sharp pain shot through his stomach.

"I don't... feel so good," he mumbled, clutching his stomach.

Ace frowned, sitting up. "Luffy?"

Before anyone could react, Luffy lurched forward and vomited.

The nurse rushed to his side, quickly sitting him up and tapping her watch to call for assistance.

Law burst into the room just as Luffy started throwing up again, this time into a trash can that Law had grabbed. "Give him water," he ordered, steadying Luffy's head with a firm but gentle grip.

The nurse returned with a bottle of water, handing it to Luffy just in time for him to take small sips.

Ace sat frozen in horror. Luffy had vomited before with new medications, but this time... there was blood in it.

Law's expression darkened. "Run tests on that. There shouldn't be blood in his vomit."

The nurse nodded and hurried off with a sample.

"And call the janitor to clean this up." Law adjusted Luffy's bed so he could lie back more comfortably.

Then, he turned to Ace. "We're going to have to ask you to step out while the janitors clean."

Ace barely registered Law's words before nodding and stumbling out into the hallway. He collapsed onto a chair, staring at the floor, his vision blurred with tears.

His hands shook as he pulled out his phone and called Sabo.

"Hey, Ace, how's Luffy?" Sabo answered, his voice light until he heard Ace sniffle.

"He puked blood, Sabo." Ace's voice cracked as he broke down.

Sabo fell silent, his stomach twisting in fear.

Sabo's grip on his phone tightened. "I'm on my way."

Ace didn't respond, just sat there, his free hand gripping his jeans as he fought to keep himself together. The hospital hallway felt cold, empty, and suffocating. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take.

Inside the room, Law ran a hand through his hair, his sharp eyes scanning Luffy's vitals. The younger man looked exhausted, his skin pale, his breathing shallow.

"How do you feel now?" Law asked.

Luffy blinked up at him, his usual smile noticeably absent. "...Tired."

Law nodded. "That's normal. You lost some fluids, and your body is under a lot of stress. We'll get you some IV hydration, but first, I need to figure out why this is happening."

Luffy hummed in response, his eyes slipping closed.

Law turned to the nurse who had returned. "Tell the lab I want those test results ASAP."

"Yes, Doctor." The nurse nodded and left.

Law sat on the stool next to Luffy's bed, rubbing his temples. This wasn't good. He had seen bad cases before, but Luffy's condition was progressing much faster than expected.

The medication was supposed to help him, not make him vomit blood. Something wasn't adding up.

The door swung open, and Ace rushed in, followed closely by Sabo, who had clearly just run through the hospital.

"LUFFY!" Sabo yelled running over to Luffy who was still drowsy. "Hey Sabo." Luffy said with a smile and Sabo frowned.

"Are you okay?" Sabo questioned getting to his side.

"I feel better after throwing up , my throat burns a little." Luffy pouted.

Law cleared his throat. "We're running tests. Vomiting blood isn't a typical side effect of his medication, so I need to figure out what's causing it."

Sabo stood up and faced Law. "How bad is it?"

Law hesitated, then exhaled. "If this is caused by internal bleeding, it could be serious. But we won't know for sure until the results come back."

Sabo clenched his jaw. "And what if it is serious?"

Law met his gaze. "Then we act fast."

Silence filled the room. Luffy watched his brothers quietly, feeling the weight of their worry pressing down on him.

"I don't want you guys to stress over me," he mumbled.

Ace scoffed. "Too late."

Luffy pouted but didn't argue.

Law looked at the brothers and turned, getting ready to walk out of the room. "I'll let you know when those test results are in." Law then closed the door softly.

Hours later Luffy was half asleep on the bed as his brothers were discussing the hospital bills.

That was until the door creaked open. Law stepped inside, holding a clipboard. His face was unreadable, but something in his posture made Ace sit up straighter.

"You got the results?" Sabo asked immediately.

Law nodded and exhaled. "Yeah... and we have a problem."

The room tensed.

"A gastrointestinal bleed caused the vomiting," Law continued.

"It's not just a reaction to the medication, it's a complication from the disease. His body is deteriorating faster than we predicted."

Ace clenched his fists. "What does that mean?"

Law's expression darkened. "It means we need to speed up the transplant process. If we don't, Luffy might not have more than a few months left."

Silence.

Sabo's breath hitched. "That's... That's not enough time."

Luffy, however, remained quiet, his face unreadable. He had expected bad news, but hearing it out loud still felt surreal.

"So I really am running out of time," he mumbled, almost to himself.

Ace snapped. "Don't talk like that!" His voice was sharp, desperate. "We're gonna find you a heart, okay? You're not dying."

Luffy blinked up at him. "But what if I do?"

"No." Ace's voice wavered, but his determination didn't. "You're not allowed to give up, Luffy."

Sabo took a shaky breath, composing himself. "What are our options, Law?"

Law rubbed his temples. "Right now, Luffy's at the top of the transplant list, but finding a compatible heart is still a challenge. We'll keep treating his symptoms, but the surgery has to happen soon. If we can't find a donor in time..." He trailed off. The unspoken words hung in the air like a heavyweight.

Luffy tilted his head. "Hey, Torao?"

Law looked at him. "What?" Then he frowned slightly. Torao?

Luffy grinned weakly. "You're real serious all the time, huh?"

Law sighed. "This isn't something to joke about."

"I know," Luffy admitted.

Ace and Sabo's hearts ached at his words.

Law studied him for a moment before shaking his head. "You really are something else, Straw Hat."

Luffy's grin widened. "You just called me Straw Hat!"

Law clicked his tongue. "I'm your doctor, not your friend."

"Eh, we'll see about that." Luffy snickered, despite the exhaustion tugging at his body.

Law rolled his eyes but couldn't help the small smirk tugging at his lips.

Sabo, however, looked serious. "So what do we do now?"

"For now," Law said, "we keep him stable. And we wait for a miracle."

Law then left the room.

Sabo sat there with worry on his face, Ace sighed and looked at Luffy lying on the bed fully awake now.

"Sabo, how about you go home and get some sleep tonight, you have to work early anyway, I will stay with Luffy tonight." Ace patted Sabo's shoulder.

"Okay..." Sabo looked at Luffy and went over to him and hugged him gently. "You get some rest." Sabo smiled and turned to walk out of the room.

Luffy looked at Ace setting up the futon and getting ready to sit down.

Suddenly the door opened and someone came in with lunch for Luffy.

"Mmmh!" Luffy seemed excited he hates hospital food but he learned how to deal with it and make himself like it.

"We gave you a light lunch knowing what happened earlier, we're trying to keep you on liquids at the moment." The nurse explained as Luffy pouted, not liking the sound of a new diet.

Ace felt bad for Luffy, a liquid diet is not gonna appeal to that boy.

"UGGG!" Luffy groaned as he saw the trey with jello 3 glasses of water and watered-down soup.

Ace looked away as the nurse walked out.

"Ace, do you want it?" Luffy offered and Ace cackled that was a first coming from Luffy.

"Nah! I already got my food." Ace smirked, grabbing out a bag of chips and at that very moment, Luffy was ready to jump on Ace and hurt him.

After lunch didn't go so well, Luffy threw it back there was some blood in it but it wasn't as bad.

"Ugg, I hate this." Luffy groaned and slid on the bed.

"Just take a nap, you need it anyway," Ace told Luffy.

. . .

It's been a few hours and dinner was just taken away from Luffy and he was lying on his bed, he looked over at his brother.

Luffy broke the silence first. "Ace?"

"Hm?" Ace looked up.

"Do you think it's possible to love someone in just a short time?" Luffy asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ace blinked. "What kind of question is that?"

Luffy shrugged. "Just wondering."

Ace frowned, setting his book down. "Why? You got someone in mind?"

Luffy chuckled weakly. "Maybe."

Ace stared at him, then groaned. "Luffy, tell me you're not talking about Law . "

Luffy grinned mischievously. "What if I am?"

Ace nearly fell off the couch. "LUFFY!"

Luffy snickered, holding his stomach. "Ow, ow, laughing hurts."

Ace ran a hand through his hair. "You can't be serious."

"I don't know." Luffy shrugged, playing with the frayed edges of his blanket. "He's kind of cool. And he talks to me like I'm just... me. Not like I'm about to die."

Ace sighed, rubbing his face. "Luffy, I don't know if falling for your doctor is the best idea."

Luffy tilted his head. "Why not? If I don't have much time left, shouldn't I do what makes me happy?"

Ace opened his mouth to argue, but no words came out. Because deep down, he knew Luffy was right.

A knock on the door saved him from having to answer.

Law stepped inside, holding a clipboard, his usual stoic expression in place.

"Speak of the devil," Ace muttered under his breath.

Law raised an eyebrow but ignored him. "How are you feeling, Straw Hat?"

Luffy beamed. "Better! I even kept my dinner down."

Law smirked slightly. "That's an improvement."

Ace cleared his throat. "So, what's the update?"

"Well, we're going to put you on a new medication to help with your internal bleeding, but there's still no news about a donor," Law explained.

Ace groaned, while Luffy simply looked down, unsure of what to say.

"But... if we don't find a donor in the next few weeks, we'll have to perform an intense surgery on you, Straw Hat, if you're okay with it, of course," Law continued.

Both Ace and Luffy looked up at him.

"It's a mechanical circulatory support system, a temporary solution while we wait for a donor. Hopefully, it won't take long to find one, since these devices don't last forever," Law explained.

Ace stood up from the couch. "What's the survival rate?"

"With a transplant, the survival rate is up to 80%. But if we can't find a donor within a year, it drops to less than 60%. It's still relatively high, but the chances decrease the longer he goes without a transplant," Law clarified.

Ace exhaled sharply. "I'll talk to Sabo about it. Do we need to fill out any paperwork?"

"Yes. This surgery is intense, it'll take up to nine hours, and Luffy will need to stay in the ICU for a while. He'll still be a long-term patient, but once he recovers, he'll be able to leave the hospital occasionally."

Luffy grinned. "Wow, this is great!" Luffy laughed.

Law smiled and looked at Ace again.

"I'll give you the paperwork and some information about this surgery for you and your brother to look at." Law then walked out.

Ace was grinning ear to ear.

"LUFFY YOU'LL LIVE!" Ace hugged Luffy tight.

"Haha." Luffy laughed, hugging his brother back.

Still, this surgery is intense and there's no guarantee that Luffy will make it even after or even during surgery, but he won't say anything because Luffy is happy to see his brother so happy.

"Luffy, you might be saved." Ace cried and Luffy was shocked but he smiled wide.

"I hope so Ace."

. . .

After countless hours of paperwork, medical evaluations, and intense preparation, the surgery was finally upon them. It had been four weeks since they had first discussed this procedure, and now, the night before the operation.

Now, the final hours before the surgery had arrived.

Luffy sat by the hospital window, gazing out at the city below. The neon signs flickered in the distance, cars moved like tiny specks on the streets, and for a moment, he imagined himself somewhere else somewhere far from the suffocating walls of the hospital.

Ace was sprawled out on the futon, arms crossed behind his head, though his restless shifting betrayed the fact that he wasn't truly asleep. Sabo sat in a chair beside the bed, skimming through some work papers, though his attention wavered.

Luffy turned away from the window and looked at his brothers. "You know, have you guys ever thought about how different things would be if... things weren't like this?"

Ace raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Like... if I wasn't sick. What would I be doing right now?" Luffy mused, tilting his head.

Sabo set his papers down. "You'd probably be out causing trouble," he said with a small smile.

Ace snorted. "Yeah, knowing you, you'd be running around, picking fights, getting into stupid situations."

Luffy laughed. "Yeah... that sounds about right."

A comfortable silence settled between them, but then Luffy spoke again, his voice softer this time. "I really wanna go to the ocean one day."

Ace and Sabo exchanged a glance.

"The ocean, huh?" Sabo mused. "You've always been obsessed with it."

Luffy nodded, his gaze distant. "Yeah... It just seems so big and free, you know? Like, there are no walls, no rules, just endless blue." He rested his chin on his knees, his voice dropping to a murmur. "I wanna see it before I die."

Ace immediately sat up. "Then we'll take you."

Luffy blinked at him. "Huh?"

Ace grinned. "After your surgery, once you're stable, we'll take you to see the ocean. No matter what."

Sabo nodded in agreement. "Yeah. We'll make it happen."

Luffy's smile softened. "Promise?"

Ace grinned wide. "Promise."

Luffy laughed. "Alright then. You better not break it."

Ace ruffled his hair. "We won't."

Luffy became more animated after that, his excitement bubbling over as he went on and on about the ocean.

Eventually, his brothers succumbed to exhaustion, their soft breathing filling the room. But Luffy remained awake, sitting up in bed, his mind still racing with thoughts of the ocean.

A knock at the door made him look up. Standing in the doorway was Law.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Law asked as he stepped inside.

Luffy grinned up at him. "I have a new motivation, to see the sea."

Law raised an eyebrow. "The ocean? You know... I don't think I've ever seen it either."

Luffy's jaw dropped. "What?! How? Not even as a kid?" He pouted, looking genuinely offended.

Law shook his head. "No. I was always inside... Overbearing uncle, you could say." He muttered the last part, clearly not wanting to elaborate.

Luffy frowned at that but then brightened. "Well, I'm going after I get better! You should come with me."

Law gave him a flat look. "No. You're my patient, I can't just hang out with you. Like, at all."

Luffy leaned forward, eyes twinkling with mischief. "What if it's my dying wish?"

Law's expression flickered with surprise. "... I thought falling in love was your dying wish?"

Luffy looked away, cheeks puffing out slightly. "I can do both."

Law exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're impossible."

Luffy grinned. "So... is that a yes?"

Law shook his head. "We'll see. Get some rest, you've got surgery first thing in the morning." He turned to leave but hesitated at the door. "I'll be back in a few hours for pre-surgery prep."

Luffy watched as Law left, then turned back toward the window.

Tomorrow was the start of something unknown.

But for now, he just focused on the promise of the ocean.

. . .

Luffy was awakened by the loud sound of machines. Blinking sleepily, he looked up to see nurses wheeling in new equipment.

Ace and Sabo stood nearby, watching closely as they tried to figure out what needed to be done to prepare for the surgery.

"Mr. Luffy, good you're awake. We need you to change into this gown. It's a bit different from the standard ones," a nurse explained, helping him sit up.

Luffy nodded sleepily, then glanced toward the door as Law walked in. He looked exhausted, but Luffy decided against commenting on it.

Without a word, Law gestured for Ace and Sabo to step aside. The three of them exited the room, leaving Luffy alone with the nurses.

With a quiet sigh, Luffy got up and headed toward the bathroom to change into the new gown.

Stepping out of the bathroom, he found the nurses adjusting the machines around his bed.

Ace and Sabo were still outside with Law, talking in hushed voices, their concern evident even through the glass window.

Luffy sighed and climbed back into bed, hugging his arms around himself.

A few moments later, the door opened, and Ace and Sabo returned. Ace gave him a forced grin. "Looking good, Lu."

Luffy huffed. "Liar."

Law walked back in and stared down at Luffy and looked at the nurses getting a needle ready.

"Alright, surgery's in an hour. We'll be giving you a mild sedative to keep you calm before we take you in." Law explained as the nurse walked over adjusting her mask a bit.

Luffy looked up at him. "Hey, Torao, you'll be the one doing the surgery, right?"

Law smirked. "Of course. Wouldn't trust anyone else with your reckless heart."

Luffy chuckled, feeling a little more at ease. "Good. Cause I'd rather not get stuck with some old guy who doesn't know what he's doing."

Law held back the chuckle and Ace and Sabo glared at their little brother.

"Don't say stuff like that Luffy," Sabo said in a hushed-angry tone.

Luffy looked away, not apologizing for what he said.

"Just relax. We'll take care of everything." Law nodded towards the nurse.

A nurse walked in with a syringe, giving Luffy a small smile. "Alright, Mr. Luffy, this will help you relax before we take you to the OR."

Luffy sighed but nodded as she injected the sedative into his IV.

The effect was almost immediate, his eyelids grew heavy, and his body felt light. He heard Ace and Sabo talking, their voices distant, like an echo.

As his vision blurred, the last thing he saw was Ace gripping his hand tightly and Sabo brushing a strand of hair from his face.

"We'll see you later, okay Lu... You'll do great there." Ace grinned but there was a slight sadness and worry to his tone.

"We'll see you soon." Sabo grinned

Luffy nodded and closed his eyes

Luffy drifted in and out of consciousness as he was wheeled through the sterile hospital halls. The bright overhead lights blurred together. His mind felt light like he was floating.

Somewhere in the background, he thought he heard Law's voice. "Vitals are stable. Let's move him to the OR."

