#lawdo

The Polar Tang. He remembered it split in half, and the sharp decompression sending everyone he cared about into the darkness of the sea. He stirred against the blanket, sucking in a sharp breath.

Blackbeard. That sneering, unpleasant oaf of an upstart. Blackbeard— the monster who somehow kept rising the ranks despite everything. 

Blackbeard the creeping darkness infecting the era of piracy with a desire to drag everyone down to his fucking level.

Blackbeard, the man who beat him to shit and threw him in the ocean and killed his best friends in the world. He felt the churn of something sick in his stomach as he tried to open his eyes again. "...damn it all.." 

Law managed to pull his eyes open and as his vision swam into focus he found himself in a cot in a narrow room— on a ship, judging by the porthole window high in the wooden wall. There was very little to see, other than the bed he was in, a small table with a jug of water, and a chair at the foot of the bed where Komurasaki was dozing, dressed in something unfamiliar, not her usual kimono, with a blanket around her shoulders.

He tried to sit up, shifting his arm to prop himself up and stare around the room, at Komurasaki's clothes, and out the porthole.

"...Someone picked us up? It can't be Blackbeard, Komurasaki'd be in chains or worse." He murmured to himself as he tried to activate his 'room' to give himself a sense of the surrounding area. 

He felt an unfortunately familiar wooziness as he moved— and even worse as he tried to call on his devil fruit abilities— and realized with a start that there was still a sting of biting cold around one wrist. As he managed to sit up and pulled his arms out from under the covers, he saw a chainless, bracelet-like manacle locked around one wrist. The outside of it was metal, but lined certainly with sea-stone.

Komurasaki sat up, hearing him speak. "Mm? Ah, captain, you're awake?"

"Komurasaki," he said slowly, cautiously, "...why am I chained with sea-stone?" 

His mind was going a mile a minute, only stopping to hitch on the image of the bodies in the water. His heart beat faster in his chest as he sucked in an uncomfortable breath. "I hope you have more context for all this than I do." 

"I do, captain," she nodded. "Our rescuer asked me in advance to apologize to you for the precaution. He said that he was concerned your first instinct might be to try to kill everyone on the ship."

Komurasaki's face had that same placid, almost amused look on it, that Law was still learning how to tell when it was genuine, and when it was a mask for her anxieties. The answer seemed obvious now, but he still couldn't be sure.

He stared at her for a long moment with a twitch of his lips, before he laughed weakly and fell back onto the sheets. 

"Thanks Komurasaki. I'll try not to go on a rampage. Promise." He looked over her outfit again, judging identifying markings. She must have gotten it from someone on the ship, it'd serve as a clue to exactly who had 'rescued' them, and if this was going from the frying pan to the fire. "Seems like a pretty sensible precaution, depending on the rescuer is. It ain't Kid. Kid's ship couldn't possibly look this normal." 

She was wearing a quite ostentatious dress, florid and ruffled, and very unfamiliar to her usual style, though the blue and yellow pattern of azaleas on it wouldn't have been entirely out of place on a kimono. A kimono wouldn't be that low cut however, or sleeveless like the dress was, judging by what he could see of her arms underneath the animal print blanket over her shoulders. Neither really suited her pale green hair or her complexion. 

"No, it's no one I'd ever met before," she said, shaking her head. "Though they seem to know you, captain."

"....." 

Dressrosan fashion. That was a Dressrosan dress, very clearly. A dancer's dress, like one he'd seen recently enough for it to be seared into his memory. His brow furrowed as his lips drew into a tight line.

"They seem to know me, do they. What'd they look like, if ya don't mind me asking. Our rescuers who knew me so well."

He had a sinking feeling in his gut. It couldn't possibly be. It had to be a coincidence…or maybe it was Rebecca and Violet who…

No, Violet had left Dressrosa. She sure as fuck had left Dressrosa. Rebecca too , but…

Komurasaki leaned her chin in her hands, elbows on her knees, peering at him. "Well, I can describe them for you, but their captain did introduce himself. He wanted me to tell you one thing before I said who he was, though."

Law shot up to a sitting position despite the fatigue and discomfort, having to painfully raise his hand to his head to steady himself. ".....hahahhhhhhhh fuck. Fuck. Alright. I'm listenin'." 

"He wanted me to make sure you knew they're treating Bepo in their infirmary for his wounds and fatigue. I don't know if you remember, but he passed out just as we were being fished out of the water."

Law lurched forward the nausea washing through him and making him swoon against his hand.

"Hhh…Bepo…he's…" Tears welled up in his eyes. "Thank hell he's at least okay. Him, you, me, thank hell at least some of us survived."

Penguin and Shachi… Ikkaku… the whole crew sucked into the darkness of the ocean. Besides them.

"And it's…good…good knowin' they're taking care of him." 

Even if they were who he was increasingly terrified they were.

Doflamingo and his gang; the very gang that Violet had reportedly fled and turned up in the company of. A gang that shouldn't have existed. 

Komurasaki nodded. "I heard that it seems like he's going to be okay, thank goodness. He took some kind of drug, didn't he? To induce that state? I don't think it was good for him."

Law grit his teeth.

"Yeah…the artificial Sulong state. It ain't good for him, it's only for emergencies. I'm glad he's pulling through…" 

"Indeed… Ah, anyway, you wanted to know who rescued us?"

He rubbed his fingers over the outside of the bangle around his wrist. "...I have a creeping suspicion, but it's better if you just let me know." 

"The name he gave was Doflamingo. He says you'll know it."

He felt sicker than ever, a worse nausea than the seastone washing over him as he made a low gurgling sound.

"Komurasaki, hon. It's been fun having you in my crew, wish it was for longer." He dropped back onto the bed to stare at the ceiling with a twitch of his lips. "I'm screwed. He's gonna kill me while I'm down."

