Missing Piece

Chapter 19

"Ah! Charlotte, off to see Captain again? Here, can you take this to him?" Shachi asked quickly, towards the female storming through the hallway. His happy voice a stark contrast to the growing anger radiating off the female. He grinned, waving the huntress off with another 'good luck on your hunt' when she swiped the plate of food from him without a word or break in her stampede over.

"D-did she just listen without causing trouble?" The Heart Pirates gaped, surprised at her sudden compliance. They were so used to collectively gathering to get the huntress to listen to orders, and when that failed, they relied on Law and his abilities. Which was the majority of the time.

"Perhaps she finally realized we've been using those sessions as practice to improve our abilities." Jean Bart suggested, and the others snapped their heads at him, dread coming onto their faces. But Captain told them to get stronger! How else were they supposed to improve?

"Charlotte's tunnel vision really is something else." Penguin noted with a chuckle, popping his head out of the doorway at the noise. He gave the depressive lot a confused stare before refocusing on the retreating female. Her tunnel vision was something he and Shachi recently realized. If they wanted to sneak things by her, like her taking on more jobs, it was best done when her attention was focused elsewhere. Only Charlotte had successfully managed to get Law to eat regularly at mealtimes. After that, they decided she would be the designated person to ensure he eats regularly. They wondered if she realized that she had accepted the favour and job.

"What is this?" Law questioned, never taking his eyes off what he was busy with. The question in general was directed towards a plate of food that Charlotte had so gracefully thrusted onto the table as she barged into the infirmary. Law was sure Dan was going to have to work on the metal door Charlotte slammed open. It was barely attached to the hinges anymore.

"Lunch," Charlotte stated. "Shachi gave it to me. Milos says you usually forget to eat. Eat."

"I thought we moved you off dish duties ever since we had to restock on plates after you broke everything." Law turned to the other medic in the room for confirmation and he nodded.

"If I'm not doing it, then someone else is and you're only prolonging their job." Charlotte remembered the numerous times she waited for Law to finish eating so she could finish her chores. The doctor often forgets to eat, too absorbed in whatever he was working on. "Hurry up and eat or wash it yourself." Rike jolted at the comment—no order—that Charlotte launched into the world. He glanced back at their beloved captain and tried to interject saying that they didn't mind waiting to wash Captain's plate, but Charlotte stopped him. "How spoiled can you infatuated lot be with him?" She scolded the other and turned back towards her target. "Eat before I force feed it to you. I'm not letting my target die on my watch from malnutrition!"

The two blanched at the comment, neither choosing to comment on how she's the last person to educate anyone on health.

"Did you forget I'm the Captain here?" Law responded instead and Charlotte rolled her eyes as she plotted down in the loveseat she had claimed. The chair practically molded into her shape and the strange sitting position she sat in. Law was annoyed with her at first, especially when she refused to sit in the thing properly. She had thrown her legs over one armrest and leaned against the backrest while her back was pressed against the seat and her head used the other armrest as a pillow. Charlotte claimed that it was comfier her way rather than the traditional way.

"As if I could with how often you keep saying it." When her eyes rounded back to him, they were challenging. "But even the captain should be capable of taking care of himself and cleaning one measly plate."

"I don't want to hear that from someone who can't even wash dishes." Law remarked immediately without a shred of hesitation or remorse. He hid his grin when the huntress, expectantly, exploded behind him.