Spoiler warning: if you have yet to read the Punk Hazard Arc (manga ch. 654 and up) then be aware that this story contains some mild spoilers

Here is another story in which I explore the interaction between my favorite One Piece character (Law- yay!) and his crew. As I stated in another story, I think Law is a strong character, however I do believe that he has some baggage due to the trauma of his childhood and time spent with Doflamingo. Friendship is a huge theme in One Piece- nakama are there for you when you hurt, are happy, or need to personally grow a bit and this is what this story is about. Venturing upon a new love interest can be scary or painful for someone who's never had the opportunity to try or has been burnt previously, but a little guidance and encouragement from one's friends may be all that is needed in the end. I hope you enjoy it! :-)

Japanese words:

Senchou - captain of a ship

nakama- friends or comrades

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or its characters

"Captain?"

Only a faint rustling sound indicated that anyone was in the room on the other side of the door. Silence reigned for several long moments and he almost called out again when a muffled voice responded.

"….What is it, Penguin?"

The man hesitated- that had been a tone that clearly said that interference was most unwelcome. As other sounds emanated from the room, Penguin drew a little closer and continued,

"We're ready to move the sub, Senchou, what are your orders?"

Law sighed, "Move it around to the other side of the island- we'll spend the night there."

With a lasting look at the closed door, Penguin said, "Aye, aye" and moved back towards the hall.

So Shachi had been right. Senchou was bedding a woman.

Penguin frowned at his discovery. His captain liking women wasn't what was surprising- no, Law was just as much of a hot-blooded man as the rest of them; Bepo aside, of course. However, Senshou had been simply too driven in his pursuits to ever bother with seeking a woman's company. It wasn't the type of drive that ended up in sloppy mistakes, but instead was a slow-burning intensity that continued ever onward, regardless of speed. It had always reminded Penguin of the massive ice breakers in the far north, slowly but steadily plowing through and shoving aside chunks of ice in their path. Law's drive was like that. It had no time for the common detritus that filled so much of life. Its goal was ahead and anything else in its way would be shoved aside.

This is why the muffled moans and heavy breathing now obvious on the other side of the door confused Penguin. Something was wrong.

The island was relatively small so submerging, moving, and resurfacing took only a scant thirty minutes. During the journey from one side of the island to the other, Penguin kept glancing in the direction of his captain's quarters. He would be lying if he said that he didn't worry about how tightly wound Law had been lately and that he didn't want his captain to relax and enjoy life a little bit more, but the guest that Law had brought aboard wasn't quite what he'd had in mind. Everyone had needed time to relax after Dressrosa. Law's senility had been put to the test by Mugiwara as much as it had been by his brush with his troublesome past and its main antagonist, Doflamingo. This choice of such a passing, random fancy however, wasn't consistent with his captain's cool, calculating nature. Even when relaxing, Law was never detached. To Penguin, it spoke of a serious upheaval in the psyche of his captain and he intended to check the damage for himself as soon as he could, even if it did mean rousing Law out of a sated sleep.

Penguin got his opportunity sooner than he'd expected.

With the heavy, teeth-grinding clang of metal on metal, the door to Law's room slammed open and what Penguin was sure passed for the talk of the night life in the backwater town that they had just left blustered down the hallway with a rush of rank perfume and flashing sequins. Entering the small dining area where Penguin, Shachi and a few other crew members were relaxing, she cursed as a spike on one high heel sank between and stuck in the metal grating of the walkway underfoot. Growling, she stepped out of the gaudy pumps and picking them up, shoved them under one arm before noticing the group of men staring at her.

Realizing that she had an audience, the creature of the night plastered a smile on her face and allowed half-lidded eyes to travel over the men in the small kitchen. She stopped trolling when she saw the designated red-head of the Heart Pirates and throwing the trailing end of her feather boa dramatically around her neck, she advanced, hips swaying, upon Shachi who cringed where he sat.

"What a complete waste of time this has been- I would have done better to stay in town." Unnatural red lips formed a puffy pout and her voice careened in whining octaves.