Doflamingo. Doflamingo. Doflamingo Donquixote. The name repeated over and over in his mind as his teeth grit together. "I should have been DONE with him! I'd …Shit, we'd won! And now here he is dragging me outta the sea? For what? To end me himself??" 

"How would I know?" Komurasaki seemed both unalarmed by, and unimpressed with, his outburst. She leaned a little closer to him as he fell back on the bed. "I take it the two of you have some kind of history that I'm not privy to."

He looked up at her with tired eyes. 

"Yeah. Sorry, Komurasaki, it's… complicated. I was venting. Rest assured, this is the worst ship we coulda been picked up by right now barring fuckin' Blackbeard." He looked at the bangle around his wrist with a grimace. "He's the man I spent years trying to bury." 

Metaphorically and literally. Bury the memory of any good times they may have had when he was growing up— and bury him for the death of Rosinante in the snows of the north blue. "He killed someone who tried to save me, and I tried to kill him to even the scales." 

"I see. Then it's certainly strange that he bothered to fish us out of the ocean at all." She chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "Stranger still that they've been caring for Bepo."

Komurasaki had been sailing with them for a total of five days. Five days since she'd left her home shore of Wano to become a pirate on his ship. And now that ship was blown to hell, and she was here with him, with absolutely no context for it. Considering all of it, she seemed remarkably unperturbed.

"Yeah, it's– it's real odd. You seem pretty calm, Komurasaki. I'm impressed. Even considering you don't know exactly what kind of guys captured us…it's impressive."

Law pressed his hand to his face, looking at her with one eye and laughed bitterly. "...my ship's sunk. My men— my friends— are dead. I've got nothin' but you and Bepo anymore. And now we're captured, saved, whatever…by the Donquixote pirates. You've got nerves of steel. I respect that. Hope this massive fuckup hasn't completely dashed any respect you mighta had for me." 

"Hardly," she said, shaking her head. her gaze was steely. "Tragedy and setback aren't what define a man's character, but how he moves forward from them. And if I'm calm, it's because I've been trained that way since I was small, captain, to maintain dignity and composure in the face of chaos and loss. And I've had practice. Lots of it."

He sat up slowly again, taking a deep breath with a nod. 

"I'd heard. And it's pretty damn remarkable to see, Komurasaki. I'd say sorry to add a lil' more chaos to your life, but you asked to be a pirate…this is the pirate's life."

He rested his head against his knees, drawing them up. "We're gonna heal up from this. If Doffy—" He bit his tongue on the nickname. "Doflamingo— if he really 'rescued us' or not, we'll deal with it. We'll get through this.Shachi, Penguin, Ikkaku…they woulda wanted us to." 

Komurasaki nodded. She stood, finally, and came and sat on the edge of Law's cot. "I did ask to be a pirate. And I intend to continue to pursue the life of a pirate at your side, captain, assuming you'll have me. I hope you don't feel like I've brought some curse on you from Wano."

The tone was conversational-– flippant, even— but something in her eyes told him that it was a thought she'd had on her own, and one that didn't amuse her.

He reached out, with the great difficulty of a cursed man fighting sea-stone, and squeezed her shoulder with a weak grin. 

"Of course I'll have ya, Komurasaki. I promised I'd take you to sea, didn't I? You're my crew. That means somethin' to me. And…this ain't a curse, neither. Real as curses can be, this ain't on your shoulders. This was bad luck. This was Blackbeard and one hell of a terrible coincidence." 

She smiled; beautifully, grimly, with determination. "I'll take your word for it. You've the more experience between the two of us. So what then, is our path forward, captain? What's the 'plan', so to speak— if only in the short term."

"I'll tell you one thing…" He leaned towards her with a feral edge to his smile, a dark mania welling within him. "We're going to get strong enough to sever Teach's head from his body and sink his freakshow of a crew to the bottom of the sea. But that's long term."

His eyes darted to the door. "...the short term plan is figuring out what Dof…Doflamingo's intentions are here and how we can work forward with him here. If this is his ship, the whole DQ family's on board. Which means a whole slew of hideously awkward reunions."

He hesitated before he murmured. "I used to be one of them, just… so you know that." 

"Really?" She sat up with interest. "And you spent, in your own words, years trying to bury their captain. It must be a complicated history you have indeed. What a fate to bring you into reunion now."

Komurasaki's tone was gentle and sympathetic. But there was something at the edge of her voice, in the look of her eyes, that almost felt like she was excitedly reaching for popcorn. Maybe she did have a pirate's temperament. Maybe growing up in a brothel had left some interesting marks on her.

He wouldn't have been surprised. Honestly, the hint of those interesting marks had been the very thing that convinced him to take her along when she gave her pitch. She was a fascinating girl, after all.

Of course, that was one thing, being grilled about his sordid past was another. He felt himself flush a bit under the scrutiny, shifting in the sheets.

"Yeah uh, it's sure a fucking tangled web of fate. If I didn't know any better I'd suspect Doflamingo's fucking strings to somehow be behind it. But this is even outta his hands." He rubbed his neck. "...Doffy and I have a lot of history. He stopped me from suicide bombing myself when I was a kid and took me into his gang, but…"

So much had happened. He'd grown to love and respect the man…up until he very much didn't. Up until Rosi snatched him away and told him exactly what Doflamingo's plans for him were— and exactly how cruel he could be. "Things happened. It went south between me and the other members of the family." 

"I see," she nodded, thoughtfully. "Interesting. So far everyone I've met has been fairly cordial to me, if… admittedly very odd, Captain Doflamingo included. Though I have little way to measure what counts as odd outside of Wano."