He wanted to respond, maybe make a joke, but his mouth wouldn't move. Instead, he let the heaviness take over as they entered the operating room.

Law looked over at Sabo and Ace. "The waiting room is just up ahead. A nurse will show you the way." With that, he turned back to help the nurses push Luffy into the OR.

Sabo and Ace were ushered into an empty waiting area.

For the first hour, Ace sat anxiously, his leg bouncing up and down. Eventually, he couldn't sit still any longer and got up to pace the room.

Sabo was just as worried, but he remained seated, watching Ace move restlessly.

"Ace, sit down. You're not helping your stress levels," Sabo said, frowning as his brother continued pacing.

"I can't, Sabo. You heard what Law said, "if there are any serious complications, Luffy could die." Ace finally sank into a chair, running his hands over his face.

Sabo exhaled, trying to stay calm. "Ace, that's a risk with any surgery. But Law is one of the top surgeons in the world. Hell, he owns half this hospital." He tried to offer some reassurance.

"I know , but even the best surgeons have things go wrong," Ace muttered, his voice tight with emotion.

Sabo knew he was right. Of course, he was just as scared, but he was trying to focus on the positives. If they both spiraled into negativity, neither of them would be able to keep it together.

What felt like years later, the door suddenly swung open, and Law strode in, pulling down a fresh surgical mask.

"The surgery went well," he announced. "There were a few complications with bleeding, but we managed to stabilize him."

Ace immediately jumped to his feet, Sabo following close behind.

"So... he's okay?" Ace asked, his voice laced with urgency.

Law nodded. "He's in the ICU now, still under anesthesia. He won't wake up for another hour or two. Once he does, we'll put him on painkillers to manage the discomfort."

Sabo and Ace nodded, trying to absorb everything.

"Can we see him?" Sabo asked.

Law shook his head. "Not yet. We need to monitor him and get him fully stabilized first. You'll be able to visit in about an hour." He hesitated, knowing they wouldn't like the answer. "I know it's hard, but it's protocol."

Sabo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We understand."

Ace, however, groaned in frustration. He wanted to see Luffy with his own eyes, to make sure he was really okay.

Law gave them a few more details before heading out. The brothers exchanged a look, silently agreeing to stay put in the waiting room until they were allowed to see Luffy.

Now, all they could do was wait.

. . .

Luffy woke up, his vision blurred by the bright hospital lights. He groaned loudly, turning his head away from the harsh glow.

"Finally! You know, we've been waiting forever to talk to you," a familiar voice said.

Luffy turned his head and saw Ace smiling down at him.

He instinctively tried to sit up in excitement, but a sharp pain in his chest stopped him. He winced, his face scrunching up in discomfort.

Ace and Sabo frowned at his reaction.

"My chest... it hurts," Luffy murmured, touching the area lightly. That's when he noticed the thick bandages wrapped tightly around his torso.

"Well, yeah. They had to break your whole rib cage to get to your heart. Plus, you're basically part machine now," Ace joked.

Luffy frowned, not amused.

"Seriously though, don't try to sit up or move too much," Ace continued. "You're gonna have a huge scar on your chest now."

"Scars are cool, though!" Luffy grinned, but as he tried to laugh, another jolt of pain shot through his body, making him stop immediately.

"Yeah... I wouldn't try laughing too much, bud," Sabo chimed in, gently patting Luffy's head.

"They're gonna give you some medicine to help with the pain," he added, glancing at Ace.

"Oh yeah!" Ace suddenly remembered and pressed the call button.

A few minutes later, the door swung open, and Law entered, followed by a couple of nurses.

"Good to see you awake, Luffy. How are you feeling?" Law asked as he gestured for the nurse to administer his medication.

"My chest hurts... like, really bad," Luffy pouted.

"Well, we just performed major surgery on you. I'd be more concerned if it didn't hurt," Law replied. "But we're going to give you some medication to help with the pain."

Luffy nodded, watching as the nurse approached with a small cup containing two blue tablets and a cup of water.

"We're going to elevate your bed, okay?" one of the nurses said before pressing a button, making the bed rise slightly.

Another nurse removed Luffy's oxygen mask, offering him the pills and water with a kind smile.

Luffy stared down at the small blue tablets.

"It's morphine," Law explained, noticing his hesitation.

Luffy glanced up at him for a moment before nodding. He placed the pills in his mouth and swallowed them slowly with a sip of water.

The nurse on his left gently placed the oxygen mask back over his face, while the one on his right carefully adjusted the bed back to its previous position.

"We're going to start you on blood thinners and antibiotics in a couple of hours," Law informed him.

"We're just waiting for the pharmacy to prepare them. Get some rest 

I'll be back later."

With that, Law turned and walked out, the two nurses following closely behind.

Luffy could already feel the medication kicking in, his body growing lighter as the pain dulled.

"Don't get too loopy, Luffy," Ace grinned.

Sabo immediately punched him in the arm.

"Leave him alone he's in severe pain," Sabo whispered harshly, shooting Ace a glare.

"I know, I'm just trying to distract him from it," Ace pouted.

Sabo sighed, shaking his head before turning his attention back to Luffy, who was staring off into space.

"Luffy, you good?" Sabo asked.

Luffy slowly turned his head toward him, smiled, and then suddenly started giggling.

Ace and Sabo exchanged a knowing look. They weren't surprised. Morphine was a strong narcotic, and it was bound to make Luffy act this way.

"Man, I feel like I'm floating," Luffy mumbled, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.

"I'm so recording this," Ace smirked, pulling out his phone to capture Luffy in his drugged-up state.

Sabo didn't even bother stopping him. He was too busy laughing at himself.

"Guys, guys..." Luffy suddenly whispered, looking at them with a serious expression only to break into another fit of giggles.

"What?" Ace asked, amused.

"What if we, like... snuck out of the hospital right now and went to the ocean? Oh! And let's take Torao with us because he's never seen the ocean." Luffy giggled at his own idea.

"Torao?" Sabo raised an eyebrow. "You mean your doctor? You wanna bring your doctor with us?" He glanced at Ace with an incredulous smirk.

"Yeah! He's lonely, I can tell," Luffy pouted, looking genuinely concerned.

Then, his expression shifted into suspicion. He turned to Ace, squinting.

"Wait... why's your phone on, Ace?" Luffy mumbled, reaching out to snatch it, but his arms were so numb he barely moved.

"Uh, nothing... just texting someone," Ace lied quickly.

Luffy believed him without question.

Ace smirked and leaned in. "Hey, Luffy, you should tell Sabo what you said that one time... about your doctor."

Sabo blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"You know," Ace continued. "That time you were sick, and they made you eat that gross soup. You said something about Dr. Trafalgar."

Luffy's sleepy eyes narrowed in thought. "Huh? Oh... when you asked if I was in love with Torao?"

Ace grinned as Luffy's face lit up in amusement.

Sabo, on the other hand, was not expecting that. "Wait, what?!"

"Yeah," Luffy said, completely unbothered. "He's pretty handsome even for a doctor. I always thought doctors were gross old guys." He giggled again.

Ace burst out laughing, while Sabo bit his lip, trying so hard not to lose it.

"So, Luffy..." Ace teased. "Do you love him?"

Luffy actually paused, thinking about it.

"Yeah... Torao makes me feel better. And he really wants to save me." Luffy smiled, looking more at peace than ever.

Ace and Sabo were stunned. They had fully expected him to brush it off, maybe say "That's gross" or something but instead, Luffy seemed completely sincere.

Sabo hesitated. "Luffy... that's what doctors do. You didn't 'fall in love' with your other doctors."

"Yeah, but none of them were Torao," Luffy said simply. "He's different."

Ace and Sabo exchanged a look.

"How?" Ace asked.

Luffy just groaned and yanked the blanket over his head.

"Man, shut up. I'm trying to sleep."

Ace snorted. "Dude, you've only been awake for, like, thirty minutes. How are you already going back to sleep?"

"SHUT UP, ACE!" Luffy snapped, his voice muffled under the blanket.

Ace pouted but finally turned off his recording and slipped his phone back into his pocket.

Luffy was already dozing off again, his expression peaceful.

Sabo turned to Ace, eyes narrowing. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Ace raised his hands defensively. "What? Look, I didn't think it was serious! I thought Luffy was just joking or, I don't know, confused."

Sabo crossed his arms. "You really think he's just confused?"

Ace sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Honestly? Yeah. I think he's just grateful to Law, and he's mistaking that for something else."

Sabo considered it for a moment before nodding. "Yeah... maybe. But still, Luffy's not wrong. Law is handsome. I'm not personally attracted to him, but come on the way the nurses and even other patients look at him?"

Ace chuckled. "Yeah, but this is Luffy we're talking about."

Sabo smirked. "True."

"We knew from day one, Luffy's never been attracted to anyone," Ace said. "He said it himself he knows when he sees beauty, but that's it."

Sabo sighed, nodding. "Yeah. Luffy wouldn't really fall in love with his doctor."

Ace grinned. "Exactly."

They both turned to look at Luffy, who was now sound asleep, his breathing slow and steady.

Despite their words, neither of them could shake the feeling that, just maybe, Luffy meant every word he had said.

. . . 

It's almost the end of the week, Luffy has had a steady recovery, some complications had happened, but it was nothing Law couldn't handle. 

Sabo and Ace were by Luffy's side each day and gave their support to Luffy. Law tried several times to let one of the brothers leave the hospital but they both refused to leave their little brother in such a vulnerable situation that Law can respect. 

Now, Luffy sat propped up against the pillows, playing with the blanket draped over his lap. His body still ached, but the pain wasn't as unbearable as before.

The door creaked open, and Law stepped inside, clipboard in hand.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked, scanning the monitors beside Luffy's bed.

Luffy grinned. "Like I got hit by a train."

Law rolled his eyes. "Well, considering we had to break your ribcage open to get to your heart, that's not far off." He jotted something down on his clipboard. "But your vitals look good, and the scans show everything is healing as expected."

Luffy hummed in acknowledgment, watching as Law moved around the room. His movements were precise, and calculated, like he was in complete control of everything around him.

Then, out of nowhere, Luffy blurted, "Torao, do you ever take a break?"

Law froze mid-step. He turned, giving Luffy a blank stare. "Excuse me?"

"You always look tired," Luffy said matter-of-factly. "And grumpy. And you smell like a hospital and coffee all the time."

Ace, who had been dozing off in the chair beside Luffy's bed, snorted awake. "He's got a point, you know."

Law shot him a glare before looking back at Luffy. "I am a doctor. My job doesn't exactly come with regular breaks."

Luffy tilted his head. "That sucks. You should take a nap."

Law exhaled sharply. "I do sleep."

"Do you?" Luffy asked, completely unconvinced.

Sabo, sitting on the other side of the room, smirked. "He's got you there, Doc."

Law pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't have time for this."

Luffy just grinned, then scooted over slightly, patting the empty space beside him. "Come on, you can nap here."

Ace immediately choked on his water. Sabo looked like he was seconds away from losing it.

Law, for his part, stared at Luffy as if he had personally offended him. "Absolutely not."

"Why not?" Luffy whined. "You said I need to rest to get better. You should rest too. It's only fair."

"That is not how this works," Law deadpanned.

Luffy pouted. "Then at least sit down. You're making me tired just looking at you."

Law's eye twitched, getting frustrated with Luffy's actions.

"I have other patients you know." Law narrowed his eyes down at Luffy.

Who just grinned "So? They can wait." Luffy saw Law throw his head back and smack his head.

Sabo and Ace lost it, and they were cackling on the floor. 

Luffy looked over at his brothers and frowned but was not amused. Luffy was being genuine. He wanted Law to rest.

"Just get some rest, we should be able to move you back to yours by the beginning of next week." Law turned and walked out of the room. 

Luffy frowned seeing Law walk out. He glanced over at his brothers again.

"It's not funny guys, he looks like he's barely gotten any sleep this past week." Luffy bit his lip in worry.

Ace and Sabo sat up and were standing by Luffy.

"You do realize he owns half of this hospital Luffy. He's naturally really busy doing way more other things than just taking care of his patients, so he has to stay up late to do all his other duties." Ace explained and Luffy huffed and crossed his arms.

"I just... I don't want him to get sick from the lack of sleep." Luffy mumbled and Sabo sighed and patted Luffy's back. 

"He'll be fine, he's been doing this for who knows how long now." Sabo comforted and Luffy nodded understanding. 

"I can't wait to get this dumb," Luffy mumbled.

Ace laughed once again.

Sabo just sighed loudly at the behavior of the two. 

. . .

It was Sunday, and Luffy finally was back in his room by 8 pm at night, but you know at least Luffy could sleep without having an oxygen mask on him. 

Sabo and Ace were gonna stay another week before they had to officially go back to work. Another in-and-out trip for the brothers.

Luffy decided just to go to sleep for the night happy that he won't have to wake up in the ICU again. 

Once Luffy woke up that morning the first thing he looked at was the window to see the courtyard, Luffy had his face squished against the window. 

Ace sighed from his chair. "Luffy, you're gonna smudge the window."

Luffy ignored him. "I wanna go outside."

"You just got out of intensive care," Sabo reminded him from the other side of the room. "No way Law's gonna let you."

Luffy groaned dramatically, flopping back onto the bed. "I feel fine!"

"You feel fine because you're on pain meds," Ace pointed out.

Luffy stuck his tongue out at him, just as the door opened and Law walked in, flipping through his clipboard.

"Morning, Straw Hat," Law greeted without looking up. "How's your pain today?"

"Nonexistent."

Ace and Sabo both snorted.

Law glanced up, clearly unimpressed. "That's because you're still on medication. The real question is." He narrowed his eyes. "How much trouble have you caused already?"

Luffy gasped dramatically, placing a hand over his chest. "Torao, I'm hurt. You think I'd cause trouble after surgery?"

"Yes," Law said without hesitation.

Luffy pouted.

Law sighed, setting his clipboard down. "I came to check your stitches. Try not to move."

Luffy stayed still as Law carefully lifted his hospital gown, revealing the thick bandages wrapped around his chest. 

Ace and Sabo watched quietly as Law unwrapped them, exposing the long, red scar running down the middle of Luffy's chest. 

The sight of it made their stomachs twist, but Luffy, of course, just looked at it curiously.

"Whoa. It looks cool." Luffy grinned.

Law rolled his eyes, inspecting the healing wound. "Only you would say that."

Luffy grinned, then turned his head toward Ace. "Ace, take a picture so I can show it off to Gramps!"

"Absolutely not," Law said immediately, pulling the bandages back over the wound. "You are not showing off your surgical scar like a trophy."

Luffy muttered something under his breath but didn't argue as Law finished rewrapping his chest.

When Law was done, he tossed the used bandages in the trash and crossed his arms. "Alright, listen up. You're out of the ICU, but that doesn't mean you're healed. No sudden movements, no trying to leave the hospital, and absolutely no reckless behavior. Got it?"

Luffy, Ace, and Sabo all nodded.

Law narrowed his eyes. "I don't believe you."

Ace grinned. "Wow, Doc. It's like you know us."

Law sighed, already regretting every life decision that led him to this moment. "I'm putting extra nurses on your watch."

Luffy gasped as he grabbed his scarred chest. "Betrayal!" 

Law ignored him. "You're still on medication, and we'll start physical therapy in a few days. If everything continues to go well, you might be able to leave the hospital in another two weeks."

Luffy's eyes lit up. "Two weeks?! That's so long ! "

"It's normal," Law corrected. "You had major surgery, Luffy. The fact that you're already acting like your usual self is a miracle."

Law was about to walk out when Luffy stopped him.

"Torao." Luffy smiled softly, and Law turned to look at him.

"In two weeks, can I go to the ocean?" Luffy asked, his eyes full of hope.

Law was caught off guard. "I mean... I'd have to give you medical clearance for that, but we'll see." He crossed his arms as Luffy giggled.

"Okay, then will you come with me?" Luffy bit his lip, hoping Law would say yes.

Law let out a long sigh. "I don't know about that. I have hundreds of other patients who need my care. I practically live in this hospital at this point." He groaned, rubbing his temples.

"It could be like a vacation or a day off. Please?" Luffy pleaded, his expression almost childlike.

Law groaned again. "I'd have to get approval from my supervisor, but honestly, I don't think I'll be able to."

Luffy pouted, about to give up, but Ace, feeling bad for his little brother, decided to step in.

"Well, it would be nice to have his doctor around," Ace said casually.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"What?" Law raised an eyebrow, confused by where Ace was going with this.

"I mean, we all know how hyper Luffy is, and he doesn't know how to sit still for his own good. Even after two weeks of physical therapy, he won't be able to walk around much. If you were there, you could help us with him," Ace reasoned, offering a small smile.