Stepping delicately as the metal grating dug into her bare feet, the woman fell forward in mock distress as she drew near to the watching Shachi. Penguin swallowed at the scent of stale alcohol and perfume and the dry rustling of over-styled hair as she passed him and conveniently landed in Shachi's lap. Breathless, she looked up at Shachi and smiling, she patted his knee approvingly.

"Well, aren't you a strong one! Maybe I should have hung around you instead at the bar this evening." Nuzzling into Shachi's shoulder, she left a face print of make-up before sitting up on the red-head's knee.

Penguin fumed internally, What in the world had the captain been thinking?

Not everything their captain did was always explained or explainable, but his careful intent had never before been a matter of question among his crew. This fake femme was seriously damaging that now.

The woman continued, "Yes, I should definitely have stuck with you- I might have ended up with a real man tonight. Honestly, I was expecting something great from one of the Supernovas and a former Shichibukai to boot, but your captain really is quite disappointing. I wasn't able to get anything accomplished; he did pay, though, so the loss is his"

Shachi had ceased cringing and was now looking at the woman with a mixture of disgust and growing anger.

Twirling her finger around one of the red locks that spiked out from under his hat, the woman leaned in conspiratorially and whispered,

"I would make up for it, half-charge with you, but I have to get back"

Looking around the sub, her voice deadpanned as she turned off the actress, "Is this tin can above water yet?"

Penguin spoke evenly, "Yes, the sub was raised about ten minutes ago."

She looked at him and smirked, "Well, at least there's a competent man around here somewhere.
Laughing, she pressed a hand against Shachi's chest and pushed on him to stand up.

"Senchou only puts effort into what he considers to be worth his time."

Straightening her boa, the woman turned to Penguin, "Hmm?".

"I said that Shachi there will escort you off the sub."

"Oh, good!", brushing by Penguin she blew the men a kiss, "Bye loves, I can't say that it's been nice. Good luck with that captain of yours- I hope he's better at actually being a captain than he is at other things"

Shachi threw Penguin a dirty look as he followed the woman before he thought of something.

"Oi Penguin, how am I supposed to get her to shore? We're not that far out, but still…."

Penguin gave Shachi a sidelong look

"I said to see her off of the sub, not to the shore"

Shachi broke into a grin and slapped Penguin on the shoulder, "Aye, aye, First Mate-san!"

Pushing off the wall, Penguin glanced again at his retreating crewmate and then made his way towards his captain's room.

Law felt Penguin heading his direction and sighed. He didn't really want to talk, but knew his first mate well enough to know that it would be wasted effort to attempt to avoid it. He glanced wistfully at the coffee mug on his desk with its less-than-warm contents and decided that his need of caffeine far outweighed any consideration for the temperature of the cup's contents. Picking up the cup, he heard Penguin knock; tentatively, respectful of his captain's personal space, and yet too determined to leave him to it entirely. Fine then.

"Come in"

His first entered and thoughtfully pushed the door shut behind him. Law watched him take in the still-made bed and then his own fully clothed person as he walked to the desk that separated them and took the chair on the other side.

Leaning forward, Penguin focused on his clasped hands for a few moments as he gathered his thoughts before finally looking at his captain. He searched Law's face and unsatisfied, spoke.

"Senchou, are you drunk?"

Not quite the opening line Law was expecting, but interesting nonetheless. He met Penguin's eyes with a smirk.

"No, but it sounds like a good idea right now."

Satisfied of Law's sobriety, Penguin pressed on. "Captain... is something wrong?"

Carefully keeping his face blank, Law made to take a swig, "What makes you think something is wrong?"

"The woman, Captain- if you're not drunk, then….why?"

Law shrugged, "What's so unusual about a man wanting some female company every now and then?"

Penguin's mouth formed a thin line. If it had been any other pirate than his Captain, then he wouldn't have been surprised at all, however, even decisions Law made that seemed to be without basis eventually showed just how much mental footwork was behind them if you stuck around to see them out to the end. This woman, however, had been nothing if not impulsive.

"Senchou, did you really get a good look at her?"