"Cordial. The Donquixote Family?" He wasn't exactly incredulous…no, they could be very charming. Something he knew all too well. They weren't exactly very polite but they were charming and friendly up until the point they weren't. "They're absolutely odd. Doflamingo's fond of gathering up all kinds of folks… who'd you meet? That looks like one of Viole— Viola's dresses." 

Violet— Princess Viola— hadn't been with the family when Law was there. But he'd heard about her extensively from Monet on Punk Hazard, and he'd seen her, however briefly, in Dressrosa.

"It is, yes. It's a little big on me in some areas, but she was very kind to lend it to me." Komurasaki tugged at the chest self-consciously. "Ah, besides her and their captain? There was quite the bunch— they didn't all introduce themselves. There's a precious little doll woman who was called Sugar. And a woman in a maid uniform they all call 'Baby'. I don't know if that's her name. I also caught the names 'Vergo' and 'Dia', and I could pick them easily out of a line up. I'm good at putting names with faces."

Certainly one of her many skills as an Oiran.

"Good fuckin' skill to have, Komurasaki…very good skill." He complimented her as he put his hand to his head with a sharp hiss. "Baby…yeah. That's her name. Baby 5, actually. It's…"

It was a fucked up, tragic story for why she was called that. A dismissive 'non-name' for a child deemed dead-weight turned into an affectionate name by the gang. She'd become rather proud of it when they were growing up together.

"It's a hell of a story for why. Sugar…be careful with her." His eyes darted to the door. "...she's got the power to make the world forget you ever existed." 

"Well,thank you, that's terrifying," Komurasaki huffed a nervous laugh. "I'll keep it in mind. She seemed very quiet, though that big man was even quieter. Is there anything else I ought to know? Well, I imagine the answer is 'a lot' but I don't expect a full annotated history given the circumstances."

"A whole lot," Law rubbed his temple with the side of his hand. "Sugar used to have a sister, Monet… I killed her. They probably ain't happy about that. Vergo was a fake marine who's one of Doflamingo's closest men. Beat the shit out of me a while back. Baby's got an explosive temper. Literally, if she turns into a bomb. Dia…he's one of the executives"

He counted off his fingers before he paused and he pointed to her. "and one more thing, Komurasaki. Doflamingo was the guy supplying the SMILE fruits to Kaidou that let him empower his men. That's part of his operation, the finding and smuggling of fruits and the production of artificial fruits." 

She pressed her hands together and closed her eyes for a moment, perhaps committing it all to memory. "I see. So he was responsible for the SMILE fruits that found their way to Wano's shore. You were certainly not lying, captain. This is quite the situation for us to have found ourselves in. I admit, in hindsight I was acting quite blithely and naively these last two days."

Two days. 

"T…" Law's eye twitched , his body suddenly feeling exhausted all over again. "...two days?" 

"Ah. That's right, we hadn't yet spoken of how long you'd been unconscious." She bit her lip, and nodded. "Yes, captain, it's been two days. I was very worried."

It must have been the effect of the seawater on him. He'd certainly choked some down during the horrible encounter.f

"....the ocean's curse, probably…" He pressed his hand to his face with a shaky smile. "two days. Two days on the Donquixote family's ship. Two fucking days. Great, alright. Well I'm awake now, Komurasaki. Sorry to worry you, I'm…fine."He wasn't fine. His eyes flicked to the door, half expecting to see that horror show of a smile looming in it at any moment. "This is gonna work out." 

-

Doffy gripped the neck of the bottle and took a swig from it. He'd had too many already. He'd been drinking almost constantly for the past two days.

He was tense.

He was on the outs with Trebol, who hadn't been shy about telling him how he felt when Doffy had fished Law and his crewmen out of the sea.

Trebol thought he should throw him back like a bad catch, and shoot him a few times on the way down for good measure.

Trebol thought that Law would only bring disaster on the family. He pointed out that he already had. The disaster of Dressrosa was barely three months behind them, and while yes, they were doing well with Cross Guild now, Law had broken their little empire. Law had been responsible for Monet's death. He had almost killed Vergo.

What sense did it make to save his life?

He was right— it didn't make any logical sense to rescue him. It had just been Doffy's first instinct. 

It had been his first instinct when Violet had spotted the Polar Tang in Blackbeard's sights, to haul the ship forward at all speed.

It had been his first instinct when he'd seen Law, pale as fish belly in the arms of his monstrous crewmate. 

It had been his first instinct when he'd seen Law for the first time, shaking and strapped with explosives.

He took another swig from the bottle.

It had been his first instinct when Rosi had kidnapped him.

All Doffy had wanted was to ride to the rescue.

He'd put the family over his feelings. Doffy was always putting the family over his feelings. When he'd killed his own brother to protect them. When he'd asked Monet to protect them all with the last of her strength. When he'd nearly had to say goodbye to Vergo.

All of it was putting the safety and success of the family over his own feelings.

His fingers shook on the bottle. So Trebol was mad at him? So what. So the rest of the family was confused, and angry. They'd get over it.

Assuming Law didn't kill all of them. Trebol's voice rang in the back of his mind. Law's always been difficult. Unpredictable. Destructive. Out for blood. You can't trust him.

He was right about all of it. Doffy knew that. In concession to 'trust', he'd put a seastone cuff on him, to keep him from lashing out immediately, at least. 

To give Doffy time.

Time to talk Law down. Time to get him to see reason.

He'd done it once before, talked Law down from self-destructing. He wanted to believe that he could do it again. He hadn't had time in Dressrosa, not with the chaos. Not with Straw Hat. Not with the rest of the family dead set on interfering.

But this time. This time he would make time.

