Bedside Manner (Law x Reader)

19. Little Birds

"We received the biopsy report." You explained to the parents, taking a deep breath before you continued. "It's benign."

"That's... That's good, right?" The mother asked. Her eyes wide as she clutched at her chest through her shirt.

You were standing just outside Lucy's room, discussing your findings and treatment plans with her parents. You spoke in low tones, occasionally looking to the open door as though to check in in the girl. You had been keeping an ear open for the monitor tracking her vitals and the girl herself.

She had fallen fast asleep not long after the hospital's kitchen staff brought up her lunch.

"It is." You assured. "That just leaves us to decide on treatment. It is still causing discomfort and there's the bit of her not being able to walk."

"Could she walk again?" It was the dad who spoke then. He had taken a partial step forward and you had to consciously keep yourself from taking one back to maintain the same distance.

"It's..." You hesitated to say anything that would provide false hope. It wasn't bad to be optimistic, but decisions had to be based on the reality. "A possibility, yes. With surgery to remove the mass and physical therapy, she may regain the use of her legs.

But as with anything, there's risk. This would be a major surgery. She could end up paralyzed permanently despite our efforts or even die from complications."

You flinched along with the mother.

"What other treatment options do we have?" She wondered.

"Radiation to attempt to shrink the mass. It would be less invasive."

They were silent for a long while, sharing glances that said far more than any words ever could. They asked your opinion. You were honest. You couldn't make a decision for them-- only provide them with their options and educate them to the best of your ability.

"I'll leave you two to think it over." You gave a weak smile. "Call a nurse if you need anything."

You were headed for Hiriluk's office to check in when someone fell into step beside you.

"I didn't hear any shouting or expletives. Are you feeling okay, y/n-ya?"

"Don't you have something productive to do?" You groaned.

Law gave a slight shrug. "How's the ankle?"

He had caught you limping back up to your apartment building after your date. Hoping to keep him from noticing had been the sole reason you convinced him that he didn't need to walk you all the way to your door. In the end, he did just that and examined your slightly swollen ankle.

It was a mere sprain-- something that you could have handled well enough on your own.

You had had the privilege of watching the man work on a few occasions. It was nothing like being the patient, although his manner was rather poor. Through tender touches, he spent a good amount of time for scolding you for not saying something immediately.

"Nothing a couple pain killers can't take care of."

The man's eyes trailed down your form, pausing at your feet. You made an effort to walk normally with his attention, damned if you were going to caught favoring the limb again.

It still ached. A dull throbbing shooting up your calf with every step, but the swelling had gone down.

That seemed to be all he wanted. Law turned down another hall, stopping outside a room to look over a patient's chart. You left him to his rounds and went to report to Hiriluk.

-

You were gathering your things from your locker, ready to return home and probably fall first into your mattress. You spared a thought for grabbing a drink at Partys. Shanks had teased you a bit, acting like it had been literal years since you were last there.

Shanks: How am I to know you're not dead and someone is using your phone to text us?

You shook your head with a scoff, but a small smile played at your lips. Maybe you could swing by to appease the drama queen. No alcohol for you though since you would be on call soon.

You: Drama queen.

You scrolled through your messages, stopping at a message from Kid.

A bunch of technical lingo you didn't understand. You gathered that he had to order some parts and you'd be without your vehicle for at least two weeks. Thankfully, your brother had given you a car to borrow.

"Does Law know about you and Marco?"

Your bones leapt from your skin and your phone landed with a clatter. "Fuck me." You didn't want to turn your phone over to assess the damage. You really didn't.

Hand to your chest to soothe your racing heart, you spun around to face your least favorite bird-face. Monet wore a satisfied smirk as though she just won something.

"You should look into wearing a damn cowbell."

The nurse frowned at this, but didn't say anything in response. Probably waiting for an answer to her earlier question.

You wondered how she knew about either man beyond your professional relationship. Especially Law. The two of you had gone on one date. You hadn't put a title to anything, so the specifics of it felt like they were up in the air. Not yet exclusive, but maybe you were on the way to being exclusive?

You leveled her with a tired stare.

"What business of Doctor Trafalgar's would it be what I do in my off hours?"

You decided to play it dumb. It was no business of hers anyway.

Monet narrowed her sharp, orange eyes as she closed in on you. Your back already dipping into your open locker, you were left with nowhere to go except for straight through her. And you had no issues giving her a good right hook to get her to back off.

"Oh? So it'd make no difference to you if a little bird were to whisper the information in his ear?" She inquired. "Because a little bird whispered in mine that the two of you have gotten rather friendly and Law doesn't strike me as a man who would want some harlot."

"You should know." You quipped. "Isn't that why he's all but ignored your existence the last couple years?"

Monet grit her teeth and shoved you back, bringing her lips to your ear.

"I would be very careful on the ride home." She threatened. "Never know when someone might run you off the road."

You stiffened under her hand on your shoulder, the nurse catching your shocked expression before you could conceal it. She stepped away, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she turned to leave.

"That brother of yours should have left well enough alone. I'm going to enjoy ruining you."

You lowered yourself to the floor and reached for your phone with a shaky hand. Your skin caught the raised edges of the cracks in the screen as you scrolled through your contacts and selected the one you wanted.

You listened to the line ring.

Once, twice, then the click you were waiting for.

"Kid, what the fuck."