#; keepsake

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Traveling as they were, the scale of celebration was limited for any occasion.

If they happened upon a local holiday or event it was by chance, and the pirate’s stay was often cut short by persecution. Yet as the leaves begin to warm in hue, Rocinante knew that the date was steadily approaching for an important date for his charge. It was an embittering day, a sour note and ticking clock in Law’s mind, a scale for how long he’d outlived his Family and Country: a ticking clock counting down how much longer he had left before he too joined them in the earth.

The years that the survivor of genocide lived among the Donquixote Family had taught all of them this. In them, Corazon had decidedly done nothing to celebrate Law’s birthday, nor that of the other children. That is to say, he did not bully them.

Now, as the search for a cure dragged on, Rocinante had all but dropped the cold persona of Corazon. There was no reason for it, when he had no intention of allowing Law to return to his brother.  That is how he came to be the only person who could celebrate the occasion with Law. He debates how to do so; to make a big boisterous deal of it, dragging the boy around to do activities that may be exceptionally fun? No, no, that would be too much. Knowing how sensitive a day this is, it was more appropriate to start off slow, almost casual.

An important part of how I play Rocinante is his nonverbal communication. It may not be strictly canon for him to be selectively mute, but as my muse I can ‘feel’ when his voice gets stuck in his throat or stomach, refusing to cooperate. Often he will be quiet around strangers. He’s conditioned and trained himself to be a bit more verbal with Marines, but even with them he goes silent.

Lattice in Full Color! Oh look she’s actually smiling

Me:

The man can’t smile for the camera.

Anonymous Asked: (something along the lines of)  Doesn’t the Reverie occur every 4 years? Doffy was ruling Dressrosa longer than that, right?

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By god

You’re right.

He took the throne at 31, so (could) would have attended 2 (TWO) reveries. Would he risk that though?

Most certainly. With an audience like that, just a few short words from his lips and the Gorosei would have no choice but to execute all the world leaders and their escorts.  

It wouldn’t be worth it for them to try something to permanently shut him up or keephim form entering Mary Geoise- not when Doflamingo was already happy to keep their secret safe on condition of their non-interference and support.  

He also has gone to Marineford plenty of times to meet with the Gorosei and other meetings, which is only a skip away from that place.

Man, he must’ve had a blast rubbing it in, but also a headache keeping his temper in check. Far better to undermine and destroy what the Celestial Dragons hold dear, than stake a single, fruitless mad rush.

Then again, Doflamingo could just stand them all up and decide not to show. That’d be entertaining.

As an adult, Doflamingo never truly cares about becoming ‘Pirate King’. That is a destiny that Trebol sells and uses as a rallying flag to inspire the rest of the Donquixote Family. For a time as a child, Doffy does go along with it and begins to feed upon it becoming utterly dependent on Trebol and the other executives and what they promise. The sense of security they bring him, the distant, familiar submission and devotion and worship which is what he deserves.

As he grows, Doflamingo wises up to much of Trebol’s plots and ambitions- is able to understand that the gangster had done a picture perfect job of manipulating his younger self, pushing him into a corner and testing him- giving him the power to brutally kill the cause of his pain and cutting him off from his former family. He wonders if Roci had indeed vanished, or if he’d become another casualty in cutting Doflamingo off from all other sources of support.

Perhaps that is why, when Rocinante does show up again, Doflamingo is so quick and clear in declaring to all his executives a new, uncrossable rule. That anyone who so much as harms a hair on his little brother’s head will die.

Yes, Doflamingo knows he is owned by Trebol and the other executives, that despite knowing this he still needs them, feels greatly attached to them. That he was their shot at getting out of the shit pile of North Blue and making it big.

And he doesn’t care. Because they gave him what he absolutely needed when he needed it, they have always been there for him since then, and they have proven themselves a better Family than much of his own. He’ll be their King so long as they give him the power and means to destroy the world that the Celestial Dragons adore.

Besides. Playing King isn’t such a bad gig.

If any of that changes, and they cross him, he’ll be the one that kills them first.

He’ll forgive mistakes.