This time it wasn't going to end like that night so many years ago with his finger on a trigger, and Trebol's voice telling him that he had to put his feelings aside and protect the family.

He'd heard Doflamingo had escaped Marine custody somehow and taken to the seas again. He'd heard that Viola was with them, too. And that was a hell of a surprise. But he never expected that of all the ships in the Grand Line to swoop in to his rescue, it'd be his.

Now he was here in the belly of the DQ ship, his first mate in traction and his newest crew member the only survivor of the mess that was the last couple days. His men…the crew he'd met piece by piece in the North Blue. Ruffians, a disgruntled mechanic, wannabe back alley doctors and scoundrels… They were precious to him. Family, friends…

Gone in a fucking instant because of Teach and that sick power of his. Law barely had a crew anymore, didn't have a ship; didn't have much in the way of hope.

And now he had to deal with Doflamingo, a man who surely hated his guts enough to want to kill him slowly, rather than just let him sink into the waves. It was like a family reunion in hell, and he was the main course for every member he'd stabbed in the back over the years. 

A sharp knock on the door pulled him out of his reverie. To his surprise, it didn't open immediately afterward.

He jolted, his head snapping up with a sharp hiss. Why? Why didn't they just burst in? It was setting him on edge more than anything else.

"Come in?" 

The door opened, and pink feathers and scarecrow-tall man filled it briefly as Doflamingo swaggered into the room. He looked very little the worse for wear given the last time Law had seen him; beaten and bloodied by Luffy. His habitual sunglasses were as firmly in place as his smile and his coat. The only thing 'new' was the shirt— a white one covered in embroidered marks that at this distance it was difficult to judge if they were meant to be cheetah spots or lipstick kisses.

Law felt a shiver up his spine as he shrank back a little in his cot, his teeth bared in a grimace that was almost a smile as he waved his bangle-clad hand. 

"Shit… and here I thought you'd send one of the others in to soften me up first." 

"Seriously, Law?" Doflamingo drawled. He folded himself awkwardly into the chair that Komurasaki had been occupying, his knees high. "Half of them were trying to convince me to throw you back in the ocean."

Komurasaki, he noticed, had been behind Doflamingo, and was now lingering awkwardly in the doorway of the small room.

Law's eyes flicked to her briefly. He'd told her to stay close…but this was a little closer than he'd expected.

Frankly, he imagined she was sticking around for the 'show' considering how interested she was in his background with Doffy.

"Trust me," Law hissed through his teeth. "I know. I'm not exactly the family's favorite guy, am I?" I'm more surprised you haven't yet, Doflamingo." 

"I'm full of surprises. But the night's still young." He glanced at Komurasaki too, as if thinking the same as Law about her being in the room. "Shall we have some privacy, or do you need a chaperone?"

Law huffed as he curled his legs up towards his chest.

"I don't need a chaperone. She's just curious." He frowned sharply. "...she and Bepo, no matter what else happens, I want you to promise they'll be safe. If you drop me in the ocean, drop them on an island. Okay?" 

Doflamingo put his hand over his heart, and nodded. 

"Promise," he said, and Law knew he meant it. Doflamingo was exactly the type of bastard to always keep his promises. He turned and smiled widely at Komurasaki. "'Saki, why don't you go check on the infirmary while Law and I chat?"

Saki, huh? Doflamingo was always the type of guy to slap a nickname on someone as soon as he could. Once upon a time, Law found it really charming. Part of his 'friendly gang leader' schtick.

Once. Not anymore.

Komurasaki didn't move, catching Law's gaze instead. "Captain?"

There was a flutter of warmth at that. Even when he was essentially a prisoner of a fellow former Warlord, she still looked to him as her captain.

Law ran his hand through his hair with effort and a low hiss. 

"Check on Bepo for me, alright? I'll be alright. He made a promise, he'll stick to it." He gave her his best smile with a wink. "I'll tell ya all about how it went, 'Saki'." 

She nodded, and raised a salute to him— something she'd already picked up on her short time on the Polar Tang. "Aye, captain. Til then."

She didn't wish him luck, but he could tell it was implied.

Once she was out of the door, it snapped closed almost as if by itself. But of course, the glimmer of thread hung in the air between it and Doflamingo's fingers.

Now that his crewmate was out of view, Law's smile turned back into the low-simmering grimace it'd been when Doflamingo first walked in, his eyes lingering on the glimmer of thread and the threat they carried.

"I'm gonna ask again— why haven't you just killed me. Your men want me dead. The family wants me dead. I sure as hell think YOU want me dead after Dressrosa. So what's with this? The cot, taking care of Bepo and Komurasaki. All of it." 

Doflamingo leaned forward, his long arms resting on his knees, his hands together. He was quiet for a long moment, his expression inscrutable behind his scarlet lenses, still smiling, but only subtly.

When he finally spoke, he shrugged. "What can I say, Law? Every time I see you in trouble, I rush in to help."

Law's eyes flicked to the side, away from his sunglasses. Anything but looking him in the eyes. "Forgive me if I don't believe that." 

Doflamingo was quiet again for a long moment, the awkward silence filling the room palpably like heat. Even out of the corner of his eye, Law could see the way his posture shifted and tightened.

"Sure, alright. I'll forgive you for it, even if I don't get it, Law. It's not like I've been trying to save you from yourself since the minute I met you or anything. But sure, you're right, completely out of character for me to pull your ass out of the ocean. I must be drunk and crazy."

Law's eyes snapped back over to Doflamingo, lurching forward with a movement that made his sluggish body reel. 

"Hhhh…" He grit his teeth, bringing himself back to the here and now. "...save me from myself. Yeah, you… you stopped me from killing myself when I was a kid, but…"

But he was doing it to ensure the loyalty of a new pawn in his gang. He collected people and used them up, only for as long as they were useful to him. That's what Rosi had said to him back during their flight through the snow.