Law glanced at Luffy, who nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with his brother.

Law sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess you do make a good point... I'll talk it over with my supervisor and let you know." He turned and walked out of the room.

The second the door closed, Luffy grinned and sat up, staring at Ace.

"You're the best, Ace!" he giggled.

Sabo nudged Ace. "Why did you do that?"

If Ace was being completely honest, he wasn't sure. But he did feel bad for Luffy. And, truthfully, it seemed like Law did want to go; he just needed an excuse. Plus, the guy seriously needed a break.

"Well, I do want Luffy to be in the best health while we're at the ocean," Ace admitted.

Sabo nodded. "True."

Luffy beamed, excited that his brothers were on the same page. Now, all he had to do was wait.

Law entered his office, sank into his chair, and groaned, finally off his feet for a little while.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. He held back another groan and told the person to come in.

The door opened, revealing Marco.

"Can I come in?" Marco asked.

Law nodded, not minding the company. Marco closed the door behind him and took a seat across from Law.

"So, how's your new patient, Luffy?" Marco asked casually.

Law sat up, crossing his arms. "Honestly? He's a little brat, but he's got a good personality. And he's really fighting his Danon disease... I'm honestly shocked he's holding on this long. Males with this disease usually have a life expectancy of 19."

Marco grinned. "This is the first time I've seen you talk so passionately about a patient. I'm kinda surprised."

Law sighed. "I believe that kid will live as long as he can. He's already making the most of his time, despite his condition."

Marco's grin widened. "Well, I actually came here to tell you something."

Law tilted his head, curious.

Marco smiled. "We might have found him a heart."

Law's eyes widened. He shot up from his chair. "WHAT?"

Marco nodded, pulling out some charts. "It'll still be a while before he can get it, but we have a potential donor. The patient is in his mid-thirties, and his heart is in fantastic condition. However, he's suffering from stage four lung cancer."

Law listened intently, gripping the desk.

"He's refusing any further treatment," Marco continued, "but he's a registered organ donor. He's agreed that once he passes, his organs will be donated."

Before Marco could finish his explanation, Law had already grabbed his notes and bolted out of the room.

"What the" Marco sighed, shaking his head. He leaned back in his chair, deciding to wait for Law to return, knowing full well the excitement that had just overtaken him.

Law sprinted down the hallway, weaving through nurses who quickly moved out of his way. They had never seen him with this much energy before.

He reached Luffy's room and barged in without even knocking.

Ace, Sabo, and Luffy all jumped at the sudden intrusion, turning to see Law panting, but grinning ear to ear.

"Fantastic news," Law announced, his excitement barely contained.

Sabo and Ace immediately stood, their hearts pounding in anticipation.

"We think we found you a heart, Luffy."

The room erupted. Ace and Sabo screamed in joy, while Luffy sat there in shock before breaking into a massive grin.

"It'll still be a couple of months before we can get it, but we think this is it," Law explained.

Luffy covered his face, feeling tears welling up. Ace and Sabo rushed to his side, hugging him tightly, tears in their own eyes.

"You're gonna have a new heart, Luffy," Ace repeated, his voice breaking.

Law took a deep breath, finally calming down. "I just found out, so I don't have all the details yet. I ran straight here. But as soon as I get more information about the donor, I'll let you all know."

Sabo wiped his tears and looked at Law with pure gratitude. "Dr. Trafalgar... Thank you. Thank you so much."

"I seriously can't thank you enough for this man." Ace ran over with a grin.

Law didn't know what to say other than to nod. Even though he's used to all the thank yous and smiles he gets from patients and their loved ones, he's still not comfortable with it. 

The room was still buzzing with excitement when Law's pager went off. He groaned, pulling it out of his coat pocket.

"Duty calls," he muttered. "I'll be back later to check on you, Luffy. Try to rest."

Luffy nodded, still overwhelmed with emotion, his eyes watery but shining with hope.

As Law turned to leave, Ace couldn't help but tease, "So, Doc, does this mean you'll actually take a break when we go to the ocean?"

Law shot him a glare. "We'll see," he said before walking out.

Once the door shut, Luffy sighed happily, lying back against his pillows. "A new heart... I can't believe it," he mumbled, mostly to himself.

Sabo ruffled Luffy's hair. "Believe it, This is happening."

Ace grinned, crossing his arms. "Yeah, but we're still gonna have to keep an eye on you. Don't think this means you can go running around causing trouble like usual."

Luffy pouted. "I don't cause that much trouble."

Both brothers shot him a deadpan look.

"Luffy, you once climbed onto the hospital roof just to 'see if the wind felt different up there,'" Sabo reminded him.

Ace snorted. "And don't forget the time you tried to 'borrow' one of the nurses' wheelchairs and crashed it into a supply closet."

Luffy giggled, not looking the least bit guilty. "Okay, maybe a little trouble."

Ace rolled his eyes but chuckled. "You're impossible."

A knock at the door interrupted their laughter. The three turned as Marco poked his head in.

"Mind if I come in?" he asked.

Luffy sat up eagerly. "PINEAPPLE HEAD! Did you bring more good news?"

Marco chuckled, stepping inside. "Not exactly, but I do have some updates. Law didn't stick around long enough to hear the full details."

Sabo and Ace straightened up, listening intently.

"The donor is stable for now," Marco explained. "His cancer is progressing, but it's slow. That means there's time to prepare and make sure everything is set for the transplant when the time comes."

Luffy nodded, taking in the information.

"But," Marco continued, "this also means you have to be extra careful. Your body has to be strong enough to handle the surgery when the time comes. That means not overexerting yourself."

Luffy groaned dramatically. "That sounds boring."

Ace smirked. "Well, get used to it, because we're not letting you screw this up."

Marco smiled at the brothers' exchange before adding, "And Law's keeping an extra close eye on you. He's more invested in your case than I've seen him with anyone else."

Luffy tilted his head. "Really?"

Marco nodded. "Yeah. I think you've managed to get under his skin, in a good way."

Luffy grinned at that, his chest swelling with warmth.

Sabo noticed and raised an eyebrow. "Luffy, are you blushing?"

"What?! No way!" Luffy quickly pulled the blanket over his face, but Ace and Sabo were already cackling.

Marco chuckled as well. "Alright, I'll leave you guys to it. Just remember, take care of yourself, Luffy."

As Marco left, Ace wiped a tear from his eye from laughing too hard. "Man, this is gonna be fun."

Luffy peeked out from the blanket, pouting. "You guys are the worst."

Sabo just smirked. "Nah, we're the best."

And despite his embarrassment, Luffy couldn't help but laugh.

A few days had passed since Luffy got the news about his heart transplant, and while the excitement hadn't faded, the reality of waiting had begun to settle in.

Luffy hated waiting.

He was stuck in bed most of the time, only allowed to get up for short walks under supervision. It was torture.

Ace and Sabo did their best to keep him entertained, but even they had to leave sometimes. Marco checked in every so often, and the nurses made sure he took his medications on time.

But the one person Luffy wanted to see the most?

Law.

And as if the universe had read his mind, the door creaked open, revealing the doctor himself.

"Oi, Straw Hat, are you still alive?" Law smirked as he stepped inside, clipboard in hand.

Luffy grinned. "Barely. I think I'm gonna die of boredom before anything else."

Law rolled his eyes and walked over, setting his clipboard down. "Well, we can't have that. You need to be in top condition for surgery."

Luffy tilted his head. "So, does that mean you're gonna take me to the ocean?"

Law sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're still on about that?"

Luffy pouted. "I need something to look forward to."

Law crossed his arms, staring at him for a moment.

"... I spoke to my supervisor."

Luffy's eyes lit up. "Really?!"

Law nodded. "I got approval to take some time off."

Ace and Sabo, who had been sitting off to the side, exchanged surprised glances.

"Are you serious?" Ace asked, raising an eyebrow.

Law sighed. "Yeah, but don't get too excited. If I go, it's strictly to make sure Luffy doesn't do anything reckless."

Luffy beamed. "You're coming with us! That's all that matters!"

Sabo smirked. "Wow, Doctor, you must really care about him."

Law scowled. "I care about all my patients."

Ace chuckled. "Sure you do, but you're going out of your way for this one."

Luffy just giggled, clearly enjoying how flustered Law was getting.

"Whatever," Law muttered. "Anyway, I came to check on your progress." He pulled out his stethoscope and placed it on Luffy's chest. "Deep breath."

Luffy did as he was told, but he was still grinning.

"So when are we going?" he asked, his voice slightly muffled by the stethoscope.

Law sighed again. "In two weeks, like you asked. But only if your tests come back okay."

Luffy pumped his fist in victory. "Yes!"

Law finished his checkup and then grabbed his clipboard. "Just don't push yourself, Straw Hat. You need to be in perfect condition for the transplant."

Luffy gave a thumbs-up. "I promise I'll be extra careful!"

Ace snorted. "That's the biggest lie I've ever heard."

Luffy stuck out his tongue.

Law shook his head. "I'll check in later. Try not to break anything."

Luffy looked away and started whistling while Law sighed and walked out.

"Well, I gotta get to work." Sabo stood up, smiling at his little brother.

"I'll see you later." He patted Luffy's head before heading out, saying goodbye to Ace on his way.

Once Sabo left, Ace turned to Luffy, who looked bored out of his mind.

"So, Luffy, are you gonna ask Law out when we go to the ocean?" Ace teased, smirking.

Luffy immediately glared at him. "SHUT UP, ACE!" he yelled, puffing out his cheeks in embarrassment.

Ace chuckled, walking over to ruffle Luffy's hair.

"At first, I didn't really get it or want you to like your own doctor but it's your life, Luffy. I just want you to be happy and have no regrets." Ace said with a small smile.

Luffy stared up at his brother, shocked. He didn't know what to say. Biting his lip, he tried to process Ace's words.

Luffy fidgeted with the blanket, his mind racing after what Ace had just said. He had never really thought about it that way. Did he want to ask Law out? 

Did he even like Law like that? The thought made his heart race not in fear, but in something unfamiliar.

Ace noticed the way Luffy was deep in thought and chuckled. "You're actually thinking about it, huh?"

Luffy huffed and turned away. "No, I'm not."

Ace just smirked. "Sure, sure. Anyway, you should rest up. You have a long recovery ahead of you."

Luffy nodded, still lost in his own thoughts. The idea of being able to go to the ocean filled him with excitement, but the thought of Law being there with them? That was something new.

. . .

Over the next few days, Luffy continued his physical therapy. He pushed himself harder than the doctors expected, determined to get stronger in time for their trip.

 Ace and Sabo visited often, keeping his spirits high, and Law, despite being as stoic as ever, seemed to check on him more than he did with other patients.

One evening, Law walked in with his clipboard, glancing at Luffy, who was sprawled on his bed, fiddling with a piece of gauze.

"How's the pain?" Law asked, his usual monotone voice carrying a hint of something softer.

Luffy looked up and grinned. "Better! The therapy is working, I can already move more!"

Law narrowed his eyes. "Just don't overdo it. The last thing we need is you tearing your stitches open."

Luffy huffed. "You sound like a grumpy old man."

Law scoffed, shaking his head. "And you're still a reckless idiot." He jotted something down on the clipboard before hesitating for a moment. "By the way... I got the approval."

Luffy blinked. "Huh?"

"The trip," Law clarified, adjusting his hat. "I'll be coming with you."

For a moment, Luffy just stared at him before a bright grin spread across his face. "Really?! That's awesome, Torao!"

Law sighed, rubbing his temples. "If I end up regretting this, I'm blaming you."

Ace, who had been lounging in the corner, smirked. "Oh, you definitely will."

Law shot him a glare, but Luffy's laughter filled the room, making it impossible to stay annoyed.

For some reason, Law found himself smiling just a little.

Marco walked in with a smile.

"How's it going?" he asked, looking over at Luffy, who was sitting up while Law rewrapped his bandages.

"GOOD!" Luffy grinned, kicking his feet as Law groaned.

"Torao is gonna come to the ocean with me! I'm excited!" Luffy giggled, and Law groaned even louder.

"Well, that sounds fun! Law, I haven't heard about this. Why wasn't I informed?" Marco asked, tilting his head at the doctor.

"Didn't see how it was any of your concern," Law muttered, glaring at Marco. "Luffy's not your patient; he's mine. I take care of him, not you."

"I wouldn't say that..." Marco smirked. "While I may not be his primary provider if something ever happened to you, I'd be the one taking over his care."

Law frowned at Marco's words, clearly annoyed, and looked away, finishing up Luffy's bandages.

Ace glanced between the two, sensing the tension. "Funny, funny," he muttered, a sweatdrop forming.

Luffy blinked and looked at his older brother, trying to understand the situation.

"No offense, Dr. Pineapple Head, but I want Law to keep being my... what did you call it? Provider!" Luffy grinned and giggled.

Marco chuckled at the nickname. "I know, and don't worry, I'm not stepping in. I just wanted to check on you. It's part of my duties, after all. You know, being the owner of the hospital and all." He smirked and narrowed his eyes at Law.

Ace spat out his water.

"WHAT?!" His jaw dropped.

Marco nodded. "Yeah, I thought it was a little suspicious when you said you were going to the ocean with 'friends' for the weekend... but your only 'friend' I see here is Luffy."

Ace spat out his water again while Luffy simply enjoyed the show.

"Ugh! Fine! I just didn't want you asking me any stupid questions about why I want to go with Luffy," Law muttered, crossing his arms. 

"But for the record, it's strictly to watch over him and make sure he doesn't get himself hurt before the transplant. He's still recovering from his previous surgery. Is that so wrong?"

Marco laughed again and shook his head.

"Of course not. I don't care what you do, Law, as long as you're doing your job, taking care of your patients, and not breaking any rules." Marco narrowed his eyes slightly, and Law stiffened, looking away.

"But I'll let you be. See you around, Law." Marco turned and walked out of the room.

Once he was gone, silence filled the air.

"So, umm... I'm glad you're coming with us, at least," Ace said, trying to lighten the mood, but Law didn't seem amused.

Law glanced at Luffy before gently helping him lie back down.

"I'll come back later. Don't do anything stupid, and get some rest. Dinner will be here soon," Law instructed before turning and walking out.

Luffy was still confused about what had just happened, while Ace was practically cackling.

"I can't believe this, I gotta tell Sabo about this," Ace said, wiping a tear from his eye as he caught his breath from laughing.

"Luffy, seriously, you can't tell?" he asked, looking at his younger brother.

Luffy tilted his head in confusion.

"It's so freaking obvious he likes you." Ace grinned, moving toward Luffy's bed and placing a hand on his head.

"You better make the right choice. Either way, I'll be rooting for you." Ace hugged Luffy, his warmth filled with brotherly support.

Luffy blinked as Ace pulled away from the hug, still processing everything that had just happened.

"Likes me?" he muttered to himself, staring at the ceiling.

Ace plopped back down in his chair, stretching his arms behind his head. "Yeah, Luffy, it's pretty obvious. The way Law looks at you, how he always puts up with your nonsense even though he's usually so grumpy with everyone else. He literally ran out of his office when he found out about the heart transplant. If that's not a concern, I don't know what is."

Luffy frowned in thought, kicking his legs under the blanket. "But... he's my doctor."

Ace rolled his eyes. "And? That doesn't mean he can't care about you as more than just a patient."

Luffy sat quietly for a moment, then suddenly grinned. 

"Well, I do like him! He's really cool, and he takes care of me, and he always scolds me, but I know it's 'because he wants me to be okay. And he's super handsome, too!"

Ace groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Oh god, Luffy, you're so damn innocent about this, it hurts."

Luffy just giggled, but before Ace could say anything else, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Luffy called.

A nurse walked in, pushing a tray of food. "Dinner time, Luffy. Doctor Trafalgar said you need to eat everything, no excuses," she said with a knowing look before setting the tray on the table beside him.

Luffy scrunched up his nose, already spotting the vegetables on his plate. "Ugh, he's so mean."

The nurse chuckled. "That's what doctors do, sweetheart. Eat up."

As she left, Luffy reluctantly picked up his spoon, pouting at his food. Ace snickered, stealing a piece of bread from the tray.

Luffy glared at him before drinking his milk.

"So, when are you gonna tell Law you like him?"

Luffy nearly choked on his soup. "ACE!"

Ace just laughed, leaning back in his chair. "I'm just saying, Luffy. If you really like him, you should tell him. Who knows? Maybe he's just waiting for you to make the first move."

Luffy stuffed his mouth with rice, trying to ignore the growing warmth in his chest.

Maybe Ace was right. Maybe he should tell Law.

Maybe.

. . .