The cup paused on its way to his mouth, "To tell you the truth, I was trying not to"

Penguin sat back against the chair and regarded his captain, "There is something wrong."

It was meant as a thought to himself and accidentally voiced. Penguin jumped when his musing was answered.

Law huffed, "You can tell something's wrong by my sexual habits? Aren't I supposed to be the doctor here?"

Penguin made to speak but the topic and his captain's amused smirk made him stumble. Law watched with growing mirth as Penguin tried uncomfortably to find his next words. With a release of air, Law relented.

No sense torturing Penguin. The man was genuinely worried about him and had been the only one to discern what his captain's tryst, albeit a failed one, had really meant. Sighing, Law spoke softly.

"She turned me down"

Penguin looked at Law blankly, "The whore?"

Law sputtered around the cup's rim as he barked a laugh at Penguin's innocent straight-forwardness. With him, Penguin had never minced words. The honesty had been one of many qualities that had earned him the title of first mate.

Wiping coffee spittle from his mouth, Law chuckled, "No, Penguin, not the whore- I told her to leave; but it is a woman nonetheless: Nami-ya."

Penguin didn't breathe for several minutes and Law was about to remind him when he spoke.

"Nami-san? The Straw Hat's naviagator?"

Taking a swig of tepid coffee, Law rolled the liquid in the back of his throat before swallowing and grimacing at the bitterness

"Yes"

After more silence, Law looked at Penguin and found the man in bare-faced shock. So- here was something that his perceptive first mate had not managed to pick up on.

"I…I never even guessed."

Swirling the coffee in the cup, Law watched as Penguin worked over this new bit of information in his mind, "Obviously"

Crossing his arms and staring at the wall opposite them, Penguin dropped into silence. As Law drained the rest of the black syrup from the cup and set it on his desk Penguin spoke again, almost in wonder.

"She's really under your skin, isn't she?"

Law chuckled and angled his gaze towards Penguin, "Under enough for me to pick up a hooker?"

Penguin dropped his gaze as his motives for seeking out his captain were confirmed and voiced by Law. His captain huffed and focused on his black shoes. He had to hand it to his quiet crewmate- Penguin could read him well- even when Law took great effort to see that his inner musings were never discernable to the outside world. It spoke of a dedication and loyalty that Law had recognized in the man soon after they had met. It was a stupid or rare underling that willingly intruded upon their captain's intimate affairs, but quiet Penguin was here, boldly demanding an explanation of that very thing from him. Law grinned in rueful respect- he doubted anyone else could have gotten away with it. Leaning back and crossing his arms behind his head, Law rewarded his first mate with his honesty.

"I think I scared her actually."

Penguin looked at his captain, startled, before recognizing the open door and eagerly walking through it.

"Why? What did you do?"

Law grinned mischievously and gestured in the air with a hand, "Gave her a freshly-removed, beating heart and said 'be mine'!"

Penguin's eyes were wide when Law looked at him. Chuckling, he shook his head, "No, I didn't do that. I just flirted with her a bit. You'd have thought I was trying to poke her with a hot iron."

Penguin sighed a little too loudly in relief before trying to cover it, "Maybe that's your problem; their cook fauns over her all the time- she's probably immune to everyday flirting or has learned not to take it seriously."

Law hummed in answer. He had already thought of that and had decided that Nami was far too intelligent to assume that Sanji represented all men where wooing was concerned. No, it was something else, something deeper in the woman that had reflexively cow-kicked when she had first recognized his honest attempts at her favor for what they were. It was some kind of past pain, he was sure; trust perhaps or maybe a healthy dose of cynicism where intimate relationships were concerned. She had been fine with him as an ally- it had only been when she had been faced with his admiration of her that the problem had arisen. So lost was he in his thoughts that he had forgotten that Penguin was there until the man spoke again.

"I think you'll have to go slowly where Nami-san is concerned, Senchou."

Law looked at Penguin, "What do you mean?"

"From what I can see, while Nami-san is happy to help someone and receive help in return, getting to know her on a deeper level requires a bit of patience. She's already known you from Punk Hazard and Dressrosa, but don't just suppose that that is enough to win her trust yet. If my advice is worth anything, then I would say, just keep at it. She hasn't sic'd Roronoa or the cook on you has she?"