And it tracked, didn't it? How many of his underlings got thrown to the wolves the minute they failed? Bellamy, right? He hated the guy but he was undeniably obsessed with Doflamingo's approval and he'd been sent to die.

"But…" 

"But what, Law?" Doflamingo leaned toward him. "We didn't exactly get a lot of time to talk in Dressrosa, what with the deranged lunatic in the hat you brought with you in an apparently sincere attempt to kill me. But we've got all the time in the world now. So go ahead. Unload."

Law's fingers tightened against the sheets as he stared Doflamingo down with narrowed eyes and a low hiss between his teeth. "Rosi told me all about how you operate, that's what." 

Doflamingo slumped back in his chair like a puppet with his strings cut. He stared up at the ceiling, and Law watched as he drew his arms slowly up around himself. 

"Rosi told you. Rosi, the undercover marine, who—" he cut himself off. "Okay, what did Rosi tell you about 'the way I operate'."

"You collect people and use them up," Law murmured. The way Doflamingo was crumpling into himself like that; it reminded Law of the times he'd seen Doflamingo waking up from one of his many nightmares or lost in his own head.

He leaned his chin on his own knee and stared him down. "You make them indebted to you, and use them as long as they're useful. He told me you were going to toss me away the minute I stopped being useful to your 'family'." 

"Oh." Doflamingo's arms wrapped tighter around himself, and he didn't look at Law, just continued to stare up far away at the ceiling for a long moment. "Yeah, I guess Rosi would know all about using family and tossing them away, huh?"

"...." Law's eyes narrowed slightly before he ran his hand through his hair with a low hiss of breath. "Yeah, guess he would."

During their flight from the Donquixote family, hunting for a doctor to cure his illness, he'd figured out pretty early that Rosi was secretly a marine. A marine who infiltrated the family with the intention of taking down his blood brother because of his 'inherent evil' .

At first Law had been furious. It was a betrayal of the closest thing to a home he'd had since his own had burned to the ground among the bodies of the dead. But with each failed attempt at a cure and every horror story about the Donquixotes that Rosi had to tell he'd started to worry it was true.

Hearing Doffy execute his brother had sealed it. If he was willing to kill his brother, then what chance did Law have of staying in his good graces?

The silence hung over them again. Law saw Doflamingo's nails dig into his shoulder until he almost broke the skin. He took a breath that shuddered in his chest.

"So you believed him, huh?" His voice was quiet. He sat up a little straighter, and tugged on threads that appeared between his fingers. "You think that's how I am, and you wanted to avoid being thrown away. I mean, anyone would want to avoid that."

Law stared him down.

"I was dying, Dof..Doflamingo. He saved my life and then you shot him dead. How the hell wouldn't I believe him?" He took a deep and shaky breath and his voice raised louder. "If you killed your own brother for trying to save me, how the hell could I have mattered? How could I trust you wouldn't do the same to me!"

Even as his voice raised he couldn't avoid noticing it….

Doflamingo was uncomfortable. More than that— he was sad. Maybe even hurt. No, strike that…he was absolutely hurt. Because Law didn't trust him? 

Doflamingo froze, his body suddenly more tense than ever. He craned his neck like the kind of large bird that he resembled and stared at Law fully for the first time in minutes.

"I killed him for trying to save you? That's what you believe?" The edges of his lips hitched and twisted into an absolutely awful smile, and he started to giggle. The strings between his fingers went tight, and Law could see them dig little grooves into the flesh of his fingers. "I killed him for trying to save you. Oh. Oh that's…. that's funny."

His shoulders were shaking.

Law felt a sting of embarrassment, and a sick undercurrent of something else…guilt? Anger? It was hard to tell exactly what it was twisting in his guts. 

"...no it's not. You're not laughing either. Not really." He grit his teeth. "You're upset, I can hardly believe it but you're upset." 

Doflamingo looked away again, and Law saw him briefly lift his glasses and wipe his face, before he looked back, still smiling that miserable, grimacing smile.

"Can't imagine why I'd be upset, Law," he said thickly. The strings between his fingers had vanished, and he folded his hands carefully on top of one another. "That fruit you've got, Law. The one my brother fed you. The one you seem to think I killed him over. How'd he get it? How'd he know it existed? Do you know?"

Law shook his head slowly. 

"No…I only know that he had it, and it was the last bet we had after all those fucking doctors he dragged me to did nothing." His fingers tensed against the cot again. He was shaking too, why was he shaking? His eyes felt hot as he grit his teeth again. "I assumed he found out about it from the marines." 

Doflamingo giggled that awful, nasty little giggle again, and he tugged his fingers through his cropped blond hair, pulling on it. "Oh. Oh the marines, that's rich. No, uh. No, Law. He found out from me. When I managed to get in contact with him after he'd disappeared for months. And I told him he could bring you home because I finally found something that could cure you. You know, like I'd been promising you since we brought you in."

Law's eyes widened under the mop of his hair, and he hissed out a sharp. 

"No fucking way…I…I mean..sure you'd always promised but…"

Why would Rosi have gone through everything on that frigid island if it was that simple? Why would Law have been locked in a box and left behind after he'd been shot to death? Was it so he'd get in contact with the Marines?

"...shit, shit!" 

Doflamingo's head fell to rest in his hands. 

"Of course you didn't know. How could you. Well–" he was interrupted briefly by another nervous spasm of giggling. "Well, see it turns out that you know, it would have really blown his cover to eat that fruit and cure you like I wanted him to. So my brother pulled a switcheroo with the navy instead, Law. And that's how I found out. That's how I found out that the brother I'd lost appeared back into my life with nothing in his heart but a desire to destroy me and the family I'd spent years making."