It had been almost a week since the incident, and every time Law came in to check on Luffy, the atmosphere was unbearably awkward. Luffy noticed that Law barely engaged in small talk anymore.

He would simply ask how Luffy was feeling, conduct his usual check-up, and then leave without another word.

Ace noticed it too, and he was starting to worry. Their trip to the ocean was only two days away, and Luffy didn't need this kind of stress weighing on his heart.

So, the moment Law walked out of the room after another silent check-up, Ace jumped up and stormed after him.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?" Ace yelled, his voice echoing down the hall.

Law stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around, his eyes narrowing.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me! What is your problem? Who do you think you are, making my little brother feel like this?" Ace snapped, his fists clenched.

"I'm not doing anything to him," Law responded, his tone clipped. "I'm just doing my job."

"Yeah, you might be helping him physically, but you're hurting him mentally. And quite frankly, I should kick your ass for that," Ace said, his voice laced with frustration.

Law exhaled sharply, placing his clipboard down on the counter beside him. "Is that how you talk to a doctor? You should be ashamed."

Ace let out a dry laugh. "I never said I was respectful, doc. I was nice to you because my brother likes you and because you're helping him. And don't get me wrong I appreciate everything you're doing for him. But if you hurt him in any way, I won't hesitate to beat your ass."

Law stared at Ace, momentarily at a loss for words.

"I'm just trying to keep my job," he finally admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I don't trust anyone else to take care of your little brother. He's wild, but he's got spirit. He... reminds me of myself when I was a kid in a weird way."

Law sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset him. I'll do better."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, leaving Ace standing there with a smirk.

Ace shook his head and made his way back into the room, only to find Luffy sitting on the bed with his knees pulled to his chest.

His usual bright energy was missing.

Ace frowned and sat beside him. "What's wrong, Lu?"

Luffy kept his gaze down. "Does Law hate me now? I know I can be annoying, but... I didn't think he'd end up hating me." His voice was small, and his chest ached with a strange, unfamiliar pain.

Ace's expression softened as he reached out, ruffling Luffy's hair.

"Law doesn't hate you," he reassured him. "He's just under a lot of stress right now, and he doesn't want to take it out on you. But don't worry, your big brother Ace has your back." Ace grinned, giving Luffy a thumbs-up.

Luffy's face brightened, and he launched himself at Ace with a hug. "Ace is so cool!"

"Haha! Sure, I am!" Ace laughed, wrapping his arms around his little brother.

Ace got up and looked over at his phone. 

"How about we keep this a little secret between me and you, if Sabo ever found out, let's just say... Law wouldn't be your doctor anymore." Ace had a sweat drop and Luffy looked horrified.

Luffy did a zip motion with his mouth.

Ace also did a zip motion with his own mouth.

Later that evening, Luffy sat on his hospital bed,  Ace had fallen asleep on the couch, arms folded and head tilted back, snoring softly. The room was dark as the sun had finally set for the night, the only sound coming from the faint beeping of the heart monitor.

Luffy sighed, his mind still replaying the past few days. He didn't like how things had changed between him and Law. He wanted things to go back to normal, the teasing, the bickering, the rare but genuine moments of warmth. He missed that.

Just as he was about to close his eyes, the door creaked open.

Luffy blinked and sat up slightly as Law stepped inside, looking hesitant. He had a clipboard in his hand, but for once, he wasn't staring at it.

"Hey," Law said, his voice quieter than usual.

Luffy tilted his head. "Hey..."

Law exhaled through his nose and took a step closer. "I wanted to check on you one more time before I left for the night."

Luffy pursed his lips but nodded. "I'm okay."

Law hesitated. "Look, about earlier... I know I've been acting differently."

Luffy blinked in surprise, not expecting him to address it so directly.

"It's not because of you," Law continued, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just... I don't want to get too attached." His voice was low, almost as if he was admitting it to himself more than to Luffy.

Luffy frowned. "Why not?"

Law let out a bitter chuckle. "Because I've seen too many people I care about slip away." His golden eyes met Luffy's, and for the first time, the young patient saw something deeper in them, something heavy. "I thought if I kept my distance, it wouldn't be as hard if... if things didn't go the way we hoped."

Luffy stared at him, processing those words.

Then, with a small smile, he said, "You're dumb, Torao."

Law's eyebrow twitched. "Excuse me?"

Luffy giggled. "You think staying away will make it hurt less, but it won't. You already care about me, don't you?"

Law stiffened, opening his mouth to argue, but nothing came out.

Luffy continued, his voice softer this time. "I don't know what's gonna happen either. But I wanna be happy while I'm here, and I want you to be happy too. So don't push me away, okay?"

Law inhaled sharply, caught off guard by the simplicity of Luffy's words.

For a long moment, he didn't say anything. Then, with a quiet sigh, he reached out and ruffled Luffy's hair.

"You're a pain in the ass," he muttered, but there was no bite to his words.

Luffy beamed. "Does that mean we're friends again?"

Law rolled his eyes. "We were never not friends, idiot."

Luffy grinned wider, and for the first time in days, things between them felt right again.

As Law turned to leave, he paused at the doorway. "Get some sleep, Luffy. Two more days and you'll get your trip to the ocean."

Luffy flopped back against his pillow, still smiling.

"Goodnight, Torao."

Law didn't respond, but the slight curve of his lips before he shut the door said enough.

Luffy looked over at Ace who was still snoring loudly.

Luffy smiled to himself as he felt the warmth in his chest come once again, maybe he really did have a chance with Law again.

Luffy looked up at where Law left.

Luffy won't let this chance get away from him.

. . .

Finally, the day was here. 

"YAY I'M SO EXCITED!" Luffy laughed loudly.

Ace and Sabo made sure he had everything he needed, extra clothes, his medications, and even a special blanket from home.

Law, despite his usual grumpy demeanor, had been meticulous in making sure Luffy was ready for the trip. 

He double-checked everything, lecturing Luffy on what he could and couldn't do, much to the boy's annoyance.

"You better listen, Luffy," Law warned as he helped him into a wheelchair for the ride out of the hospital. 

"You're still recovering. No running around, no overexerting yourself, and no jumping into the water without someone with you."

Luffy groaned. "Yeah, yeah, I got it, Torao."

Ace grinned, slinging an arm over Luffy's shoulders. "Relax, doc. We'll take good care of him."

Law shot him a look. "That's what I'm afraid of."

Sabo chuckled as he grabbed their bags. "Come on, let's get out of here before Law changes his mind."

With that, they finally made their way out of the hospital. The sun was shining bright, the air was warm. Luffy was so excited. 

"We're really going!" he cheered, kicking his feet in excitement.

Law sighed but couldn't hide the small smirk that tugged at his lips. "Yeah, we're going."

The drive to the beach house was lively. Luffy spent most of the ride staring out the window, eyes wide with wonder. He was eager to go see the ocean for the first time and not in some movie or TV show he saw while sitting at the hospital. 

When they finally arrived, the house was perfect, small, cozy, and right by the water. Luffy barely gave himself time to settle in before he was wheeling himself toward the shore.

"Oi, Luffy! Slow down!" Ace called, chasing after him.

Law sighed, following behind at a more relaxed pace. He watched as Luffy came to a stop right at the edge of the waves, the water barely reaching his toes.

Luffy took a deep breath. The scent of salt, the sound of the waves was everything he'd been dreaming of.

"It's amazing," he whispered.

Law stepped beside him. "Yeah. It is."

Luffy turned to him, eyes shining. "Thank you, Torao."

Law looked at him, surprised, before letting out a soft chuckle. "Don't mention it."

Ace and Sabo soon joined them, laughing as they kicked water at each other. For the first time in a long while, Luffy felt truly free.

And for the first time in a long while, Law felt something warm settle in his chest.

This trip wasn't just for Luffy, it was for all of them.

And maybe, just maybe, it was exactly what they all needed.

"I really wanna swim in the ocean!" Luffy said, stars shining in his eyes.

"NO WAY!" all three of them yelled in unison, making Luffy jolt. He pouted.

"What? Why? Please..." Luffy tried his best puppy dog eyes, his ultimate weapon that usually worked on anyone and everyone.

"NO! You can't even swim, idiot!" Sabo shouted, though a part of him wanted to say yes. But his priority was making sure Luffy didn't drown.

"Luffy, you'd sink like a rock," Ace added, half-joking but entirely serious.

"I DO NOT!" Luffy huffed, fed up with their teasing.

"Yeah, okay," Law mumbled before grabbing the handles of Luffy's wheelchair and pulling him away from the water.

"I'll tell you what tomorrow, when the lifeguards are out, I'll let you step into the water. You're not swimming, but I'll let you walk in a little. It'll be good for your therapy anyway; you need to exercise your heart."

Luffy immediately cheered, throwing his hands up. "YAYYYY!"

Ace and Sabo sighed at Luffy's antics.

"Seriously, let's just get some dinner. I'm starving." Ace patted his stomach as it let out a loud rumble.

Luffy instantly forgot about the ocean and started drooling. "FOOD!" he screamed.

Law blinked and sighed. This was definitely going to be a long trip. But, oddly enough, he wouldn't have it any other way.

"You're such a glutton," Law muttered.

Luffy gasped dramatically. "I am not!"

Ace chuckled. "There's a restaurant not far from here. It's pretty good." He pointed down the street.

"Pops and I used to eat there all the time before Luffy was hospitalized," Ace said, laughing at the memory.

"Oh yeah, you always had to come down here to help out since this place is known for its fires," Sabo added, sounding surprised as he recalled.

Ace nodded. "Yep. This town has the worst luck with fires."

"I don't care, as long as they have meat," Luffy said, already drooling again.

Law rolled his eyes as he continued pushing Luffy toward the restaurant.

As they walked down the street, the salty ocean breeze mixed with the mouthwatering scent of grilled seafood and roasted meat from the restaurant Ace had mentioned. Luffy practically vibrated with excitement, his eyes darting toward the warmly lit establishment.

"Smells so good!" Luffy drooled, his stomach growling in agreement.

Law sighed. "At this rate, I should've just hooked up an IV of meat straight into your system."

Luffy gasped. "CAN YOU DO THAT?!"

"No."

Luffy slumped in disappointment, but his spirits were instantly lifted when Ace and Sabo pushed open the restaurant doors. 

The cozy interior was bustling with locals enjoying their meals, the sound of clinking glasses and cheerful chatter filling the air.

"Oi, Ace! Long time no see!" A gruff voice called from behind the counter. An older man with a thick beard and a friendly smile waved them over.

"Hey, Pops!" Ace greeted, grinning. "I didn't know you were back in this town!" Ace was shocked to see Whitebeard here

Whitebeard wiped his hands on his napkin as he eyed Luffy in the wheelchair, then gave a knowing nod. "So, this is the little brother you were always fussing about, huh?"

"That's me!" Luffy grinned.

"He's been through a lot, but we're celebrating today," Sabo added, patting Luffy's shoulder.

"Celebrating, huh? Well, in that case, dinner's on me!" Pops laughed heartily.

Luffy's jaw dropped. "FOR REAL?!"

"Anything for the Ace's brother," Pops winked before heading to the back to talk to the chef.

Whitebeard was known well in this town.

Ace chuckled. "Man, I forgot how much I missed this place."

Law, meanwhile, found himself silently observing the way Luffy's eyes sparkled with pure joy. It was rare to see a patient with Luffy's condition so full of life.

As they took their seats, Sabo glanced at Law. "So, Doc, any plans besides playing babysitter for Luffy?"

Law clicked his tongue. "Not really. This whole trip is just to make sure your idiot brother doesn't overexert himself before his transplant."

Ace smirked. "Suuuure. Nothing to do with Luffy at all, huh?"

Law shot him a warning glare, but before he could say anything, a massive plate of food was set in front of Luffy. His eyes practically turned into stars.

"MEATTTT!" Luffy cheered before digging in, stuffing his face without hesitation.

"Geez, slow down," Law sighed, but he couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips.

As the night went on, laughter and stories filled the air. For the first time in a long time, it felt like things were normal. No hospitals, no surgeries, just good food, family, and the sound of the ocean in the distance.

But deep down, Law couldn't shake a lingering thought. How much time did Luffy really have left before things got complicated again?

The four of them headed back to the cozy little home by the beach.

Ace waved back at Pops. "Bye, Pops! Thanks again for dinner! Hopefully, I can come back to the station soon."

"Don't worry about it, boy. Your brother's health is your first priority," Whitebeard chuckled, waving them off.

It didn't take long for them to reach the house. Sabo immediately announced he was heading to bed, saying he was exhausted from driving. Ace went off to take a shower, leaving just Law and Luffy alone in the living room.

Luffy smiled up at Law, who was awkwardly sitting on the couch, flipping through channels but not finding anything that caught his interest.

"Hey, Law, can we go see the ocean? I heard it's even prettier at night," Luffy asked.

Law glanced at him, then nodded, not particularly engaged in anything else. Without another word, he pushed Luffy's wheelchair out of the house and toward the shoreline.

"It's so pretty... I'm glad we're here," Luffy murmured, his voice soft.

Law heard him and nodded in agreement.

"Torao," Luffy started, looking up at him.

"Hm?" Law raised an eyebrow.

"I wanna thank you for coming out here with me. I know you're always yelling at me not to overexert myself... but I don't think I would've made it this far without you," Luffy admitted, hugging himself.

Law was caught off guard. "It's my job, Luffy. There's no need to-"

"Let me thank you, dammit!" Luffy cut him off with a glare. "Seriously, thank you."

Law fell silent as Luffy turned back toward the ocean, watching the moonlight shimmer across the waves.

"I've come to realize something, Torao," Luffy continued, his voice quieter now.

Law sighed, tilting his head. "And what's that?"

"I think I've genuinely fallen in love with you," Luffy confessed.

Law choked. He wasn't sure what, but suddenly, he was coughing uncontrollably, struggling to catch his breath.

Luffy jumped in alarm and was about to call for his brothers, but before he could, Law straightened up, still wheezing.

"What... Luffy, do you even realize what you're saying?" Law asked, looking completely mortified.

"I do! I'm not an idiot!" Luffy huffed. 

"I told you it was my wish to fall in love, and I want to thank you for making that happen... but there's something else I want," he mumbled, his cheeks dusted pink.

Law's chest tightened. He felt like he was going to pass out.

"I want to be with you."

And that was it. Law collapsed face-first into the sand.

"Torao?!" Luffy yelled, immediately getting up from his wheelchair and stumbling over to him. He tried to pull him up but struggled.

"Don't, Luffy. I don't want you hurting yourself," Law managed to say.

Luffy froze, staring down at him.

"I'm your doctor, Luffy. Are you sure you're not just-"

Before Law could finish, he felt a sudden weight on his chest.

"WHY DOES EVERYONE SAY THAT?! I KNOW MY OWN FEELINGS! DON'T BE AN IDIOT!" Luffy yelled, clearly fed up with people questioning his emotions.

"Okay, okay! My bad," Law muttered, rubbing his temples as he sat up.

"But, Luffy... this is serious. I can't be with you. I'm your doctor. I could get in serious trouble for this," Law admitted, his voice lower now.

Luffy rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't snitch on you, dumbass."

"Luffy-"

"Torao, please... This is the first time I've ever felt something like this. It's so addicting, but it hurts at the same time... like a guilty pleasure or something," Luffy murmured, sitting directly in front of Law, locking eyes with him.

Then, he smiled, a little softer this time.

"I'll be your first... if you'll be my last."

Law's heart pounded in his chest, louder than the crashing waves behind them. 

Luffy's words hung in the air, heavy yet sincere. The doctor was frozen, completely caught off guard.

"You don't understand what you're asking for, Luffy," Law finally said, his voice unsteady. 

"This isn't some fleeting emotion. Love isn't just about saying it... it comes with consequences and responsibilities. And for someone in your condition-"

"You think I don't know that?" Luffy cut him off, his expression uncharacteristically serious. 

"I've thought about this a lot, Torao. I know my body isn't the strongest. I know I might not have as much time as other people. But that's exactly why I don't wanna waste it!"

Law inhaled sharply. He hadn't expected Luffy to be this... aware.

"You've spent all this time protecting me, making sure I don't overdo it, telling me to be careful. But don't you get it? I want to feel something real. And you're real, Torao."

Luffy leaned in slightly, searching Law's eyes. "So tell me... do you feel something too?"

Law clenched his fists. His mind screamed at him to shut this down, to tell Luffy it was impossible, to remind him of the professional boundary that existed between them. But his heart, his traitorous heart, wasn't so sure.

He thought about the countless nights he had spent by Luffy's hospital bed, the way he'd memorized every detail of his medical chart but somehow memorized Luffy's smile even better. 