At the negative shake of Law's head, Penguin brightened.

"Then you haven't been turned down completely- if she was seriously done with you, then you would have been facing one of those two, not her refusal- no matter how acidic it might have been."

Penguin watched him, hopefully, anticipating that his last comment would ferret out some more details of the transaction that had so unbalanced his captain's state of mind, but Law wasn't biting. The last thing he needed was for this to trickle down to the rest of the crew; there were only so many appreciative and secret smiles behind the back and well-meaning offers of advice and action that one could take. Explaining the hooker was going to be bad enough; but if his crew came to realize that it had all been over his honest and heart-felt admiration for another woman- the navigator of an ally of all things- then the fervor aboard the sub to aid their love-sick captain would easily surpass that which was expended to see them through Dressrosa.

Beside him, Penguin released a small puff of air

"Senchou- can I be honest?"

Law glanced up at his first mate and smirked, "You weren't trying before?"

The gentle look on Penguin's face was a rare occurrence and reserved only for his nakama. The last that Law had ever remembered seeing it was when they had officially taken on Shachi to the crew and Penguin had allowed its brief appearance in appreciation of the light-hearted red-head before firmly ordering him to clean out a place for himself in the crew's sleeping quarters.

Penguin was earnest now and refused to parley words with his captain. Side-stepping the playful rejoinder from Law, he continued.

"Senchou, you've never had time for relationships outside of the crew; and even then, you've always kept us at a distance and tried to be strong on your own."

As Law's eyes widened, Penguin pushed on quickly.

"We've never once held that against you; we understood, though perhaps not in every detail, that you had a hard time with Doflamingo. We knew that you'd never ask for our help so we always just tried to be there and support you where we could. But Captain, if you're serious about Nami-san, then you have to understand that you must be patient with her. I think that Nami-san has had some trouble in her past as well and isn't the type to immediately open up entirely to someone just because they indicate that they would like her to. "

Penguin paused and stared thoughtfully at the clear drops of condensation that had started to form on the grey wall of the sub before continuing.

"I think that for her, trust must be earned first. From what I've been able to pick up, I don't think that trust even amongst her own nakama happened quickly. So if she didn't even open up her own crew without working at it, then you have no right to think that you can one-up them so effortlessly."

Penguin was staring at his hands and playing with the button that held the cuff snug around his wrist. He was embarrassed by his own words; the faint red around the man's usually pallid cheeks told Law that much. Law's eyes snapped back to his first's face in surprise as the man pushed on.

"And Senchou…you need to be patient with yourself as well. You've been through a lot. You try to act like you haven't, but you have and carrying on like those things never happened isn't going to make them go away or help things at all. In fact, they'll make things worse with Nami-san. What do you think she'd have to say if she knew that you'd brought a hooker back to the sub? How is she supposed to trust someone who resorts to that when frustrated? If your focus is her, then keep it on her and be patient. Acknowledge what you've been through and the way that it's working out in you now and don't be afraid to lean on us. We're your nakama! We're not just here to drive the sub around, you know."

Penguin finished and gripped one wrist tightly to steady his own unease. Of all the crew, it was Penguin alone who was permitted by Law to tread into the more delicate territory where their reticent captain was concerned; even so, these waters had become very deep, very quickly indeed. Law was vaguely aware of the light touch of his own fingers as they rested on his sharply angled jaw. He didn't remember his hand moving there at all, but then, he hadn't expected Penguin to cut him so cleanly to the quick either.

For years, there had always been an unspoken dance between Law, his first mate, and the rest of the crew. His nakama knew that his past was unsavory and had left more shadows in their captain than just the obvious ones that rode perpetually under his eyes; Penguin knew more than the others did, but all of them had always kept from touching on it directly. Situations would come and go, enemies would appear and be cut down, but now a copper-headed woman had appeared. This couldn't be cut down or plowed through. This demanded nothing short of his own heart and in this arena, the captain of the Heart Pirates was woefully ill-suited to even know how to begin to supply it. Or was he? Wasn't it in fact just that he was being asked to change what he had always been? Elusive, secretive, bent on one overriding goal to see revenge on a man that had ruined so much in his life. And yet, here was a door to another life, open and waiting for him, and he had been pacing, confused and fearful at its very threshold. Penguin had sought him out and braved his touchy personality just to tell him to walk through it.