Law looked up at him and saw that his glasses had slipped down on his nose and part of his scarred eye was exposed. "That's how I found out he was selling us all out to the Navy. When he stole the fruit I found to cure you."

Law stared deep into his eye, his gaze lingering on the scar for a moment as he tensed on the bed. "...when he stole the fruit you found to cure me and gave it to me instead. And had me deliver a message to the Navy for him." 

He kept giggling, staring down at the floor with his one good eye, the other hazy and pale and unseeing, the flesh around it a mass of shiny scar tissue. "Had you deliver a message, huh? Is that why we never found you?"

"Probably, it was Vergo who intercepted me though," Law looked down and away from his eyes. That uncomfortable feeling was writhing in him again, unplaceable…guilt? Maybe it was guilt after all.

"I ran away after that and found my crew." 

"What a night," Doflamingo giggled. "What a fucking cursed night. Oh that's too much, really. So, uh, no, Law, I didn't kill my brother for trying to save you. I killed him because when he stole the fruit I was trying to save you with, he exposed himself for a traitor who was trying to destroy the family."

Law let his head drop onto his knee, hiding his face in his arms as he started to laugh too. "Hah! Yeah, guess that would make sense, wouldn't it? Rosi the traitor, or Rosi the martyr. He was the reason I had to get revenge. All these fucking years of fighting against you were because of him as thanks for saving me." 

"How noble. In your usual chaotic way." He giggled roughly again for a moment before he fell quiet, almost bent double in the chair. The small room was chokingly thick with silence.

"I…ah…" He tightened around himself, glancing up at Doflamingo over his knees. What the hell was he supposed to say? Was he supposed to believe Doflamingo? Of course not— but at the same time…

He looked genuinely surprised and even hurt. More than he'd looked when Law had shown back up with the intent to kill him too.

"I'm starting to think maybe you shoulda just left me in the ocean," he laughed bitterly, muffled by his arms.

"I was advised to do that, repeatedly," Doflamingo said quietly. "That if I let you live, you'd hurt the family again. Like in Dressrosa. Like—"

He cut himself off and stared miserably– miserably!-- at the floor again. It was obvious what he had been about to say though.

Like Rosi.

"I bet you were. They hate me, after all," Law laughed sharply. 

This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Rosi's painted picture of his brother was of a heartless tyrant. A man 'born evil' or some shit that Law didn't really believe. Someone who wouldn't be getting miserable, even melancholy about the idea of Law planting another dagger in his and the family's backs.

"I can't blame them. The family and I haven't been on good terms for a while." 

"No," Doflamingo agreed. "Your girl, Komurasaki. Had her stay in the room the whole time in case Baby 5 decided she needed to smother you with a pillow to protect me."

"...Yeah. That tracks," Law laughed again, pressing his hand to his face. "Baby's proactive like that, ain't she? I bet she's frothing at the mouth about this." 

"She's not alone. Everyone's pretty fucking pissed about Dressrosa, Law," he said thickly. "I can't say I'm thrilled. About that, or about Punk Hazard.."

The way his posture tightened again, Law almost would think Doflamingo himself was more upset about the latter than the former. Not surprising, perhaps, considering Law had found out that Monet had died there. And had been surprised to learn that Vergo had survived. Barely.

"Y-yeah, I can imagine why, Doflamingo."

He hissed softly through his teeth at the memory. He'd played his hand, made his gambit and it hadn't gone exactly how he planned it. Too many factors, too much chaos. It blew up into something worse than he could have ever anticipated.

"Punk Hazard…" he started to say, before he stopped himself and just rested his head in his arms. "nevermind." 

Doflamingo looked up at him over his own arms. "Punk Hazard what?"

"It got out of hand," he muttered under his breath. "...I was supposed to destroy the SMILE production and get out. But then the fucking Marines appeared, along with Luffy and his crew and it just…"

His voice shook a little as he murmured. "It just got outta hand. I didn't expect Caesar to go right for a killing blow when I switched Smoker and Monet's hearts. I thought he'd…he'd notice in time to stop. And Vergo woulda killed me if I didn't go all out." 

"It got out of hand," he huffed. It led into a giggle and he shook his head. "Well, we all know how it can be when things get out of hand."

Before Law could answer, Doflamingo took another deep, shuddering breath through his oversized chest and straightened up, squaring his shoulders and pushing up his glasses.

"Give it to me straight, Doc. Do I have to kill you? Are you going to try to hurt me or my family again?"

Despite the change in posture, Law could see that he was more nervous than ever. His hands were shaking.

Law was shaking too. He could feel his arms shaking against his legs as he looked up at Doflamingo with a weak smile. 

"I quit. My whole revenge plan's long gone to shit, Doffy. Who knows if it ever really meant anything or was worth it at all." He shook his head and he smiled grimly. "I'm at your fucking mercy, but I don't have it in me to fight you anymore. I won't hurt the family again… I've just lost everything I built. I couldn't even if I wanted to." 

Doflamingo smiled grimly back at him, and stood up. 

"Hey, never say never. I've seen you do more with less. But. Good. I'm glad to hear that." He paced awkwardly over to the side of the bed. "I didn't want to kill you, Law. I spent to fucking long trying to save your damned life. You wanna go check on your bear friend?"

He reached a hand down to him.

Law stared at his hand for a moment, his lips twitching into the approximation of a smile before he sluggishly took it. 

"...yeah. I've been worried about the poor guy. I mean, if I'm not careful Sugar might decide to steal him away as a living stuffed animal." He grimaced as he tried to stand on weakened legs. "I'm gonna have trouble walking as long as this bangle's on me"

Doflamingo didn't want to kill him…even after everything? It was unbelievable. Almost unbelievable. Before he left the family, he always did seem rather intent on saving Law from his disease— and from his own despair.