He thought about the way his chest tightened whenever Luffy grinned at him, like he was something special.

Law exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You're impossible," he muttered.

Luffy's face lit up with hope. "Does that mean?"

"It means I don't know what the hell to do with you," Law admitted, shaking his head. "But... I don't hate the idea."

Luffy gasped. "Wait, wait, wait. So you like me back?"

Law groaned, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I didn't say that."

"You totally did!" Luffy grinned, kicking his legs excitedly. "Awww, Torao, you're blushing!"

"I am not ," Law grumbled, looking away.

Luffy just laughed, looking up at the sky. "This is the best trip ever!"

Law sighed, running a hand through his hair. He was doomed.

But looking at Luffy's beaming smile, he wasn't sure he even minded.

Law sighed, staring at the ocean as if it would give him the answers he desperately needed. How did he even get here? He was supposed to be Luffy's doctor, his caretaker, the rational one. 

Yet, somehow, this reckless, stubborn idiot had wormed his way into Law's heart without him even realizing it.

Luffy stretched his arms with a loud yawn. "Man, all this confessing stuff is exhausting." He turned to Law with a mischievous grin. "Wanna sleep next to me tonight?"

Law nearly choked on air. "What?! No!"

"Why not?" Luffy pouted. "You said you don't hate the idea of us being together."

"I... That doesn't mean we're sleeping next to each other, idiot!" Law huffed, standing up and dusting the sand off his pants. "We're going back inside before you catch a cold."

Luffy groaned but let Law push his wheelchair back toward the beach house. "Fine, fine. But you gotta admit, the stars are super pretty tonight."

Law glanced up for a second. He had to admit, the view was breathtaking. The sky stretched endlessly, filled with thousands of twinkling stars.

"You always stop to appreciate the little things, huh?" Law muttered.

Luffy beamed. "Of course! Life's too short not to."

Something about those words made Law's chest tighten. Maybe that was why Luffy didn't hesitate when it came to his feelings because he knew better than anyone that time wasn't guaranteed.

When they reached the beach house, Ace was sprawled out on the couch, watching TV with a lazy grin. He turned his head as they entered.

"Where'd you two go?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

"The ocean," Luffy said casually. "Oh, and I confessed my love to Torao!"

Ace sat up so fast he nearly fell off the couch. "YOU WHAT?!"

Law groaned and covered his face with his hand. "For the love of-"

Sabo, who had just walked out of his room, blinked in confusion. "Wait, did I hear that right? Luffy confessed to Law?"

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep?" Law cried covering his face in embarrassment 

Ace cackled, clutching his stomach. "Oh, this is too good!"

Luffy grinned. "And guess what? He didn't reject me!"

Ace's laughter died instantly. He snapped his head toward Law, eyes wide with disbelief. "WAIT. WAIT. WAIT. ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

Law let out a long, exhausted sigh. "I didn't accept anything either! I just... I don't hate the idea."

Ace and Sabo exchanged glances before bursting into laughter again.

Luffy pouted. "Hey! This is serious!"

"Oh, trust me, we know," Sabo chuckled. He patted Law's shoulder with a smirk. "Better start preparing yourself, Doc. Luffy never backs down when he wants something."

Law groaned. "I already regret everything."

Luffy just grinned and leaned back in his wheelchair, feeling more content than he had in a long time.

"I'm going to bed, I've had enough of your idiots." Law turned and left the living room.

"HAHA! GOODNIGHT TORAO!" Luffy waved off the tired male.

. . .

The next morning, the house was filled with the smell of breakfast cooking. Sabo was at the stove, flipping pancakes, while Ace was rummaging through the fridge, probably looking for meat to add to the meal.

Luffy, still half-asleep, rolled into the kitchen in his wheelchair, rubbing his eyes. "Morning." he mumbled, yawning.

Ace turned around with a smirk. "Morning, lover boy."

Luffy blinked. "Huh?"

Sabo snorted, setting a plate of pancakes on the table. "You know, since you confessed last night."

"Ohhh! Right!" Luffy grinned. "Yeah, Torao didn't say no!"

Ace burst out laughing. "That's not the same as saying yes, dumbass!"

Before Luffy could argue, Law walked into the kitchen, hair messy, clearly still waking up.

 He froze when he saw everyone looking at him, especially Luffy, who was practically radiating excitement.

"Morning, Torao!" Luffy beamed.

Law groaned. "Don't start." He walked past them, grabbing a cup of coffee.

Sabo smirked. "Soooo, Law, when's the wedding?"

Law choked on his coffee. "What?!"

Ace cackled. "Yeah, Luffy's already planning your future together!"

Luffy tilted his head. "Am I?" He tapped his chin, pretending to think. "I was gonna focus on getting better first, but I guess planning sounds fun too!"

Law rubbed his temples. "I hate all of you."

Sabo grinned. "No, you don't. You especially don't hate Luffy."

Luffy blinked up at Law with those big, innocent eyes. "That's true, right, Torao?"

Law sighed, taking a long sip of his coffee before muttering, "...Yeah."

The whole room went silent for a second. 

"HE ADMITTED IT!" Ace and Sabo yelled in unison.

Luffy laughed loudly, reaching for a plate of pancakes. "Hehe, I knew it!"

Law groaned, already regretting every life decision that led him here.

And yet... When he looked at Luffy, with his ridiculous grin and infectious energy, Law felt something warm in his chest.

After breakfast, the four of them headed outside. The beach was quiet early in the morning, the waves crashing gently against the shore.

Luffy stretched his arms up with a satisfied sigh. "It's so nice today!"

Ace grinned. "Yeah, perfect day to relax before we go into the water later."

Sabo smirked. "You mean a perfect day to keep Luffy from doing something stupid."

"HEY!" Luffy pouted. "I can be responsible!"

Law snorted. "You nearly fell out of your wheelchair reaching for pancakes."

Luffy gasped dramatically. "Traitor!"

Ace and Sabo laughed, but Law just rolled his eyes and motioned for Luffy to follow him down to the shore. "Come on, let's get this over with. You wanted to get your feet in the water, right?"

Luffy lit up instantly. "YES!"

Law pushed his wheelchair toward the water while Ace and Sabo trailed behind them. When they reached the shore, Law carefully helped Luffy out of his chair, holding onto him tightly as they stood together at the water's edge.

Luffy took a hesitant step forward, feeling the cool waves brush against his feet. He let out a breathless laugh. "It feels so nice..."

Law watched him carefully, making sure he didn't lose his balance. "Don't overdo it."

"I won't," Luffy reassured him, but the excitement in his eyes told a different story.

Ace and Sabo stood nearby, watching with small smiles. It was rare to see Luffy this still, just quietly enjoying something.

Law, however, was trying to ignore the way his heart clenched at the sight.

"Luffy..." he started, his voice softer than usual.

Luffy turned to him, tilting his head. "Yeah?"

Law hesitated for a second before sighing. "Nothing. Just... don't fall."

Luffy grinned. "I won't, I promise!"

And for once, Law found himself actually believing him.

Luffy started walking in the water with a smile

"Don't over stimulate yourself, remember." Law mentioned and Luffy pouted but nodded.

Luffy continued walking, he started walking faster and Law narrowed his eyes.

Law looked down at a monitor on his watch, Luffy seems to be doing fine.

That was until he noticed his heart rate was going up aggressively fast.

"Alright, that's enough. You've been walking long enough."

"But I-"

"No arguments, back in the chair."

Luffy huffed but didn't fight it as Law helped him back into the wheelchair.

Ace and Sabo walked up, both of them grinning.

"You actually listened for once," Ace teased, ruffling Luffy's hair.

"I can be responsible!" Luffy insisted.

Law rolled his eyes. "Sure you can."

Luffy grinned up at him. "Torao, did you have fun?"

Law blinked. "What?"

"You were smiling," Luffy pointed out. "You always act grumpy, but you were having fun, right?"

Law felt his face heat up. "I wasn't-"

"Don't lie," Sabo teased. "We all saw it."

Law groaned, rubbing his temples. "This is why I don't take vacations."

Luffy just beamed. "I knew it!"

Ace clapped a hand on Law's shoulder. "Well, in that case, you can be the one to take Luffy swimming later!"

Law froze. "Absolutely not."

Luffy gasped dramatically. "TRAITOR!"

Ace and Sabo burst into laughter as Law sighed, already regretting everything.

It really was going to be a long trip.

It's only for another day though.

Today and half of tomorrow were all they had left before returning to the hospital.

"I'm hungry," Luffy pouted, and Law looked at him in shock.

"We just had breakfast!" Law exclaimed in horror as Luffy laughed.

"Get used to it," Sabo said with a small smile, handing Luffy his straw hat.

Luffy took it and placed it on his head with a grin.

"Here, Luffy, I brought you a snack," Sabo said, giving Luffy a meat stick. Luffy snatched it immediately, eyes gleaming as he started drooling.

Law just blinked, unsure of what to think.

"Torao, are you gonna take me swimming... please?" Luffy begged, looking up at him with hopeful eyes.

Law sighed. "I'll take you, but only if your brothers are around," he said, patting Luffy's head.

Luffy nodded eagerly.

Sabo glanced over at Ace, who was returning with four cones of ice cream.

"I GOT ICE CREAM!" Ace shouted, running over.

"ICE CREAM!" Luffy screamed in excitement.

"Here, Luffy, I got you a strawberry," Ace said, handing over the pink ice cream. Luffy immediately started eating it with delight.

"Oh, Law, they had a coffee-flavored one," Ace added, handing the cone to Law, who took it with a small nod of thanks.

"I got your favorite, Sabo," Ace grinned, passing over an ice cream cone.

"Butter pecan... mmm," Sabo mumbled, already drooling.

Ace took a bite of his own cinnamon-flavored ice cream, smiling happily.

As they sat on the beach enjoying their ice cream, the sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a warm glow over the ocean. The sound of waves crashing against the shore mixed with Luffy's excited munching and Ace's satisfied sighs.

"This is life," Ace mumbled through a mouthful of ice cream.

Luffy, his cheeks full like a chipmunk, nodded vigorously. "Mmmhmm!"

Sabo chuckled, watching his little brother with amusement. 

"Food is the best!" Luffy declared, grinning.

Law sat beside them, quietly eating his ice cream. He still couldn't shake the heaviness in his chest from their conversation the night before. 

Luffy's confession had rattled him, and despite his attempts to ignore it, the words echoed in his mind.

"I'll be your first if you'll be my last."

Law stole a glance at Luffy, who was now licking his fingers happily. How could he be so carefree after saying something like that?

"When can we swim, Torao?" Luffy asked, looking up at Law, who jumped slightly.

"Umm... I don't know. Whenever your brothers give me the okay," Law explained.

Luffy grinned and whipped his head toward his brothers.

Sabo glanced at Ace, who nodded while pushing his sunglasses up onto his head.

"You can swim whenever you want, Luffy," Sabo said with a smile.

"YAY!" Luffy cheered before looking back at Law expectantly.

Law sighed. "Fine, give me a second." He got up and went to wash his hands.

. . .

A couple of hours had passed. Luffy had just finished his shower and was about to head to bed when a sudden wave of pain shot through his body.

No one was around Ace and Sabo were still in the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner.

Law was in his room, packing his things for their departure tomorrow.

Luffy barely had time to react before his knees buckled. He collapsed in the middle of the hallway, his body trembling. His breathing turned ragged, and he started dry heaving.

"Shit," he muttered, tears welling in his eyes. His chest ached horribly, the pain unbearable.

Luffy clutched his chest, his vision blurring as the pain intensified. He tried to call out, but his throat felt too tight, and all that escaped was a weak, strangled gasp.

His body trembled violently, his limbs feeling like they were on fire and ice at the same time. He knew this pain wasn't the usual discomfort he had learned to tolerate. This was different. Worse.

He barely registered the sound of hurried footsteps before a pair of strong arms lifted him up.

"Luffy! Hey, stay with me!" Law's voice was sharp with urgency.

Luffy groaned, his head lolling against Law's chest as his body convulsed slightly.

"Shit Sabo! Ace! Get in here, now!" Law barked.

Within seconds, the pounding of feet echoed through the hallway as Ace and Sabo rushed in, their faces contorted with worry.

"Luffy?!" Ace dropped to his knees beside him, his hands hovering uselessly, not knowing what to do.

"He just collapsed!" Law snapped, already moving. "I need to get him stabilized and help me get him to the couch!"

Sabo didn't waste time questioning it. He grabbed Luffy's legs while Law supported his upper body, and together, they carried him into the living room, laying him down gently.

Luffy gasped, his fingers clawing weakly at the couch cushion. "T-Torao... hurts..."

"I know," Law murmured, pressing two fingers to Luffy's pulse point. His heart rate was too fast and dangerously fast.

Ace ran a hand through his hair, his voice tight with panic. "What do we do?! Should we call an ambulance?!"

Law gritted his teeth, already reaching into his medical bag. "No time. I need to regulate his heart rate now, or he won't make it to a hospital."

Sabo's face went pale. "Law-"

"I know what I'm doing! Just back off and let me work!" Law snapped, pulling out a syringe and a vial of medication with steady hands, despite the cold sweat forming at his temples.

Ace and Sabo exchanged terrified looks, but neither argued. They could only watch helplessly as Law worked, hoping and praying that he could save their little brother.

Luffy whimpered, his body writhing slightly. His eyes, half-lidded and glassy, found Law's.

"You're... still here," Luffy mumbled weakly.

Law's heart clenched. He tightened his grip on the syringe.

"Of course, I am, idiot," Law muttered, his voice softer than before. "I'm not going anywhere."

And with that, he injected the medication, praying it would be enough.

Luffy flinched slightly as the needle pierced his skin, but his body was too weak to resist. His breathing came in short, ragged gasps, and his fingers clenched the couch cushion tightly.

"Come on, come on," Law muttered under his breath, watching for any sign of improvement. The seconds felt like hours as Ace and Sabo hovered nearby, their anxiety thick in the air.

Ace's fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. "Is it working?" he asked, his voice cracking.

Law exhaled slowly, placing two fingers against Luffy's neck again. His pulse was still fast, but it was no longer erratic, it was stabilizing.

After what felt like an eternity, Luffy let out a shaky breath, his body relaxing slightly. His eyelids fluttered as his eyes tried to focus on Law.

"Torao...?" His voice was barely a whisper.

Law let out a sigh of relief and nodded. "Yeah, I'm here."

Sabo exhaled loudly, running a shaky hand through his hair. "That was too damn close."

Ace collapsed onto the floor, rubbing his face. "Damn it, Lu... you scared the hell out of us."

Luffy managed a weak smile. "S-sorry..." His voice was hoarse, but at least he was conscious.

Law shook his head, his usual cold demeanor cracking as exhaustion settled into his bones. "You don't get to apologize. You need to rest."

Luffy blinked sleepily. "Mmm... will you stay?"

Law hesitated for only a second before nodding. "Yeah. I'll stay."

Ace and Sabo exchanged a look but didn't say anything. They knew better than to tease Law right now.

Sabo sighed and stretched. "We should take shifts watching him tonight."

"I got the first watch," Ace said immediately, his protective instincts kicking in.

Law looked at them both and shook his head. "No need. I'll be here."

Ace raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

Law didn't look up as he adjusted Luffy's blanket, making sure he was comfortable. "Yeah. I'm sure."

Luffy smiled softly, his fingers weakly grasping Law's sleeve.

"Goodnight, Torao," he mumbled before finally letting sleep take him.

Law didn't move, his gaze lingering on Luffy's peaceful expression.

"...Goodnight, Luffy."

And for the first time in a long time, Law felt something warm settle in his chest.

Law didn't get any sleep that night.

He was too focused on Luffy, making sure he was okay throughout the night.

Luckily, Luffy remained stable.

But Law still didn't know what had caused his heart to react that way. The uncertainty gnawed at him, and he frowned, trying to piece it together.

With a sigh, he got up and left the room, deciding to get himself some water.

When he entered the kitchen, he saw Ace standing over the sink, a glass in hand, staring off into space.

"You good?" Law asked.

Ace jumped slightly, snapping out of his daze.

Law frowned when he noticed the dark circles under Ace's eyes.

"You scared me, sorry," Ace chuckled, but his voice was rough like he had been crying.

"I didn't say this earlier, but... thank you for what you did earlier. I'm so glad you were here. If I had witnessed that without a doctor around, I don't know what I would have done." Ace covered his mouth at the thought.

Law gave a small nod. "That's what I'm here for." He grabbed another glass and filled it with water, handing it to Ace.

"What could have caused that?" Ace asked, his grip tightening around the glass.

