ONE PIECE one shots,,

-HEALING HEARTS-

The wind howled through the darkened alleyways, whipping at the cloaked figure who moved with quiet determination. Corazon, a man who had made himself a ghost to the underworld, hurried through the city streets, heart heavy with the weight of an impossible mission. He had only one goal in mind—saving the boy, Law.

It was in one of those narrow, abandoned alleyways that he first encountered her.

She was kneeling in front of a small clinic, her white nurse uniform stained with the remnants of a long shift, her hands shaking as she tied bandages around her wrist. When she looked up, her eyes met Corazon's—soft, tired eyes filled with a kindness that caught him off guard. She hadn't flinched at the sight of him, despite the rumors that followed his name.

"You look lost," she had said, her voice quiet yet warm. "Can I help you?"

Corazon, despite his usual clumsiness, hadn't tripped over his words or feet for once. Instead, something in him had compelled him to speak honestly. "I need a nurse... for a boy. He's sick. Very sick."

Without a moment's hesitation, she had stood up, her exhaustion forgotten as concern filled her face. "Take me to him."

And just like that, their lives had intertwined.

The room was dimly lit by the flickering glow of a small lamp, casting long shadows over Law's frail form as he lay in the bed. His breaths were shallow, labored, each one a struggle. She sat beside him, her hands moving with practiced precision as she changed the boy's bandages, her face calm yet focused.

Corazon watched from the corner of the room, his heart tight in his chest. He hated seeing Law like this—helpless, in pain. The boy deserved so much more than the fate that had been handed to him. He deserved a chance at life, and Corazon was going to make sure he got it.

"You're good at this," he said quietly, breaking the silence as he watched her work.

She glanced up at him, offering a small, tired smile. "I've been doing it for a long time." Her eyes softened as they fell back on Law. "He's strong, though. He'll pull through."

Corazon swallowed hard. He wanted to believe her—wanted to believe that Law could survive this. But time was running out, and the operation to cure him was a desperate last chance.

Over the next few days, they spent every waking moment caring for Law, working together in a rhythm that felt oddly natural. She would calm the boy when his fevers worsened, and Corazon would run out to gather whatever supplies they needed. He wasn't used to working with anyone, but with her, it felt... right.

At first, he thought it was just gratitude that made him feel so connected to her—the fact that she had dropped everything to help a stranger. But as time passed, he realized it was something deeper. Her presence was like a balm to his soul, soothing the constant guilt and anxiety he carried. She was kind, selfless, and strong in a way that reminded him of why he was fighting in the first place.

They shared quiet moments between tending to Law. Sometimes, she'd tell him stories from her past—her time as a traveling nurse, the patients she had cared for. And sometimes, they'd sit in silence, the weight of the world resting on both of their shoulders. But in those moments, Corazon felt something he hadn't allowed himself to feel in a long time—peace.

One evening, as the storm outside raged, she had paused, turning to Corazon with a vulnerability he hadn't seen before. "You're doing all this... for him," she murmured, her voice low. "It's dangerous, you know. The lengths you're going to."

Corazon nodded, his gaze softening. "He's worth it," he said simply. "I'll do anything to save him."

Her eyes lingered on him for a moment before she whispered, "I know you will. You have a good heart, Corazon."

The way she said his name—so gentle, so full of understanding—stirred something deep inside him. He hadn't realized how much he needed to hear those words until she spoke them.

And then, without thinking, he reached out and took her hand in his. "Thank you... for helping him. And for helping me."

She squeezed his hand in return, a quiet, unspoken connection forming between them—a bond forged in the quiet spaces between life and death.

But not all stories are meant to have happy endings.

When the day came for Corazon to sacrifice everything to save Law, she was there—watching from the shadows, her heart heavy with fear and anticipation. She had begged him not to go, her voice cracking with the weight of her worry. "Please... don't do this alone," she had whispered, clutching at his coat, her eyes wide with desperation.

But Corazon had only smiled, that same clumsy, affectionate smile she had come to love. "I have to," he had said softly, his hand gently cupping her cheek. "For Law. It's the only way."

And then, before she could protest, he had kissed her—a quick, fleeting kiss that held all the words he couldn't say. It was goodbye, though neither of them had spoken it aloud.

She had wanted to scream when he didn't come back. Wanted to tear the world apart when she found him, lifeless, the snow around him stained with his blood. But she couldn't. Not with Law clinging to her, weak and terrified.

So instead, she gathered every ounce of strength she had left and did the one thing Corazon would have wanted—she took Law and ran.

Years passed. She had taken care of Law the best she could, watching him grow into a strong, determined young man. She had been there through the nightmares, through the pain, through every reminder of the man they had both lost.

But in her quiet moments, when Law was asleep and the house was silent, she would think of Corazon—of the man who had given everything for a boy he barely knew. The man she had loved with all her heart.

She never told Law how deeply she had loved Corazon. It wasn't something that needed to be said. Instead, she showed it in every act of care, in every moment she spent making sure Law survived—because she knew that's what Corazon would have wanted.

And though Corazon was gone, his memory lingered, like a quiet whisper in her heart. In the end, she knew he had saved more than just Law. He had saved her too.