Can I Steal Your Heart? - A LawLu fanfic

(Law) Chapter 11 - Challenge

He might've been a little too quick to pick up the transponder snail when it rang, and he was sure that it had nothing to do with hoping it was a certain Straw-hatted young captain.

"Trafalgar Law speaking."

"Hey Torao. Do you have a moment?" That definitely wasn't Luffy's voice.

"Tanuki-ya? I didn't expect to be hearing from you." He stepped into his library, which doubled as a planning and strategy room, leaving the door open a crack so his crew understood that he could be disturbed if needed.

"I'M NOT A-," the younger doctor started angrily, then stopped himself and took a deep breath.

Law had to resist a smirk at the reindeer's attempts to stay professional. "Easy. I was just teasing, Tony-ya. I'm well aware that you're a reindeer, not a tanuki. What can I do for you?" He liked and respected the smaller doctor, but really, he was just one of those people, or uh, animals, that was just fun to pick on a little.

"There's a surgery I'd like to request your help with, if you're available. Are you familiar with the hanahaki disease?"

So Luffy never told them he'd pulled me in. Interesting. I wonder why. Law settled himself into the tall-backed chair that sat next to the table, but not before grabbing the two heavy tomes he'd been able to find that mentioned the dangerous flower. He'd want them ready to reference if Chopper asked more detailed questions. "Yes, actually. I recently decided to familiarize myself with it. Who's the patient?" He asked carefully. If Luffy hadn't mentioned him, he'd play along until he understood the reasoning. Besides, maybe it had spread to someone else somehow. Still, being kept a secret, whatever the reason, didn't sit right with him.

"Zoro. He actually has had it for a while, and we thought he'd die from it, but, well, long story short, he and Sanji are kinda in a relationship now? I guess? They're being kinda vague about it, but it's retreated far enough that Zoro wants to try the surgery again."

Wasn't Zoro-ya healing after being brought back by Blackleg-ya? Surely he wouldn't risk the surgery, not with the memory loss as a side effect.... Not unless things weren't going as well as he'd hoped.

"Again?" Law questioned, arching a brow at the transponder as though the other doctor could see it. Luffy hadn't mentioned that Zoro had already had a surgery. He must know, then, right?

Jean Bart slid in quietly, holding up a steaming cup of tea. Law nodded his thanks as he set it down on the table in front of him and left just as quietly. Law usually preferred coffee, but tea was the former slave's specialty, and he made it occasionally as if it was a thanks. As Captain, Law didn't feel like he should turn that quiet gesture down, not when it made Jean Bart smile a bit to see Law enjoying it.

"Yeah. I did one before, while Zoro was trying to hide it, and thought I'd gotten it out, but I must have missed some because it began growing back quickly."

Law felt a twinge of pity at the guilt and self-recrimination in the other doctor's voice. "That lines up with my understanding of it. It seems to be very aggressive. How bad is it currently?"

Chopper described the placement and quantity of the flowers, where the vines currently fell, etcetera, as Law listened intently, making a rough diagram on a pad of paper so he could follow along. "... so I thought, since I'd missed some before, your skills might help make sure we don't miss any this time."

"I should be able to help with that. But you are aware of the dangers of this particular surgery, right?"

The other doctor was quiet for a minute. "Yeah. I tried to talk him out of it, but Zoro insisted that we try it this way."

Stubborn fool. He couldn't really want to give up his memories of Blackleg, could he? The good and the bad, from their entire time on Luffy's ship? Law sipped his tea as he grabbed the maps he'd borrowed from Bepo earlier. "Where are you right now?"

"Um... I'm not sure.We were at an island called Red Bean Island about... six days ago? But we've been at sea since then. I can run and ask Nami for specifics if you need them."

Long fingers traced the distance, carefully so he didn't smudge the maps. "No need, I'm familiar with Red Bean. That should put you... two to three days out from Rizzel Island, depending on speed. We can meet you there in about three days, I think."

"Ok. Thank you, Torao. I'll let Luffy and Nami know, and we'll see you then."

"Yeah. Later, Tony-ya." Law hung up the call, thinking carefully.

It was a dangerous surgery, and Zoro had already had it once. Should he clarify the potential for memory loss, make sure the reindeer and their patient really understood? Statistics on hanahaki were rare, but the odds of making it through two of those surgeries without the unpleasantness of that side effect had to be... intimidating, even to the reckless younger swordsman. But said swordsman seemed to close off around Law anyways. It must have been hard for Chopper to get him to agree to Law helping with the surgery. If he over-elaborated on something Zoro had already been warned about, it might cause more tension, which wouldn't be good for either the surgery or the alliance.

He'd trust Chopper's research abilities, then. Trust that Zoro was aware of the side effect and was willingly playing the odds. It was something that both Luffy and his first mate would absolutely do, to throw themselves at fate in open challenge; complete defiance.

And, somehow, probably win.

It was a trait Law admired, but would never dare try to imitate. Someone had to lose in that game after all, and Law had never really considered himself lucky. So he'd watch the odds, choose the safer route, use the safer strategy, and leave the challenging of fate to the Strawhats.

He chugged the rest of the now lukewarm tea and stood to go relay their new destination to his crew.