Law exhaled. "I don't know. When we get back to the hospital, I'll tell them what happened, and we'll run some tests. He's fine for now, he's stable."

Ace nodded, though his worry didn't fade.

"Get some sleep," Law advised with a small, tired smile before walking out of the kitchen.

Ace didn't respond. Instead, he sat down on the couch, too exhausted to make it to the bedroom. Sleep weighed on his body, but he couldn't bring himself to close his eyes.

. . .

The next morning, everyone agreed it was best to leave right away.

No one wanted another incident like that to happen again... ever.

Luffy sat in the back, looking tired despite having slept through the night. It was strange, and Law didn't like it.

Deciding to keep a close eye on him, Law took a seat in the back as well, ready to step in if anything went wrong.

Sabo took the wheel, as Ace was practically falling asleep while standing.

Sabo knew Ace hadn't gotten any sleep the night before, and given everything that had happened, he didn't blame him. 

What surprised him, though, was that Ace, normally the heaviest sleeper of the three, had been up all night.

"Luffy, you gonna be okay back there?" Sabo asked, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Torao is here!" Luffy weakly smiled, leaning back in his seat.

Sabo frowned but didn't push it. "Okay. There are snacks back there if you get hungry."

With that, he focused on the road, gripping the wheel a little tighter.

The hospital couldn't come soon enough.

The drive to the hospital felt longer than usual, the weight of the previous night's events hanging over everyone. 

Luffy seemed to drift in and out of sleep, his body still recovering from the strain. Law kept a close eye on him, his gaze never straying far.

Ace, however, was struggling to stay awake. He tried to keep himself engaged in conversation with Sabo, but his eyelids kept growing heavier with every mile.

"You're barely holding it together, Ace," Sabo noted, glancing over at him as they turned down a street leading toward the hospital.

Ace let out a yawn. "I'm fine, just... really tired," he muttered, trying to stifle another yawn.

Sabo chuckled. "You should have just slept on the way here, man."

"I'm good," Ace grumbled. "I'll crash the moment we get there, I swear."

As they neared the hospital, Law sat up straighter, his hand subtly resting on Luffy's shoulder, ensuring he was still stable.

"Almost there, Luffy," Law said softly.

Luffy, who had been quiet for a while, finally spoke up. "Hey, Torao... do you think I'll be okay? Like, really okay?" His voice was small, filled with a vulnerability Law hadn't heard before.

Law glanced down at Luffy, meeting his eyes. "You're stronger than you think, Luffy. You've come a long way, and we'll keep doing everything we can to make sure you stay that way."

Luffy nodded but didn't look entirely convinced. He had his doubts, but with Law by his side, he felt a little more at ease.

Once they got there. Law got out of the car to get the wheelchair and he helped Luffy sit in it. As Sabo and Ace were following after them.

Law pushed Luffy into the hospital, trying to get him to his room so he could speak to Marco about what happened last night.

Once they finally reached Luffy's room, Sabo and Ace helped him into the bed, and Law quickly ran to change into his scrubs.

When he returned, he instructed the nurses to start an IV on Luffy immediately and then went to find Marco.

The nurses were confused but followed his orders.

Law hurried to Marco's office and opened the door. The blonde jumped, startled, as he was signing some documents.

"Wow, I want to say you look refreshed, but you don't..." Marco said, a sweatdrop appearing on his forehead.

"No time for that. Something happened to Luffy last night," Law said, his voice filled with urgency. Marco frowned, his expression turning serious.

"His heart started spiraling erratically like he was about to have a heart attack or something. But he was also dry heaving as if he was going to vomit, though nothing was coming up," Law explained, his concern evident.

Marco stood up, clearly alarmed. "How is he now?"

"He was stable the rest of the night after I injected him with adenosine," Law added quickly.

"Run tests right now." Marco's voice was firm as he walked out of his office. Law followed suit, determined to help.

As Marco walked down the hallway, he noticed Luffy's door was open. His heart sank as he saw what was happening inside.

Luffy was seizing, his mouth frothing. Several nurses surrounded him, trying to administer benzodiazepine.

Marco froze, horror spreading across his face as he saw Ace and Sabo screaming and crying at the sight.

Marco rushed into the room, his medical instincts kicking in. "Move aside," he commanded, his voice sharp as he made his way to Luffy's side.

The nurses scrambled to give him space, but Marco's eyes never left Luffy. The boy's body convulsed, his breathing shallow and erratic. 

Ace and Sabo were standing at the foot of the bed, both visibly shaken, their faces pale with fear.

"Stay calm," Marco said, his tone more gentle now as he motioned for the nurses to prepare another dose of benzodiazepine. "Luffy's in good hands."

Sabo, who had been pacing, stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. "What's happening to him, Dr Marco? We thought he was fine last night, he was stable, right? Why is this happening now?"

Marco's brow furrowed as he assessed Luffy's condition. "I don't know yet, but we'll find out. Right now, we need to focus on stabilizing him."

Law had entered the room just behind Marco, his eyes scanning the scene. His stomach churned at the sight of Luffy in such distress. 

He had never seen a boy this fragile before. He moved closer, standing by Marco, ready to assist in whatever was needed.

"We need to monitor his vitals closely, and I'll want to do a full workup once he's stable again," Marco said, his hands moving quickly as he directed the nurses.

After what felt like an eternity, the seizing began to slow, and Luffy's breathing steadied. Marco let out a small breath of relief as he observed the change. Luffy's body trembled, but he was no longer seizing.

"He's stabilizing," Marco said, turning to the brothers. "It's going to be okay. But we still need answers."

Ace collapsed into the chair next to Luffy's bed, his face pale. "What's going on, doc? Why is this happening to him?"

Sabo moved closer, his expression tight with worry. "Tell us what we can do."

Marco exchanged a glance with Law. "There's nothing more to do right now except run tests. We need to figure out what's causing these episodes. Luffy's heart is under too much strain more than it should be for someone who's supposed to be recovering."

The room was heavy with silence as they all waited for the next steps. Law stood to the side, his mind racing. His focus had been on Luffy's recovery, but now, it seemed there was something much more complicated going on.

"I'll handle the tests, Marco," Law said after a pause, his voice steady. "I'll get everything started right away."

Marco nodded. "Good. Let me know as soon as you have anything. We'll do everything we can to help him."

As Marco stepped back, ready to call for the necessary tests, Ace took Luffy's hand, his voice cracking. "We're not going anywhere, Luffy. You hear me? You've still got us. Always."

Sabo placed a hand on Ace's shoulder. "We're in this together, bro. Don't worry, Luffy's strong. He'll make it through this. We won't let him down."

Law gave one last glance at Luffy before turning to prepare for the tests. The uncertainty of what was happening gnawed at him, but he wasn't about to let Luffy or the brothers go through this alone.

Law wasted no time. He strode out of the room, his mind racing as he went to order a full set of tests, EKG, bloodwork, scans, anything that could give them a clue. His gut told him something was off, something beyond what they had previously diagnosed.

Marco stayed behind, keeping an eye on Luffy while trying to calm Ace and Sabo.

"I need you both to take deep breaths," Marco said, his voice firm but reassuring. "Luffy is stable for now, and that's what matters. But if you two collapse from stress, it won't help him."

Ace clenched his fists, his whole body shaking as he glared at the floor. "This isn't fair... We were supposed to be getting better, not worse."

Sabo sat beside Ace, running a hand down his face. He looked exhausted, but he nodded. "We trust you guys. Just... Please tell us if anything changes. No matter what it is."

Marco gave a small nod. "Of course. You'll be the first to know."

A few minutes later, Law returned, his face unreadable as he held a tablet in his hands. "The tests are running, but..." he hesitated, his sharp eyes locked on Luffy's pale face, "I have a theory."

Ace and Sabo straightened up immediately. "What is it?" Sabo asked.

Law sighed, rubbing his temple before meeting their worried gazes. "I don't think this is just a heart condition anymore."

Marco's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Law took a deep breath before explaining. "Luffy's symptoms, the rapid heart rate, the sudden seizures, the way his body is reacting, it's not lining up with just his original condition." He turned the tablet toward Marco, showing him some of the preliminary test results.

Marco's expression darkened as he skimmed through the numbers. "His adrenal levels are through the roof..."

"Exactly," Law confirmed. "I think his body is going into overdrive, but it's not just because of his heart. Something else is triggering it."

Ace looked between them, confused. "So... what does that mean? What's wrong with him?"

Law hesitated before answering. "We need more tests to confirm it, but I think Luffy's body is reacting to something it sees as a threat, even if there's nothing there. Almost like... his body is attacking itself."

Sabo's breath hitched. "You're saying it's not just his heart failing, It's his entire body?"

Law gave a solemn nod. "It's possible. But we won't know for sure until we get the rest of the test results."

Marco crossed his arms, deep in thought. "We'll need to act fast. If his body keeps reacting like this, it could push him past the point of recovery."

Ace felt like the air had been sucked out of his lungs. He turned back to Luffy, who was lying in the hospital bed, still and peaceful, completely unaware of the battle his body was waging.

Ace swallowed hard, then spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "We're not gonna lose him. Not after everything we've been through."

Law's gaze softened for a fraction of a second before he steeled himself again. "We won't let that happen. But we need to be prepared for whatever comes next."

The minutes felt like hours as they waited for Luffy's test results. Ace and Sabo refused to leave his side, their hands gripping his as if their touch alone could keep him anchored to the world.

Law paced near the monitors, glancing at the numbers every few seconds. His stomach twisted at how unstable Luffy's vitals still were. 

Marco was beside him, scanning through the incoming lab reports on his tablet.

A few beeps from the monitor drew their attention. Luffy stirred, his eyelids fluttering open.

"Luffy!" Ace nearly jumped out of his chair.

Luffy blinked slowly, his face scrunching up in confusion before his tired eyes landed on Ace. "Why do you look like you cried?"

Ace let out a watery laugh, wiping at his face as if just now realizing how much he had broken down. "Idiot You scared the hell out of us."

Luffy frowned, his head lolling slightly to the side. "It's not my fault." His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.

Sabo exhaled in relief. "How do you feel?"

"Dizzy," Luffy admitted, shifting slightly before wincing.

"Don't move too much," Law warned, stepping closer with his arms crossed. "Your body's been through a lot."

Luffy looked at him, his dazed eyes barely able to focus. "Torao..."

Law softened just a fraction. "What is it?"

Luffy blinked slowly before giving him the smallest, laziest smile. "Still look grumpy."

Law scoffed, shaking his head. "Yeah, well, you'd look grumpy too if you had to deal with a reckless idiot like you."

Luffy let out a breathy chuckle before his eyelids drooped again. He was exhausted.

Ace looked up at Law, his expression pleading. "What now?"

Law sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We wait for the final results. But for now, he's stable."

Marco, still focused on the tablet, suddenly tensed. "Law... The tests came back."

Law turned sharply, stepping over to peer at the screen. His eyes scanned the data before his jaw clenched.

"What is it?" Sabo asked, dread creeping into his voice.

Law looked at Marco, exchanging a heavy glance before sighing. "We have a problem."

Marco turned the tables around for everyone to see. "Luffy's immune system is attacking his own body."

Ace and Sabo froze.

"What?" Ace's voice cracked.

Law nodded grimly. "His body isn't just struggling with his heart condition. His immune system is reacting like he's fighting off an infection but there's no infection. It's treating his own organs like a threat."

Sabo's hands tightened into fists. "That mean?"

"It means if we don't slow this reaction down, it's going to start shutting his body down piece by piece," Marco finished, his voice heavy.

Ace felt like the room was spinning. He turned to Luffy, still lying in bed, looking so small beneath the blankets. How the hell were they supposed to fight something like this?

Sabo straightened. "What do we do?"

Law took a breath, his mind already running through solutions. "We have to start immunosuppressants immediately. But that comes with risks: his body will be vulnerable, and if he gets even the smallest infection, it could be life-threatening."

Ace clenched his jaw. "If it keeps him alive, we do it."

Law met his gaze, seeing the pure determination in Ace's eyes, and nodded.

Marco sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, I'll get everything prepped."

As the doctors left to prepare the treatment, Ace and Sabo remained at Luffy's bedside.

Ace reached out, brushing Luffy's bangs from his forehead. "You're gonna be okay," he whispered, as if saying it enough times would make it true.

Sabo placed a hand on Ace's shoulder, steadying him. "We won't let anything happen to him."

No matter what it took, they were going to save their brother.

Law and Marco walked down the hallway, heading toward the pharmacy.

"Marco," Law started, his voice tense.

The blonde turned to him, noticing the unease in his expression.

"Luffy has Danon's disease... That affects the LAMP2 gene, not his immune system. How is this possible?" Law questioned, panic creeping into his voice.

Marco stopped in his tracks, his brows furrowing in deep thought.

"That... doesn't make sense," he muttered, rubbing his chin. "Danon's disease is a lysosomal storage disorder. It mainly affects the heart and muscles, but it doesn't typically impact the immune system directly."

Law ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Exactly! But Luffy's immune system has been deteriorating at a rapid rate, and none of the treatments we've been using are stabilizing him like they should." He clenched his fists. "This isn't normal, Marco."

Marco sighed, crossing his arms. "We need to reassess his genetic tests. There could be another mutation at play, or..." His voice trailed off as a grim thought crossed his mind.

Law noticed the hesitation. "Or what?" he pressed.

Marco hesitated before answering. "Or there's something else attacking his body that we haven't identified yet."

The weight of the words sank into Law's chest like a stone.

Before either of them could say anything else, a frantic nurse ran toward them, out of breath.

"Doctors! Luffy, he's coding again!"

Law and Marco didn't waste a second. They sprinted down the hallway, pushing past nurses and dodging carts as the emergency alarms blared through the hospital.

When they reached Luffy's room, the sight before them sent a chill down Law's spine.

Luffy lay on the hospital bed, his body convulsing violently as the monitors around him screamed warning signs. His heart rate was erratic and dangerously unstable. 

Nurses rushed around him, one already attempting to administer another dose of benzodiazepine while another tried to keep his airway clear.

Ace and Sabo were being held back by another nurse, their faces stricken with fear and panic.

"Luffy!" Ace tried to push forward, but Macro shot him a sharp look.

"Let us do our job, Ace," Marco said firmly, stepping toward the bed.

Law immediately took control. "What happened?" he demanded as he pulled on gloves.

"He started seizing again," one of the nurses responded. "Then his breathing became shallow, and his heart rate dropped below 30. We're losing him!"

Law's eyes widened. Bradycardia. If his heart stops completely

"Give him atropine, now!" Law ordered.

A nurse quickly injected the medication into Luffy's IV, and everyone held their breath.

For a few agonizing seconds, nothing happened.

Finally,

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

The heart monitor stabilized, Luffy's convulsions slowing until his body finally went limp. His chest rose and fell in weak, shallow breaths, but he was alive.

Law let out a slow exhale, his hands shaking. He turned to Marco. "We need to get him to the ICU. If we don't figure out what's happening soon... we might lose him for good."

Marco nodded grimly, already signaling for a transport team.

Meanwhile, Ace and Sabo stood frozen, horror written across their faces.

Luffy had always been strong and resilient beyond reason. But now, for the first time...

He looked fragile. Too fragile.

Luffy was rushed to the ICU within minutes, the air thick with tension as Law and Marco worked alongside the nurses to stabilize him.

Ace and Sabo weren't allowed inside. They stood outside the glass doors, fists clenched, eyes burning with frustration and fear.

Inside, Law adjusted Luffy's oxygen mask and checked the monitors again. His vitals were still weak, but at least they weren't crashing.

Marco stood beside him, arms crossed. "We need to run a full metabolic panel, cardiac enzymes, and genetic sequencing again. If this really is Danon's Disease, we might be missing something critical."

Law grits his teeth. "This doesn't make sense. Danon affects the LAMP2 gene, not the immune system. But Luffy's body is behaving like it's shutting down like it can't fight anymore. That's not how this disease works."

Marco sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Maybe there's a secondary condition we didn't catch. Or a mutation we haven't identified yet. Either way, we're running out of time."

Law stared down at Luffy. Even asleep, his face was pale, his body weak. Just yesterday, he was laughing, eating ice cream, and begging to go swimming.

And now?

Now he looked like a ghost of himself.

Law's hands curled into fists. Law refuses to let him die.

Just then, a nurse rushed in, holding a test result in her hand.

"Dr. Trafalgar, Dr. Marco Luffy's latest labs just came back."

Law snatched the paper, eyes scanning it.

And what he saw made his stomach drop.

"This isn't just Danon's Disease," he muttered.

Marco peered over his shoulder, eyes widening.

"His immune system is collapsing," Law whispered, his voice barely above a breath. "This- this isn't normal. It's almost like..."

