Hello, anyone still there? I'd be surprised, it's been ages since I last posted anything here... I'm really sorry that I haven't continued this for so long, I've just hadn't had much time to write at all and if I did it was somehow always stuff other than this... I suck at priorities :(
Well anyway, this one is for Mistressheartstealer. Thanks for suggesting Law as the next character and sorry for taking so long, I hope you'll still enjoy it! :)
To all the others who have requested stories here, don't worry, I'll get to them. I'll try to be as fast as I can. I promise!

Law x Reader

„She's back. Oxygen mask."

"Here."

"Pulse is steady."

"Good. Get the stretcher and bring her in. Penguin, disinfect my instruments and put her on propofol. I'll start operating in eight minutes."

"Aye, captain!"

Through the haze I saw hands lift me off the ground in a way I knew should be painful, but wasn't. I was way past feeling anything. To be honest I could've cared less about what was happening right now if not for a familiar voice that cut through the drowsiness.

"Onee-chan!"

My eyes shot open and I groaned as the light hit them painfully. I heard a gasp from somewhere behind me followed by sobs that I knew very well.

"Nee-chan! You're awake!"

"Hey, stop it! Don't jostle her!", a male voice reprimanded her. "She's still in danger!"

That won't be enough to stop her, I thought to myself with a slight smile. So she made it back safely. Thank god.

"Nee-chan, can you hear me? Nee-chan!"

"Li...lian...", I whispered as I tried to reach out towards her but found that my body wouldn't move. Why wouldn't it move? "Where..."

"I'm here!" And this time there was relieved laughter in her voice as she touched my arm softly but surely. "I'm here. Don't worry, I'm alright."

"Good", I croaked, smiling in the direction I thought she stood. It looked more like a grimace from the outside though.

"That guy from before, with the funny hat, he said he'll fix you, okay? They say he's a doctor, so he can do it! Just hang in there!"

I could barely make out what she was saying anymore, but I nodded gratefully when I heard the word 'doctor'. That sounded about right at the moment.

A different voice took over after that, the words blending together into incomprehensible mush. I just barely felt a prick in my arm before I drifted off to sleep and the world finally stopped.

It seemed like only a second had passed before I woke up to the sound of liquid sloshing around and a steady beeping in the background. Bits and pieces of what felt like memories flashed before my eyes almost immediately. A battleship. Screams of dying cattle. Canons hitting. Lilian swept away by a wave, shouting, reaching out, hands so close to touching, closer, not close enough... and then nothing.

What happened?

For some reason my eyes refused to open so I listened harder, trying to find something that would give me a hint to where I was. I found nothing. My breathing sped up with my growing panic. Where was I? And more importantly, where was my sister? At the back of my mind a voice whispered that I already knew she was alright, that she'd made it out of the storm, but I had to see for myself. I needed to see her!

After a minute or so I heard the sound of a door opening and hasty footsteps across a metallic floor.

"She's panicking. Someone give her a sedative."

"Aye!"

Another prick in the arm made me want to yell in surprise, but my throat wouldn't move. Fear gripped me like it never had before when I realized that I couldn't even scream for help if I wanted to. Did anyone know I was here? Were they searching? Was Lili-

I jolted when I suddenly felt hands on my shoulder and tried to trash against their grip instinctively.

"Don't", a calm voice said, making me pause. "We're here to help you. Calm down."

I kept breathing heavily through my nose, not even close to calming down. Who the hell did that guy think he was, telling me to-

"Relax", the voice continued. "Steady breaths. In. And out. In. Out."

I found myself complying before I knew it. His voice had a soothing effect, almost hypnotic. As my heart rate came down I noticed my muscles slowly relaxing, freeing my movement and unlocking my throat. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're safe now", the voice said. "We brought you and your sister away from the shipwreck. She's in the room next to you."

"Lehg m'see her", I gargled. Apparently my mouth wasn't too keen on cooperating either.

"You can see her when you've calmed down", the voice continued evenly which soothed me even more than the firm touch did. I couldn't help the feeling that it sounded somewhat familiar.

"Mmhm", I wordlessly agreed, feeling the apprehension slowly drain away. His hands were big and warm on my shoulders and in my drowsy state I felt like someone had to know that. "Yr hands... feel rly'good."

I heard a snicker from somewhere behind me. "Hear that, captain? She likes your hands."

A slap and a small 'Ouch' followed. "Shut up, Shachi! They're having a moment!"

"...Sumimasen."

"What do you have to do with it, Bepo?"

"Guys", the calm voice from before interfered. "Cut it out."

"Aye."

"Sumimasen..."