Was it possible that had never changed?

"I'll help you walk," he said, pulling Law up easily and smoothly out of bed. His large hands were slightly clammy on Law's skin— he'd been sweating. "I'm not taking it off of you until everyone's a little less fucking jumpy."

Law stood, supported by Doflamingo's hands as he took a soft breath and a tentative step.

"Probably for the best, given everyone's likely looking for an excuse to put a bullet between my eyes." He gave him a weak smile, conflicted feelings still stirring inside him. "Glad that you're not one of them."

It wasn't the worst case scenario; not like he'd feared anyway. He wasn't going to be executed. Doflamingo even seemed willing to take care of him and what remained of his crew for the moment. Genuinely, if his nervous sweating and the painful to witness emotion that'd been written on his face were anything to go by.

It was the worst case scenario in a different way. 

The gnawing, writhing worry in his gut that all the blood, death, and chaos in the last few years had been for nothing but a fucking misunderstanding. 

She lit another cigarette, eyes closed. In her opinion, they deserved better than an asshole like Law. Part of her, an awful part, was happy to see him again. They'd grown up together. For a long time she was pretty sure he was the one who was gonna make her feel 'needed' for the rest of her life. 

But he wasn't. He stabbed her and everyone else who loved him in the heart and ran off to go become a grumpy dipshit with a grudge that nobody in the family understood.

"Tch." She stuck the cigarette between her lips and started smoking again while glaring at the Heart Pirates insignia on the bear's jumpsuit. "Maybe we should convince these two to join up…"

The sound of the door clicking open caught her attention and pulled her out of her reverie. Speak of the devil, there was Komurasaki, in her dress borrowed from Violet, walking with purpose into the room.

Baby had turned sharply, smoke trailing behind her as she held up her hands only briefly in a combat stance until she noticed the other woman. Her hands lowered, fingers shifting back from a series of sharpened daggers into normal fingers as she waved with a grin.

"Well, well, if it ain't Miss Saki. Wano brings you here?" She winked playfully at her. 

Komurasaki paused mid-stride and seemed to repeat the phrase under her breath. "Ah, I'm sorry?"

Baby 5 took a drag off her cigarette, arms crossing under the ruffles of her maid dress. "...w-wano brings you here? Like 'what brings you here'. And you're from Wano, right? It was a joke, miss Komurasaki!" 

"But that doesn't–" she paused and giggled. "Ah, I see. Good joke Miss Baby 5. And how have you been since I saw you last?"

They hadn't spoken extensively yet, but Komurasaki was gracious and charming every time– and now it seemed she even remembered her name!

It brought a huge smile to Baby's face. So often people forgot. Even some of her prospective boyfriends forgot her name before Doflamingo torched their houses to the ground. She shuffled from foot to foot as she took the cigarette from her lips and bowed her head respectfully.

"Thanks~ I've been alright. Bored outta my mind, admittedly." She gestured to the sleeping Bepo with her cigarette. "I'm used to more active jobs, and this guy's been snoring for hours now. Not exactly the king of conversation, you feel me?" 

"I have to admit that does sound rather dreary," Komurasaki agreed, glancing over at the snoring bear. "Though snoring is technically an improvement, isn't it?"

"Yep!" Baby 5 said as she popped the cigarette back between her lips and fished in her apron pocket for the pack. "It means he ain't dead! He's just sleepy. A sleepy bear. Sugar thinks he's adorable and keeps trying to sneak in."

She held out the pack with a grin. "Wanna smoke, gorgeous?" It dawned on her suddenly that she didn't even know if the woman smoked, or had some kind of aversion to it. "Wait, do you even smoke? Shit, sorry, forgot to ask that first before offering." 

Komurasaki smiled beautifully. "I do, though not as a habit. I was about to ask what kind of herbs you were smoking in fact. I'm very curious what they smoke outside of Wano. It smells quite peppery."

Baby 5 turned it around, taking a sniff of the smoke as it drifted off the burning cherry of the cigarette. "...Huh. You know I guess I would describe the taste as kinda peppery, now that I think about it."

She tapped one out and flipped it in her fingers to offer to the other woman. "It's mostly tobacco, mixed with some clove for flavor. Whatta they smoke in Wano?" 

"Oh a few different herbs. Poppy is very popular, and expensive." She came closer to Baby 5 until their shoulders brushed. She made it obvious as she sniffed the smoke in the air, and took the cigarette from her, putting it to her lips.

Baby 5's fingertip changed to the muzzle of a flamethrower, which she carefully raised so the 'igniting' flame just touched the end of Komurasaki's cigarette, catching it alight before her hand returned to normal.

She felt herself flushing a little with the proximity, her smile lopsided as she tilted her head to the side "Poppy, huh? What's that taste like? I don't think I've ever had a poppy cigarette." 

"Oh no, it's smoked in pipes," she explained before taking a careful puff of the lit cigarette. "A powder. It has a rather sweet taste."

Baby watched her curiously with wide, dark eyes, curious if she'd like it as she took a long drag of her own. 

"Huh, actually onna the ladies of Cross Guild smokes a pipe with powders exclusively. Wonder if she's smoking poppy too…how's the cigarette? It's Dressrosan." 

Komurasaki took another long lungfull, her painted lips pursed around the tip of the cigarette in an admittedly alluring way. "It's peppery, like it smells," she said, blowing the smoke out softly. "And there's a lovely, tingling excited feeling."

Baby 5's face heated up a little more. Alluring was the right word for it. She was a real gorgeous lady. How the hell had Law the Traitor of all people managed to snag a gorgeous crewmate like that?

