~
Like an angel from heaven, Bepo arrived.
And he brought hope.
"Captain!" The bear didn't bother knocking on the infirmary door where Law still apparently was. Everyone just pointed in the direction when Bepo jumped on deck. "Captain!"
Law was still in the infirmary, he had made his injuries worse by jumping in the sea. Luffy was sleeping beside him on the small bed, not letting Law out of his sight and touch for a second. The younger captain had been very blunt that he didn't trust Law with his own life so until he could, Law would have to get used to a pair of brown eyes on him all the time.
"Bepo..." Law acknowledged and life slowly returned to his eyes when he saw what the bear was carrying.
"Nobody took these so I claimed it as quick as I could!" Bepo said excitedly and put the spotted, white fluffy hat back on its owner's head. "Here."
Law gingerly took Kikoku back in his shaking hands, tears already forming in his eyes at the overwhelming sadness he could sense from the sword. The tears spilled when the red rope wrapped itself around Law's hands, in as much a hug as a sword could manage.
"Thank you." The Hearts captain said, hiccupping loudly on accident upon seeing the promise ring still on the sword. Law hiccupped again, waking his boyfriend.
"Oh it's Torao!" Luffy exclaimed with a grin, patting Law and Bepo. "Good for you."
Thus began the healing.
.
Luffy looped the seastone necklace around Law's neck. "Feel any different?"
"Feels..." Law got distracted while answering then snapped out of it when Luffy shook him a little. The doctor had tried using his devil fruit abilities but couldn't form a ROOM, he was afraid that he had perhaps flat-lined for a second too long and lost his powers. But Luffy was helping him through other methods, like checking if seastone was still sapping his strength.
"Torao did it feel like what it usually did when you threw yourself in the water?" Luffy asked instead.
Law thought back on it a little. "It kinda did..."
"Then try using your abilities, they aren't gone!" The rubber boy bounced in his place happily.
"Nobody is using their abilities! Law you are supposed to be resting!" Chopper came running when he heard the two talking, angry and scolding.
"But Chopper-" Luffy started, pouting.
"Luffy go somewhere else! You are a bad influence!"
Law chuckled a little at that and instead of reacting to it like Luffy normally did, the younger happily left his lover alone with his doctor. Luffy knew Law would be ok now.
.
"And they are all at Hachinosu?" Law asked writing up the information on the notepad Nami provided.
"All nineteen, but then I heard Vice Admiral Garp was also heading there so there must be some sort of havoc already wreaked." Bepo pointed and Robin chuckled. Franky and Vegapunk went over the designs of the new submarine for the Heart pirates in the other corner of the infirmary, and waited to discuss it with Law next.
"I contacted Coby, Luffy's friend after that." Robin started.
"I remember him... Hero of the Rocky Port." Law nodded.
"Where you delivered one hundred beating hearts," the black haired woman continued. "Coby said the Heart pirates were already forming a rebellion and that they took their chance and escaped by sea. They might all be scattered or together, we don't know."
"TORAO!" Luffy barged in the infirmary with as big a grin as Law had ever seen on his face. "Your grandpa called! Your crew's with him!"
"My grandpa...?" Law furrowed his brows in confused.
"The dead bird hat Fleet Admiral guy!"
"Sengoku?" The surgeon shook his head. "He isn't... he called? My nakama are with him?"
"He's still on the phone! Come on! Hurry up!" Luffy pulled Law out of bed and to the den den mushi Nami was talking on, probably about navigation routes for rendezvous.
There was so much noise when Law started talking that nobody could make out what was being said until eventually Law apologized for being a failure of a captain and losing their home.
"Hey captain, none of that." Ikkaku said.
"Yeah Law." Shachi agreed.
"Home is where the heart is." Penguin echoed.
Law laughed wetly through his tears, through his broken heart now healing and continued,
"Then we are all just fucked."
~