Marco's expression darkened. "Like something's accelerating his condition."

Law's heart pounded. "We need to figure out what to do before it's too late."

Law clenched his jaw, gripping the test results so tightly that the paper crumpled in his hands.

Something was wrong, very wrong.

Luffy's condition was deteriorating at an unnatural rate. Danon's disease alone couldn't explain this rapid decline.

Marco placed a firm hand on Law's shoulder. "We need to consider external factors. Has he been exposed to anything unusual?"

Law thought back. Luffy had been fine before the trip. He had been stable. Laughing, eating, begging to swim.

Then it hit him.

The beach.

The ocean.

His fingers twitched as he turned to Marco. "The saltwater. What if something in the ocean triggered an immune response?"

Marco frowned but nodded. "It's possible. We need to run toxin and allergen screenings immediately." He turned to the nurses. "Start a full toxicology panel on everything, even rare contaminants."

A loud crash made them whip their heads toward the bed.

Luffy was convulsing again.

"SHIT!" Law shoved the test results aside, rushing to his side.

"He's going into cardiac arrest!" a nurse shouted.

"Push epinephrine, now!" Marco barked.

The heart monitor let out a shrill alarm.

"Come on, Luffy, stay with me!" Law growled, positioning himself to begin CPR if necessary.

Ace and Sabo, who had been forced outside, slammed their fists against the glass, eyes wide in horror.

"LUFFY!" Ace screamed, his voice breaking.

Law's hands hovered over Luffy's chest. His heart wasn't stopping yet, but it was too slow. Weak. Unsteady.

The epinephrine was injected.

A gasping breath.

Luffy's body twitches violently before going limp. His heart monitor stabilized barely.

Law let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. But relief was fleeting.

They had no answers.

And Luffy was running out of time.

Law exhaled sharply, pushing his hair back as the heart monitor beeped in a weak but steady rhythm. His hands were still trembling, too close. That was too damn close.

Marco wiped the sweat off his brow. "We need those test results now," he muttered, glaring at the door as if willing the lab to hurry.

Luffy was still unconscious, his face too pale, his breaths too shallow.

Ace and Sabo burst into the room the second the nurses let them through.

"What the hell just happened?!" Ace demanded, his eyes wild with fear as he shoved past Law to get to Luffy's bedside.

"His heart nearly stopped again," Marco admitted. "We don't know why yet."

Sabo gritted his teeth, gripping the bed rail. "Why does this keep happening? He was fine yesterday!"

Law barely heard them. His mind was spinning, dissecting every test, every symptom, every damn possibility.

It wasn't just Danon's disease. It wasn't just heart failure.

Something else was attacking Luffy's body.

Then, a nurse ran in, breathless, a folder in hand.

"Doctor! The results-"

Law snatched them and scanned the pages.

And then his blood ran cold.

"Marco..." His voice was eerily quiet.

Marco took the papers, eyes darting over the data before his face darkened.

"What... the hell is this?" Marco muttered, turning the page as if he had read it wrong.

Ace and Sabo froze.

"What is it?" Sabo demanded, stepping forward.

"Luffy's body is rejecting his artificial heart."

Ace's breath hitched. "What the hell do you mean 'rejecting his artificial heart'?"

Law shut his eyes, his voice strained.

"His immune system is attacking the implanted tissue and the mechanical components as if they were foreign invaders."

Sabo's eyes widened in horror. "But... how? His body was supposed to accept it!"

Marco's voice was grim. "Something changed. His system is treating the heart like it doesn't belong."

Law's grip on the test results tightened.

"Something... or someone."

Ace's breathing grew heavy, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. "You're saying what? Did someone do this to him?"

Sabo's stomach churned. "That doesn't make sense! How would someone even mess with Luffy's heart like that?"

Marco didn't answer right away. He was already flipping through the charts, scanning for anything that could explain this.

Marco nodded. "It's like something triggered his body to turn against the heart all at once."

Ace's hands trembled as he looked at Luffy, still unconscious, still fragile. "Fix it." His voice cracked. "I don't care what it takes just fucking fix it!"

Law exhaled through his nose, steadying himself. "We'll do everything we can. But first, we need to find out what caused this."

Law sat in the hospital’s private lounge, his hands gripping his temples as he replayed the events of the past few hours. No foul play. No external tampering. Every test they ran on Luffy’s IV bags, medication, and the hospital’s records came back clean. This wasn’t an accident. This wasn’t someone’s doing.

Yet, Luffy’s body had still failed him.

Marco sat across from him, flipping through the medical reports. “If there was no interference, then we have to face the other possibility: Luffy's condition is more complicated than we thought.”

Law gritted his teeth. “Danon disease already made things unpredictable, but if there’s something else lurking in his genetic coding, something we didn’t account for” He cut himself off, shoving the stack of papers aside. “Damn it.”

Marco tapped the file in front of him. “We need to test for other genetic markers. If there’s another underlying condition, it could be the real cause of last night’s episode. His heart didn’t just fail on its own; something triggered it.”

Law clenched his jaw. The thought made too much sense. Luffy had always been resilient, his body adapting to struggles that should have broken him long ago. But if Danon's disease wasn’t the only genetic disorder in his system, then his body had been fighting a hidden battle this whole time.

“We need to run a full genomic analysis,” Law decided, standing abruptly. “If there’s something else affecting his cells, his heart, his metabolism we have to find it now.”

Law didn’t waste time. The moment he and Marco confirmed their next step, he ordered a full genomic analysis, a deep dive into Luffy’s genetic structure to find whatever hidden disease was wreaking havoc on his system.

Hours passed as the tests ran. Law barely moved from his spot, his eyes scanning every chart, every marker, every anomaly that appeared on the screen. Marco stood beside him, watching as the results slowly unfolded.

There it was.

A mutation. Not just within the LAMP2 gene, the cause of Danon disease, but somewhere else entirely.

Marco exhaled sharply. “That’s... that’s a second disorder.”

Law clenched his fists. “One we never diagnosed.”

The data was undeniable. Luffy had been carrying two separate genetic conditions all along. The first, Danon disease, was already a nightmare weakening his heart, straining his muscles, and disrupting his metabolism. But this second disorder was far more elusive, its symptoms overlapping in ways that masked its existence until now.

Marco scanned the results. “This mutation it’s affecting his mitochondria. The energy production in his cells. His body’s ability to regulate stress.” He turned to Law. “It’s no wonder his heart gave out. He’s been burning through energy faster than he can produce it.”

Law’s hands curled into the edge of the desk. All this time, they had been fighting only half the battle.

Marco continued, his tone heavy. “This condition... it’s progressive, isn’t it?”

Law’s throat tightened. He didn’t want to say it. Didn’t want to admit it.

But the truth was right there on the screen.

“Yes.”

Law barely took a breath as he stared at the screen, his mind racing through every possible course of action. The second disorder mitochondrial dysfunction was the missing piece they had overlooked.

Now, the real question was, How much time did Luffy have?

Marco exhaled, rubbing his temples. “We need to slow down the progression.”

Law nodded. “I need to run more tests, see how far along it is. If this condition has been hiding in his genetic code all along, there’s no telling what stage we’re at.”

Marco’s gaze darkened. “If it’s already affecting his heart this much, we don’t have long before his other organs start feeling the strain.”

Law didn’t respond, his thoughts were already ten steps ahead. Medications, experimental treatments, anything that could buy Luffy more time.

Meanwhile, back in Luffy’s hospital room, Ace and Sabo had barely left his side. Luffy, despite everything, was still smiling.

“You guys look so serious,” Luffy muttered, his voice rough. “It’s not like I died.”

Ace shot him a look. “You almost did.”

Luffy blinked, then shrugged. “Yeah, but I didn’t.”

Sabo sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Luffy, we just want to understand what’s happening to you. Law’s working on it right now.”

Luffy hummed, his gaze drifting to the ceiling. “You think he’ll find something?”

Ace crossed his arms. “Of course. He’s Law.”

Luffy chuckled softly. “Yeah... but what if I don’t wanna know?”

Sabo and Ace exchanged a look.

“What do you mean?” Sabo asked carefully.

Luffy took a deep breath. “I mean... What if knowing makes it worse? What if there’s no fixing it?” He turned his head to them, his expression unreadable. “Would you guys still be okay?”

Ace scoffed. “Idiot, we’d be by your side no matter what.”

Sabo nodded. “And we’d still fight for you, no matter how bad it gets.”

Luffy stared at them for a moment, then grinned.

“Good. Then I’ll keep fighting too.”

But deep down, he could feel it.

Something inside him was changing.

And he wasn’t sure how much longer he could hide it 

Suddenly, Luffy felt an indescribable pain in his chest.

started shaking.

Ace got up from his chair and looked for a button to call Law in.

Luffy wasn't seizuring but he was in an incredible amount of pain causing his muscles to spasm out

Luffy was gripping his chest, his breathing erratic. His skin was clammy, his pupils blown wide. Every muscle in his body looked tense like he was fighting something unseen.

The second Law entered, he knew something was wrong.

“Torao...” Luffy gasped, his voice barely above a whisper. “It... it hurts.”

Law rushed forward, grabbing his wrist and checking his pulse. Erratic. Weak. His heart rate was all over the place.

Dammit.

“What happened?” Law barked, already checking the IV and monitors.

Ace swallowed thickly. “We don’t know! He was fine one second, then he just couldn’t breathe, and then this started happening!”

Law’s mind was already working. Was the mitochondrial failure worsening? Was it something else?

Luffy let out a strangled noise, not quite a scream, but close.

Law pressed his stethoscope to Luffy’s chest and froze.

His heart

It was skipping beats.

“Shit.” Law turned sharply to the nurse. “Get me an ECG, now. I need to see his electrical activity.”

The nurse nodded and rushed out.

Luffy groaned, gripping Law’s sleeve weakly. “Torao... what’s happening to me?”

Law’s chest tightened. “We’re going to find out.”

Sabo and Ace stood frozen, watching as Law worked, their hands clenched into fists.

They had always known Luffy was sick. But this?

This was something else entirely.

And none of them knew if Luffy’s body could take much more.

Marco stood outside, watching through the glass as Law worked.

He exhaled slowly, his gut twisting.

He had seen a lot in his years as a doctor.

But something about this case about Luffy was different.

Like they were racing against something unseen.

And they had no idea if they could win.

The room was eerily silent, save for the beeping of monitors tracking Luffy’s vitals. Law stood over him, staring at the ECG results with a deep-set frown.

Irregular rhythms. More frequent gaps between beats.

It wasn’t just heart failure. It wasn’t just mitochondrial dysfunction.

It was something deeper.

Something they hadn’t accounted for.

Ace sat rigidly in the corner, gripping his knees, his eyes locked onto Luffy like he was afraid to blink. Sabo stood beside him, his jaw clenched. They hadn’t spoken since the episode started, not wanting to get in Law’s way.

Luffy, now stable but exhausted, turned his head toward them and gave a weak grin.

“I’m not dead yet,” he joked breathlessly.

Ace let out a sound that was half a laugh, half a choked sob. “Dumbass.”

Law ignored the exchange, his focus entirely on the medical mystery in front of him.

He exhaled through his nose and turned to Marco, who had just entered with the test results.

“What do we know?” Law asked, his voice sharp.

Marco’s expression was grim as he handed over the report. “It’s worse than we thought.”

Law’s stomach dropped before he even read it.

Mitochondrial depletion disorder.

A genetic defect that slowly robs the body's cells of energy.

It wasn’t just his heart.

Luffy’s entire body was running out of power.

Law tightened his grip on the paper. “How the hell did we miss this?”

Marco sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “Because it’s rare as hell. And because Danon disease was already overshadowing the symptoms. The artificial heart surgery masked a lot of the warning signs.”

Law cursed under his breath.

This explained everything. The unexplained fatigue. The sudden cardiac episodes, even when he started puking blood that one time. The way his body struggled to recover from even minor stress.

Ace, sensing the shift in tension, stood up. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”

Law hesitated for only a second before looking at them directly.

“It’s not just his heart,” Law admitted. “Luffy’s body isn’t producing enough cellular energy. It’s affecting his muscles, his organs... everything.”

Sabo inhaled sharply. “So, what does that mean?”

Law met his eyes.

“It means if we don’t find a solution fast… Luffy’s body is going to shut down completely.”

Ace took a step back like the words had physically hit him.

Sabo’s fingers twitched at his sides. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.

Luffy blinked slowly, his tired eyes searching Law’s face for any sign of reassurance.

“Is there a cure?”

Law swallowed. “There’s no outright cure. But there are experimental treatments, things that could slow the progression, maybe even give us time to find something better.”

Luffy’s lips curled into something resembling a smile. “So there’s still a chance?”

Law’s hands curled into fists.

“There’s always a chance.”

But in the back of his mind, the countdown had already started.

And Law wasn’t sure how much time they had left.

Law looked over at Luffy in his oxygen mask trying to catch his breath even though oxygen was being ministered.

"How about we step outside and talk about it?" Marco suggested it to the two older brothers. They nodded, turning to Luffy to assure him they’d be back soon.

"Law, stay here and watch over Luffy," Marco instructed before walking out.

As soon as the door shut, Luffy turned to Law.

"Torao… am I gonna die?"

Law’s heart clenched at the question.

"I'm gonna be honest, Luffy... I don’t know," Law admitted, his voice tight. "I want you to be okay, and I’ll do everything in my power to help you, but-"

Before he could finish, he felt Luffy grab his hand.

Law stiffened, his face heating up. He wasn’t expecting that.

"It’s okay, Torao," Luffy said, his voice calm too. "I’ve come to accept all of this. To be honest... I don’t know if I can make it. And I’m not sure if I even want to try anymore. It’s getting so tiring."

Law felt his chest tighten. He wanted to say something but no words came out.

"I want to stay," Luffy continued. "I want to be with my brothers... and with you, of course. But if it’s just going to keep hurting everyone." He trailed off, his gaze drifting to the side.

"You know what I mean," he murmured, forcing a small smile.

Law clenched his fists.

"Gramps used to tell me not to be afraid of death, 'cause everyone dies," Luffy said softly. "And I guess I’ve learned to accept that. I mean, I’ve been in hospitals since I can even remember. I never really got to have a life."

A heavy silence settled between them.

"I just want to close my eyes one day and for it all to be over," Luffy muttered.

Law bit his lip so hard it nearly bled. His vision blurred as tears gathered in his eyes.

He hated crying.

He hadn’t cried since that day. Since the day he lost the only father figure he ever had.

But now, sitting in this hospital room, listening to Luffy, the most stubborn, frustrating, and alive person he’d ever met, give up, something inside him shattered.

"Luffy..." His voice cracked.

Luffy’s expression softened.

"Law, I want to truly thank you... for letting me love you," he continued. "I know I can be annoying and all that other stuff, but I really did look up to you. You’re the best doctor I’ve ever had."

"STOP!" Law suddenly shouted.

Luffy blinked, startled.

"Please..." Law’s voice trembled. "You can’t do this to me. This is the first time I’ve ever felt this way about someone, and you just want to give up like that?!"

Tears spilled freely down his face now, his chest heaving.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" he choked out.

Luffy simply laughed. A soft, tired, but genuine laugh.

And that only made Law’s heart break even more.

Luffy’s soft laugh lingered in the air, but Law couldn’t bring himself to smile. His heart felt like it was being crushed under the weight of everything Luffy was saying.

"You think you’re just gonna close your eyes one day, and that’s it?" Law’s voice wavered, his hands trembling as he gripped Luffy’s wrist. "Like you’re not leaving behind people who love you?"

Luffy blinked, his tired eyes filled with something unreadable.

"Torao..." he mumbled. "I know it’s selfish... but can I ask you for one last favor?"

Law stiffened. The way Luffy said it last favor sent a sharp pang through his chest.

"No," Law said immediately. "I don’t even know what it is, but no."

Luffy chuckled weakly. "You didn’t even let me say it."

"Because I know it’s something reckless," Law snapped.

Luffy’s expression softened. "Then... will you take me out for a date?"

Law’s breath hitched.

"A date?" he repeated as if he didn’t hear him right.

"Yeah," Luffy whispered, his fingers tightening slightly around Law’s hand. "Just one. Just us."

Law swallowed hard, his mind racing. He should say no. Luffy was too weak, too fragile. But the way he looked at him, hopeful, longing, vulnerable, Law couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

"You’re impossible," Law muttered, rubbing a hand down his face.

Luffy grinned, though it was small and tired. "Is that a yes?"

Law let out a slow breath before nodding. "Yeah... it’s a yes."

Luffy’s whole face lit up, and for a moment, he looked like the carefree boy Law had first met, not someone fragile little boy, just Luffy.