"You didn't do anything! Stop apologizing!"

"...Sumimasen."

"Oi!"

I didn't really get it, but still I couldn't keep a tired smile from forming. What a weird bunch.

"Just go to sleep now." The voice said and I complied, finally able to place where I'd heard it before. Right, that was the doctor. A doctor...

When my consciousness finally returned I felt like I'd just had a good night's sleep. I tried to sit up and look around, but my movements were sluggish and slow which wasn't so bad because it kind of made me feel like I was floating. Sadly my almost comfortable drowsiness was interrupted by a sudden shout.

"DOCTOR! SHE'S WAKING UP!"

I jolted fully awake, groaning when artificial light burned my eyes. "Ow! What the hell?"

"Nee-chan!", Lilian shouted, rushing over to kneel down next to my head. "Does it hurt? Are you okay?"

I hummed in agreement, lifting my arm to see an IV-needle forcing some sort of liquid into me. "How long was I out?"

Lilian breathed a sigh of relief before she grinned. "Just a few hours. You almost drowned, so they had to resurrect you and check for lung trauma. It's all okay though."

My breath hitched. So all of that really happened. I'd thought it was a dream. "Are you-"

"I'm fine", she waved me off, rolling her eyes. "Stop worrying about me all the time. I'm not the one in the hospital bed here."

"Yeah, well-"

"This isn't a hospital."

I turned at the unfamiliar – familiar? – voice to see a man with strange tattoos and a fuzzy hat leaning in the door, looking me over with a critical look. My brow furrowed. Who the hell-

"Doctor!", Lilian chirped giddily, bouncing over to greet him. "She's awake!"

"Yes, I can see that", the man said, sounding almost bored, and walked up to me, checking something on the chart next to my bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good", I answered honestly, fingering the needle in my arm. "When can I take this off?"

"If your values stay as they are now for the next two hours you're free to go", the doctor said, scribbling something onto the chart before putting it back down, looking at me critically.

I shifted under his gaze. "What?"

He didn't seem to notice my discomfort, instead turning away to walk back out the door. "One of my subordinates will check on you later. We'll reach Gintaki Island in about three hours."

"Great", I said, feeling strangely awkward around the man. Why was that?

Oh right, I almost forgot-

"Err... Doctor?"

He stopped at my call and looked back over his shoulder.

"Um... thanks", I said sheepishly. "For helping me."

The doctor nodded curtly and with a "Don't move around too much" he was gone.

I stared at the door for a good few seconds after that. Strange. I kind of wished he'd stayed a little longer.

I'd been out of bed and walking around for half an hour already when I heard the blessed call of "Land ho!" from the crow's nest. I breathed a sigh of relief. Land, finally!

"C'mon", Lilian said, tugging on my arm. "I'll help you get up there."

It was a slow, painful walk, but we managed to get out on deck without any problems. If lifted my head to let the wind breeze over my worn face. God, that felt good.

"Feeling better?"

I turned and saw a man in a white jumpsuit and a colorful hat grinning at me. I smiled back at him.

"Yeah, thanks."

He waved me off. "No need to thank me. I was just following captain's orders."

I shrugged and took a look around the... submarine? Really? "We're on a submarine?"

"It comes in handy", the man said casually, leaning against the railing. "We'll dock in a few minutes, then you can go on your way."

Before I could thank him again I felt someone step up beside me.

"Penguin, get the anchor ready. Shachi, the plank."

"Aye, captain!", two men – including the one I'd just spoken to – called, going back under deck at the doctor's order. I looked over at him.

"Hey", I said, making him turn his head just slightly to look at me. "Thanks again for-"

"Don't mention it", he cut me off brusquely and stepped to the other side of the submarine where some of his crew were pulling the ropes tight. I looked after him, slightly stunned.

"What's his problem?", I asked aloud, causing someone to snicker behind me.

"He doesn't normally do this", the polar bear said as he came into view. "And he doesn't like thanks."

I just stared, not even hearing what he was saying. Wait a second...

"You're a bear!", I exclaimed in surprise, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You talked!"

To complete my confusion the bear stiffened at my words, taking on a humble pose and bowing to me. "Sumimasen..."

"Huh?", I asked, dumbstruck. Why did that sound familiar?

"Bepo", the captain suddenly called sharply. "Take to steering!"

"Aye!", the bear called, all but running away from me. I looked after him, still not quite comprehending what had just happened.

"We'll be there soon", the doctor said brusquely as he passed me again before walking away, obviously done with our conversation. I bristled. That kind of treatment didn't sit well with me.

"Hey!", I shouted at him. "Do you always treat your guests like this?"

