Bedside Manner (Law x Reader)

06. Cold, Cold Woman

The incessant, shrill tones of your alarm pulled you out of your slumber. Your muscles still recalled the way they ached when you had finally had a chance to settle after the storm. You were sprawled across your bed, not unlike a starfish. Your sheet was tangled around your legs and an arm stuffed under your pillow that was one slight movement away from falling off the bed. 

Your hand aimlessly slapped at the air, the nightstand, and papers filled with notes fluttered to the floor in response. A displeased groan left you as you questioned if your alarm clock had shifted from its original position. 

"Shut." Another slap. "Up." You dragged out the last syllable as you finally landed against the button, silencing the device. 

Once you had managed to pull yourself from the bed, you gathered some clothes from your dresser. Your clothes from the night before were scattered across the floor. You had lazily flung them to the corner your hamper resided in with your foot as you moved about. 

There was no sign that Marco had been there. Not that you expected to find one as you went about your morning routine. It would only give you both the wrong idea if he were to ever spend the night. You never went to his place--he still lived with his father and younger brothers. And you were dead set on never doing the "walk of shame". 

No notes, not even a text. Although, someone had sent you a message that morning. You unlocked your phone as got your coffee brewing. 

Shanks: This Saturday. One drink. Don't forget. 
Shanks: Benn and I will drag you, kicking and screaming. If we must. 

You rolled your eyes, but knew full well that the redhead wasn't above following through on his playful threat. He'd already done as much when you tried skipping out on one of his birthday bashes. What you thought had been your food delivery, was the man himself there to toss you over his shoulder. As Promised.

Yeah, you didn't want a repeat of that.

You: Nothing more, nothing less. 
You: And Benny would never. He's not a completely mannerless brute. 

A reply came swifter than you anticipated. You expected the man to still be down with a hangover this early in the day. 

Shanks: Rude. 

You could picture his pout and it was enough to bring a smile to your lips. Setting the phone down, you went to finish preparing for work. 

_____

You entered the clinic, taking long strides towards the nurse's station to see what your first appointment of the day would be. A flash of ruddy brown passed by your peripheral. 

Shachi popped up in front of you before you had the chance to find him first. He had a pleasant grin on his face as he greeted you, inadvertently waving the chart in his hands around as he did. 

You had noted the male nurse to be one of the few friends Trafalgar actually had. You tried not to hold it against the guy though. It wasn't his fault his friend was an arrogant ass. 

"So, what do we have?" You cut off his praises as you gestured to the clipboard. 

"Sixty-five year old male in exam room four." Shachi recited, snapping into a more professional tone. "Complaining of chest pain and, pins and needles in his limbs." 

"Thank you, nurse." 

You left him to go to the patient and he went to bring the next into an available room. It was tedious as you expected, but working with Shachi all day proved to be a nice change of pace. 

He was easy to speak with and his jokes between patients helped lift your mood. 

Most that you had seen had nothing more than a common cold or sprained muscle that could have been treated at home. It was a waste of everyone's time and their money. 

But, you supposed, it was better than putting off being seen only for it to turn into something more. 

You sighed as you walked out from the latest patient, combing your fingers through your hair. Shachi was on your heel as you made your way over to the break room. 

"You know, you really wound Law up the night of the storm." He tossed the information out casually, retrieving a canned beverage from the fridge. 

You scoffed, but gave no other response. 

"What happened in that elevator, huh?" 

You peered up to see him wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. You gave him a pointed stare. "You should know better than to think it was whatever weird fantasy you've got in your head." 

"Neither one of you is any fun." He deflated, all but melting into the chair across from you. "But really, what'd you say to him in there? He was grouchier than normal. I think you might have--" 

"He doesn't like me enough for anything I say to get under his skin." 

There was a beat of silence before you shrugged your shoulders. "Maybe it was the mommy and daddy comment." 

Shachi hissed like he'd just been slapped, his expression contorting to a pained one. "You're a cold, cold woman." 

"What?" You tilted your head to the side, brows drawn together and wrinkling the skin lightly. 

There were a few conclusions you could've drawn, but none of them were currently bouncing around in that skull of yours. For being so intelligent, you were sort of dense. At least that's what the nurse was thinking as he shook his head. 

"I wouldn't worry about it." He assured, no intentions of sharing his friend's personal business with someone who had made it clear that they weren't a fan. "But I also wouldn't recommend poking the bear for a while. I know it's a hobby of yours." 

"Hardly." You huffed. 

"Anyway." Shachi beamed, leaning forward across the round table. "If you're not busy this weekend, maybe we could grab a drink?" 

"I don't date co-workers and I've already promised my time to someone else." 

The nurse sputtered, frowning as he took a drink from his beverage. "I wasn't asking ya out." He muttered.