Ace and Sabo suddenly stepped into the room, looking tense from whatever conversation they’d just had outside.

"Luffy," Ace started, but Luffy cut him off.

"I’m going on a date with Torao," Luffy announced with a bright smile.

Ace blinked. Sabo froze.

"A... what?" Ace asked, looking between Luffy and Law in shock.

"You heard him," Law muttered, crossing his arms. "He wants a date."

Ace and Sabo exchanged a glance.

"You’re his doctor," Sabo said slowly. "Are you really saying yes to this?"

Law sighed. "I already said yes. We’ll do it safely, but... if this is what he wants, I’m not saying no."

Ace frowned, looking at Luffy with concern. "You’re not doing this just because you think you don’t have time left, are you?"

Luffy chuckled. "I’m doing this because I want to."

Ace and Sabo were silent for a moment before Ace finally sighed. "Then we’ll help," he muttered. "But I swear, Law, if anything happens to him-"

"I know," Law cut him off. "I won’t let anything happen."

Sabo exhaled and smiled gently. "Then let’s make it the best date possible."

Luffy grinned. "Heck yeah!"

Law just hoped he could make it a night worth remembering.

. . .

As they made their way out of the hospital room, Law could feel his heart hammering. It was a strange thing, taking Luffy on a date, something that, a week ago, would have seemed unthinkable. But here they were, about to step into a moment where nothing else mattered.

Luffy had insisted on not doing anything too extravagant, just a quiet dinner in a small cafée nearby. Nothing flashy. Just the two of them, under the quiet of the evening sky.

They were out of the hospital before long, the cool evening air a welcome relief from the sterile confines of the building. 

Law helped Luffy into the passenger seat of the car, making sure he was comfortable. Despite his initial concerns, everything felt almost... perfect.

The ride to the café was filled with the usual banter between them, with Luffy’s enthusiasm doing most of the talking. 

As they arrived, Luffy’s face lit up when he saw the little corner cafe warm, and inviting, with lights twinkling softly around the outdoor seating. 

It was the kind of place that made everything feel a little less heavy.

As they sat at a small table, the waiter took their orders, and Luffy couldn’t stop grinning. "This is so cool, Torao! I didn’t think we’d actually do it."

Law gave him a gentle smile. "I told you we would."

They chatted through dinner, mostly about simple things like Luffy's favorite foods, his childhood memories, and even Law’s more reluctant admissions about his life. 

It wasn’t the most extravagant date, but it was exactly what Luffy wanted, a moment where he could be happy, just for a little while.

After the meal, Law helped him back into the car, and they drove in silence for a while. The streetlights flashed past, and Luffy’s tired eyes fluttered as he sat back, finally feeling at ease.

“You know,” Luffy said quietly, his voice thick with exhaustion but content, “this was perfect.”

Law glanced at him, his heart swelling at the simple words. "I’m glad you think so."

Luffy turned his head toward him, a soft smile on his face. "I think... this is the best night I’ve had in a long time."

And in that moment, Law realized something. He wasn’t just taking care of Luffy. He wasn’t just his doctor. He had become something more in Luffy’s eyes, and Luffy had become something more to him, too.

As they reached the parking lot outside the hospital, Law parked the car with a soft exhale, glancing at Luffy in the passenger seat.

 His eyes were closed, a peaceful expression on his face as the soft hum of the car engine filled the silence.

"You’re exhausted, huh?" Law asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Luffy nodded, his lips curling into a small smile despite his tiredness. "Yeah... but it was worth it."

Law’s heart tugged at the words. For a moment, everything felt right. Luffy had found a brief moment of joy, a taste of normalcy amid everything else.

"I’m glad," Law said softly, but his voice wavered, filled with unspoken emotions. He wasn’t sure what would happen next, how long this fragile peace would last, but for the first time in a while, he didn’t care.

He reached over and gently squeezed Luffy’s hand, a simple act that spoke volumes.

Luffy’s eyes fluttered open, locking with his. For a brief, electrifying moment, the air seemed to stand still between them. There was a raw honesty in Luffy’s gaze, a quiet acknowledgment of everything they were to each other.

“I’m really happy you did this for me,” Luffy whispered, his voice thick with gratitude and something deeper, something Law couldn’t quite put into words.

Law’s throat tightened as he tried to swallow the lump forming there. “You deserve it, Luffy.”

The world outside the car seemed to fade as they sat there, the warmth of the moment wrapping around them like a protective cocoon.

“Can I ask you something?” Luffy’s voice broke the silence again, soft but full of longing.

“Anything,” Law replied, his heart thudding in his chest. He wasn’t sure what Luffy was about to say, but the tenderness in his voice sent a rush of anticipation through him.

Luffy took a deep breath, then turned toward him, the dim light from the streetlights casting a soft glow on his face. “Can I kiss you?”

Law’s breath hitched at the question, at the vulnerability in Luffy’s eyes. He had no words at first, his mind blanking for a moment. Luffy had never been shy about his feelings, but this was different, more tender, more earnest.

Law hesitated for a fraction of a second, his hand still gently holding Luffy’s. His heart raced, conflicting emotions swirling in his chest.

“ I don’t want to hurt you,” Law murmured, his voice strained.

Luffy smiled softly, his thumb gently brushing against Law’s hand. “You won’t. It's just a kiss. I’m ready.”

And with that, Law couldn’t resist any longer. He leaned forward, his heart pounding as he gently cupped Luffy’s face in his hand. Their gazes locked once more, and for a brief moment, time seemed to slow.

Then, slowly, softly, Law pressed his lips to Luffy’s.

It was tentative at first, a gentle meeting of lips as if testing the waters. 

But Luffy’s warmth and sincerity pulled Law in, and soon the kiss deepened, tender and full of the unspoken words they had both been holding back. 

It wasn’t just a kiss it was everything they had been longing for, everything they had fought for.

Luffy’s hand found its way to Law’s chest, pressing gently as if anchoring him to the moment. Law’s other hand slid to Luffy’s waist, pulling him closer.

When they finally pulled away, breathless, Luffy’s face was flushed, and his eyes sparkled with something more than just happiness; there was a quiet certainty there, as if the kiss had sealed something between them.

“That... that was perfect,” Luffy whispered, his voice trembling slightly.

Law couldn’t find the words to respond immediately. He just nodded, his own emotions too tangled to express. Instead, he reached out and brushed a lock of hair from Luffy’s forehead, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

“We’ll make the most of it, Luffy,” Law whispered, his voice steady. “Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together.”

And in that moment, as the world outside continued on, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that they had each other. And no matter how fleeting this time together was, Law was determined to make it count.

Luffy was pushed back into the room, and he saw both his brothers asleep on the couch.

Luffy giggled as Law helped him into bed.

"Tonight was fun, Torao," Luffy giggled, and Law smiled.

"It was. Let's do it again sometime," Law grinned, as he started the IV for the night.

Luffy nodded but didn’t say anything. Law decided not to push him on it.

"Goodnight, Luffy. We'll do some more tests tomorrow," Law said, turning to leave.

"Goodnight," Luffy smiled.

Luffy watched Law leave. He looked down at the IV, then rolled the IV stand and wheeled it in front of his brothers, smiling.

"I love you both," Luffy whispered, kissing their foreheads.

He looked over at Sabo's phone and took it with a small smile.

Luffy pulled the IV stand toward the counter and set it up, then pressed the record button on the camera. He backed away from the phone, sitting on the bed in front of it.

"I think Sabo's phone is recording. He’d be crazy if it wasn’t," Luffy laughed, before sitting on the bed in front of the phone.

"I wanna use this as my final message to you all. I love you guys both. You're asleep so I can’t say this to you physically, but I’m tired... I wanna get away from all this, and I want to take away the underlying stress you both have in your hearts."

"I know I’ve said this before, and you didn’t like it, but... I’m sorry I was born this way. I’m sorry you guys had to take care of me by yourselves." Luffy bit his lip, looking down.

"But we had good times together, and I’ll never forget those moments till the day I die." Luffy laughed at his own joke.

"If you show this to Law, tell him I really loved our date tonight and I wanna thank him for being my last. I hope he can forgive me for doing this to him. I hope all of you can forgive me," Luffy said, standing up and walking over to the counter.

"I love you all. Hopefully, one day we can see each other again, but until that day comes... Goodbye." Luffy gave one last grin before ending the recording.

Luffy pulled the IV stand back over to Sabo and handed him his phone.

Sabo stirred in his sleep and looked up at Luffy.

"Lu, what are you doing?" Sabo asked sleepily.

"Hehe, nothing. You dropped your phone, so I was just giving it back," Luffy lied, and Sabo nodded, going back to sleep.

Luffy smiled, hating the lie but knowing it was necessary.

Luffy sat on the bed and covered himself with the blankets.

Before he closed his eyes, he looked out the window at the beautiful moon.

Luffy’s dreams were complete. He had seen the ocean, and he had fallen in love.

What else could the boy ask for?

One last giggle escaped Luffy before he closed his eyes slowly.

He felt his body go numb.

. . .

Sabo woke up feeling the morning sun hit his face. He looked over and saw Ace snoring, so he kicked him to wake him up.

"Wow, Sabo, what the hell, man?" Ace glared at Sabo as he got up.

"You were the one snoring," Sabo shot back, glaring at him but smiling.

"Let's go wake up Luffy and tease him about his date." Sabo got up, and Ace, eager to join, quickly got up and ran over to Luffy's bed.

But the two stopped dead in their tracks.

Something was off. Luffy looked cold and pale.

"Luffy..." Ace started. He pushed Luffy a bit but pulled back, realizing he was ice cold.

He shook his head in denial.

"Luffy... No... No..." Ace shook his head again, desperately. Sabo looked at Luffy before shaking him roughly, but he was just as cold.

"LUFFY!" Ace screamed.

Suddenly, nurses flooded the room and asked what was wrong.

One of the nurses came over, feeling Luffy's cold, pale skin. She went for his neck and found no pulse.

"PLEASE TELL ME HE'S FINE!" Sabo begged.

The nurse looked at him sympathetically and shook her head.

"AHHH!" Ace cried, falling to his knees.

Law was walking into the building, excited to see Luffy. He was still energized by the warmth from their date last night.

He had noticed Luffy seemed a little off when they returned, but he didn't think much of it.

He stepped into the elevator, heading toward Luffy's room.

As the doors opened, he stepped out and immediately felt a chill.

The nurses were giving him looks of sympathy.

"What's wrong?" Law finally asked, his heart sinking.

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Trafalgar, but Luffy-" Before the nurse could finish, Law cut her off and turned around, running toward the room.

He slammed Luffy's door open, and the chill hit him. There, the morgue attendants were about to push Luffy out of the room.

"No..." Law whispered, tears welling up. "This is a sick fucking joke."

Law’s mind was spinning as he rushed over to Luffy’s bed. The coldness in the room seemed to drain the air from his lungs. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he approached the body.

“No... No, no, no,” he whispered, his hands trembling as he reached for Luffy’s cold wrist, desperately trying to find a pulse. He shook his head, disbelief written all over his face. “This can’t be happening.”

The morgue attendants hesitated, unsure what to do with the doctor suddenly in their way. Law’s breath came in short gasps as he tried to steady himself. “Get out,” he ordered, his voice cold, raw with emotion.

The attendants exchanged a brief look but obeyed, stepping back reluctantly.

Ace and Sabo stood frozen at the door, their faces pale and devoid of emotion as they tried to process what was happening. Sabo’s hands shook, and Ace’s eyes were red from crying. Both had been too stunned, too lost in their grief to say anything.

“I couldn’t save him...” Law muttered to himself, sinking down beside the bed. His fingers brushed over Luffy’s lifeless skin, wishing, praying that somehow this wasn’t real.

Tears welled up in his eyes, but he fought them back. He couldn’t break down, not yet. Not in front of them.

“I should’ve known,” Law whispered, shaking his head. 

“I should’ve been more careful. I should’ve watched him more closely.” His voice broke, filled with regret. He cursed himself, blaming himself for everything. 

If he’d just been more vigilant, maybe, just maybe, he could have saved him.

Sabo, who had been silently observing, finally spoke, his voice strained and full of grief. “It wasn’t your fault, Law. Luffy knew what he wanted. He made his choice... We all saw it in his eyes.”

Ace wiped his face roughly, his hands still shaking. “Luffy... he... wanted to live, didn’t he?” His voice cracked. “He didn’t want to give up. He had so much to live for...”

Law’s heart twisted painfully. He had known. Luffy’s smile, his bravery, even when he was at his weakest... It had all been real. But in the end, Luffy had always known how fragile his time was.

He had lived his life to the fullest, despite everything.

“I’ll stay with him,” Law said, his voice steady now, but the pain was still raw. “I won’t leave him alone. I owe him that much.”

Sabo and Ace shared a look, and without saying a word, they turned and left the room, giving Law the space he needed.

Law sat by Luffy’s side, not knowing how long he stayed there, his mind racing through all the memories, all the moments they’d shared. His heart ached with every passing second. He didn’t want to let go, but deep down, he knew he had to say goodbye.

He took Luffy’s hand in his, pressing it against his chest.

“I loved you, Luffy. I always will.”

He didn’t expect Luffy to answer. He didn’t expect anything to change. But as he sat there, the silence in the room enveloping him, Law realized something important.

Sometimes, you don’t get to say goodbye. Sometimes, you have to hold on to the moments you shared, to the love you gave, even if the person you loved is no longer here.

And as Law sat there with Luffy’s hand in his, he promised himself that he would never forget. Never forget the boy who had lived so fully, even if his time had been far too short.

Sabo was standing in the hallway outside Luffy’s room, his mind still reeling from the shock. Ace had wandered off, leaving him alone with his thoughts. 

He hadn’t been able to process anything fully, but his thoughts kept returning to Luffy and the feeling of helplessness that gnawed at him.

Just as he was about to walk back inside, he noticed something strange about Sabo's phone. He remembers Luffy briefly giving his phone back saying something about how Sabo dropped it, lying on the counter in the hallway. He hadn’t thought much of it at first, but something urged him to check it.

He picked it up, and his stomach twisted as he saw his camera was open. He opened his photo app and was horrified at the sight.

Luffy’s words, his voice... everything flooded into Sabo’s mind.

His fingers hovered over the screen as the video began to play. Luffy’s face appeared on the screen, pale and weary, his voice soft and tinged with an exhaustion Sabo hadn’t known he’d been hiding.

Luffy’s message was a quiet confession, a final farewell.

“I wanna use this as my final message to you all,” Luffy said in the video, his eyes betraying a mix of sadness and acceptance. 

“I love you guys both... You're asleep so I can’t say this to you physically, but I’m tired... I want to get away from this all and get rid of the underlying stress you guys have in your hearts.”

Sabo’s hands shook as he gripped the phone tighter, his throat tightening as he continued to listen. His heart clenched when Luffy spoke of how sorry he was for being born the way he was, for putting his brothers through all the pain.

“I know I’ve said this before, and you guys didn’t like it, but… I’m sorry I was born this way,” Luffy continued. “I’m sorry you guys had to take care of me by yourselves... But we had fun times together, and I’ll never forget those moments until the day I die.”

The raw emotion in Luffy’s voice made Sabo’s chest ache. He wanted to reach through the screen, hug Luffy, and tell him everything was going to be okay.

Luffy’s voice caught, and he let out a weak laugh. “If you show this to Law, tell him I really loved our date tonight and I wanna thank him for being my last... and I hope he can forgive me for doing this to him. I hope all of you can forgive me.”

The tears started to sting Sabo’s eyes as he held the phone tighter, feeling the weight of Luffy’s words. He hadn’t realized how much Luffy had been carrying, how much pain he’d been hiding behind his bright smile.

As Luffy finished speaking, he smiled, his face looking peaceful despite the grief in his voice. “I love you all. Hopefully, one day we can see each other again... but until that day comes... Goodbye.”

Sabo’s heart shattered as the video ended. He couldn’t believe what he had just seen. Luffy had said goodbye. And he had done it on his own terms.

The phone slipped from his fingers, and he stumbled back against the wall, fighting to breathe, fighting the sobs that were choking him.

“No... no, no...” he muttered to himself. “Why didn’t we know?”

Law came out of the room with puffy red eyes, he looked and saw Sabo on the ground in disbelief.

Sabo looked up at Law.

"What?" Law questioned his voice, rough and hoarse.

Sabo gave him his phone. Law was confused until he saw Luffy on the screen grinning. Law played the video.

He was horrified by what he heard.

Those words.

"I'll be your first if you'll be my last."

Those gentle words were said to Law by the sea by Luffy.

"Damn it Luffy. I love you so much." Law cried out.