He looked back at me over his shoulder. "You're not my guests."

"Well, yeah, but-" The glare he gave me stopped me mid-sentence.

"You're people that I was nice enough to save from death. I don't owe you anything", he said in a way that made it seem like a final statement. His gaze was hard and authoritative, betraying the almost monotone sound of his voice. "Don't try to twist the facts around."

I closed my mouth, feeling pretty damn stupid and ashamed. He was right, wasn't he? He didn't owe us anything. In fact I owed him twice over for saving both mine and my little sister's lives. But still, I just wanted...

What? What did I want?

"If that's all, I have a ship to steer", he said and left without even waiting for my answer. I just stood there, feeling like an idiot.

"Wow, what a jerk", Lilian said with a very unladylike sneer. "If he didn't want us on board then why save us at all?"

"I dunno", I mumbled, shaking my head. "Doesn't matter. We'll be out of here in a few minutes anyway." Somehow the words didn't sound as reassuring to my ears as I had intended.

Lilian must have noticed too because she looked up at me with a confused frown. "Hey, you okay?"

It kind of didn't feel like I was okay, but since I had absolutely no reason to be I quickly pushed the thought aside. I inconspicuously wiped the frown off my face and smiled at my sister instead, ruffling her hair in the way I knew she hated. "Sure. Ready for a new start, pipsqueak?"

"Hey, don't call me that", she complained, batting my hand aside. "And don't do that, I'm not a kid anymore!"

I laughed, looking ahead towards the port. I was glad that my sister what here with me. God knows I would've gone nuts without her on this ship.

When we docked there were no big goodbyes or anything. The crew member with the colorful hat dropped the plank to let us get on land safely, a few people at the harbor staring openly at the brightly colored submarine. I could see why. It was pretty flashy.

"Take care!", the polar bear shouted, waving at us as we got off the ship. I waved back, feeling unjustifiably disappointed to leave like this. I'd just wanted to see the doctor one more time, thank him again-

But he didn't like thanks, did he? They'd told me that. Still...

"Hey, I hate to ask, but can I see the doctor one more time?", I asked the bear since he seemed the most likely to not refuse me. "I want to say goodbye."

For some reason I heard someone snicker at my question, but when I looked around, trying to find the one who'd done it, the bear excused himself hastily and ran inside the submarine to fetch the doctor. You could tell me what you want, but that bear was weird.

"Why do you want to see him?", Lilian asked me, sounding slightly suspicious. "You thanked him already, didn't you?"

"I don't know", I answered truthfully, staring up at the plank and waiting for him to show. "I just... don't want to leave like this."

Before she could ask what I meant by that the doctor stepped up to the railing, looking down at us with a neutral expression.

"Was there something else you needed? I think we've done more than enough for you."

I heard Lilian huff in indignation next to me, so I put a hand on her shoulder to keep her from acting out. "I just wanted to thank you again."

The doctor looked at me weirdly, almost like he was about to walk away again. "I don't need thanks." He started to turn away again.

"No, wait!" I walked back up the plank as quickly as I could without running until I stood at eye level with him. I held out my hand, ignoring the strange look he gave me for it. "I'm in your debt. Both my sister and I would have died without you. I can never pay you back for that, so just... thank you."

He stared at me long enough for me to start gathering nervous sweat on my forehead before he grabbed my hand in a sure grip and shook it once. "Fine."

His touch made me relax instantly for reasons that I couldn't fathom. Somewhere at the back of my mind the feeling seemed to evoke memories of a calm voice, a soothing touch...

"You're safe now."

"I know this", I mumbled under my breath without thinking, still staring at his hands, and whipped my head sharply in the direction of the booming laughter that followed my statement.

"Hahaha, told you she liked your hands, captain!", the penguin guy wheezed as he slapped his thigh in a bout of hilarity. My face grew red.

"I- what? No! I-"

My breath stuck in my throat as I looked back at the doctor and found a small smile playing on his lips. I was stunned. It was so subtle and yet it made his features change completely from a menacing mask to an almost approachable man.

"We're taking off", he called to his crew, letting go of my hand and turning around to walk back into the inner cabins of his submarine. I looked after him for a second more, shocked into speechlessness, before my brain kicked into gear again and I started walking back down the plank, my hand still tingling from his touch.

Neither Lilian or I said a word as the ship took off, its crew members disappearing one by one under deck until the hatch closed and the submarine started to submerge.

"They were kinda weird, weren't they?", Lilian asked when the ship vanished in the water as though it had never been there.

I smiled, squeezing my right hand with the other. "You can say that again."