Law closed his eyes as the full realization of the cause and solution to the problem slammed into him at the same time. For all of his agile intelligence, his own need and self-deception had been faster.

Beside him, Penguin had begun to sweat in the silence and humidity of the room. The air was thick with tension just as much as it was with moisture and as the first pregnant water droplets on the walls started to run, Penguin chanced a glance at his silent captain. Law's pallor had gone a few shades lighter, but he didn't seem to be in a bad way; or at least, he didn't seem to be any worse. The first mate of the Heart Pirates sensed that the conversation was over for now and that anything else added would likely be only sentimentality that Law wouldn't appreciate.

Sighing, Penguin pushed to his feet and stood awkwardly, searching for one last thing to say as an ending. Picking up the empty coffee mug to take with him, he suddenly remembered that Law had skipped dinner- another habit of his that Penguin aimed to see amended.

"Senchou, there's dinner left in the kitchen- you should eat something before going to bed. Uh, I'll make sure that the others clear out so that you can eat in peace."

Turning towards the metal door Penguin rested his hand on the handle and cast a glance back at Law before sighing and pulling the door open.

There was a surprised exclamation and then Shachi, who had been pressed against the door, fell against Penguin's feet, unbalancing him. Bepo landed on top of the red head and the others that had managed to maintain their balance, stared up at Penguin sheepishly.

Clutching the handle for balance, the first mate stared, in open-mouthed shock at his crewmates. He looked quickly at the still-immobile figure of Law before turning back to the others as his shock quickly degraded into anger.

"What the heck are you doing?! Get out!"

Bepo looked in at Law hopefully, "Is it true? Does Captain have a girlfriend?"

Shachi grinned up at Penguin, "Oi, I know what kind of flowers Nami-san likes- she told me! And I know what her favorite bottled ink for her maps is too!", raising himself on one elbow Shachi shouted into the room, "Oi, we can do this, Senchou! Nami-san isn't as calloused as she appears!"

Penguin choked on his rage and bounced the coffee cup off of Shachi's plush hat.

"Out! All of you!"

At their crestfallen faces, Penguin pointed angrily at the sweating submarine walls, "Whose job was it tonight to regulate the temperature and humidity on the sub? Senchou's room is going to be a lake soon- no one sleeps until everything is adjusted!"

His crewmates stared at the walls in guilty realization and with renewed focus they gathered themselves and amidst apologies, scattered to remedy the moisture buildup.

Penguin breathed deeply for a few moments before retrieving the unbroken coffee mug and moving to leave. Behind him, Law's quiet voice stopped him.

"Penguin."

Turning to Law, Penguin swallowed, "Yes, Captain?"

Law still sat as he had been, leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, but now the side of his head rested against the tips of his long fingers and the calm smile on his thin mouth was easy to see. Searching his face and posture, Penguin could discern none of the tension that had been present when he had first walked into his captain's room.

"Thank you."

Shocked, Penguin stared at Law, open-mouthed. Not once had Law ever thanked his first mate. Penguin had never desired or expected it, either; he had always taken pleasure in serving his captain and in the silent way that Law had simply relied upon him to carry out orders. In his mind's eye, however, he was seeing his captain take his first few tentative steps towards that new opportunity that was hovering before him. Smiling, Penguin put his hand on the handle to pull the door to.

"Ah. Any time, Senchou."

Penguin pulled the door shut and stood looking at the cup in his hands; mindlessly tracing the simple design around the lip with his eyes as he thought about what had transpired. A sound from down the hall and towards the kitchen drew his attention and he looked up to find several faces grinning at him from around the corner. Gripping the cup tightly, Penguin sighed, "Tch. You guys!", and moved off towards the sounds of snickering.