"That's probably the nicotine. Honestly, that excited feeling's why I smoke them pretty much all the time. Gives me that rush before a fight! That and the habit of it, of course… been smoking like this since I was a girl."

She tentatively bumped the woman's shoulder in a gesture she hoped came across as playful and friendly. 

Komurasaki chuckled and bumped her back, returning the gesture in its spirit. She took another little puff. "Ah, the habit, of course. I'll be mindful of it. It's lovely though– thank you for sharing."

She turned her soft, glowing smile on Baby 5.

Baby 5 felt pinned by the smile and the woman's bright eyes. That was one hell of a powerful smile. 

"A-anytime! I mean it. Anytime you want one lemme know, as long as you're hanging around the family." She flashed a smile of her own, hardly a proper counter for Miss Komurasaki's. "I'd like to make you feel welcome while your captain's convalescing under the young master's care." 

And after he either died, or— she couldn't fathom it, but— begged them for forgiveness. It was a maid's duty, right? And she was kind of a maid. "Helps that you're pretty cute for a Heart Pirate."

Komurasaki laughed a bell-like little laugh. "Oh I don't think you could possibly mean that, but I'm very flattered. Obviously between the two of us, Bepo's the cute one."

Baby 5 glanced between Bepo and Komurasaki for a moment, appraisingly. "Hmmm…" 

"Hmm? Oh! Look!" Komurasaki pointed as Baby 5 looked between them, and she noticed that the bear mink had stopped snoring, and his eyes were open.

"Well now I can't say shit or I'm gonna look rude." Baby 5 huffed a breath, running her hand through her hair. "Shiiiiit. I had a whole line about bears and angels lined up and now I ca—"

She paused for a moment as the significance of Bepo waking up finally hit. "oh shit, oh fuck. I gotta go tell the young master!" 

"Please, don't stop on my account," Bepo murmured, waving his paw. "Komurasaki— where's Law?"

Komurasaki smiled at Baby 5, and put a hand on her shoulder in a steadying fashion before she walked over to where Bepo was laying. "He's here, Bepo. He woke up just earlier."

Baby 5 watched the two of them. Those two were the only two from Law's crew to survive as far as she could tell. The mink and the girl from Wano, who he couldn't have possibly had on his crew for very long given the shit she'd heard.

She hung back, letting Komurasaki field it as she calmed herself with relaxing nicotine and watched them talk. How would the mink take hearing Law was here among his former family? Would he take it as well as Komurasaki seemed to have?

Baby couldn't bear to interrupt, even if she chuckled a little internally at her wordplay. So she left the two of them to their devices by the cot as she leaned on the wall like the guard she was needed to be. 

It was only a couple of minutes before the door clicked open again and the young master walked in. His expression was perturbed, not his usual moonish smile, though he looked less distressed than he had for the last couple of days. Law entered just behind him.

"I see we got here right on time," Doffy said.

Baby 5 dipped into a deep bow, curtsying her skirts as she did. 

"Welcome back, young master~~" She rose with a smile that stiffened when she saw Law with him. "And yo. If it ain't the traitor, too. What's up?"

Law looked utterly exhausted and beaten to hell. His expression was utterly familiar as he turned his eyes to her and sighed."It's nice to see you too, Baby 5. Can I see Bepo?" 

Bepo sat up immediately— and looked like he regretted it just as immediately. "Captain!"

Doffy put his hand on Baby 5's shoulder. "Let's give them some space, Baby 5. Thank you for watching our patient so dutifully."

Baby 5 melted at the praise, her eyes practically sparkling as she flashed a wide grin that threatened to drop her cigarette from her painted lips. "Of course, young master! I did my best. The company helped!"

She glanced sidelong as Law hurried past to Komurasaki and Bepo's side, bending over the cot with visible difficulty from the sea-stone and smiling sadly down at his crewmate. Maybe he did deserve a little space. Not because of what he'd done or… any of it…

But the feeling of losing a crewmate was never easy. 

"I see you and 'Saki are getting along well," Doffy said after he had pulled her out into the corridor and away from the door a few paces. Some of his smile had returned to his face.

Baby startled a little at the statement, catching her cigarette before it fell. 

"I mean, yeah." She flashed a wide smile of her own in return. "She's a real interesting girl, Doffy. She's come around a few times over the last couple days and we got to talkin'."

"She does seem interesting. I think I like her." He shifted to put his arm around her, some of his weight relaxing on her.

"Yeah, I like her too, sir." Baby 5 leaned into him with a lopsided grin, looking up and into his sunglasses. "I've been hoping she doesn't gotta leave soon. I was kinda hoping to get to know her a little better… maybe invite her for a drink. I already shared a cigarette with her, an' she told me about how they smoke poppy in Wano."

God dammit, he was babbling again. She could tell she was babbling, just going on and on and on like she always did when she started to get flustered.

Doffy's smile shined a little brighter. "Help me get a drink, Baby 5, and tell me all about it."

Baby 5 ducked into another deep bow. "Right away, Young Master!" 

Anything if it meant getting a drink in her too before she made a fool of herself.

-

Law had lingered behind Doflamingo when the door to the infirmary opened, not exactly keen to show the man his back just yet while he was still on edge. Just past the feathered coat, he could see Komurasaki and Bepo, now awake and sitting up, while Baby 5 smoked one of her ever-present cigarettes near the wall.

His heart skipped a beat. Bepo was awake— he was alright. Law's battered spirit lifted, just a little, at the sight of his first mate's open eyes. He couldn't help the thin smile on his face that vanished when Baby 5's almost-justified and absolutely expected vitriol entered their exchange.

He sighed, before Doffy said they should have some time alone. Law watched Baby 5 give one last wave to Komurasaki for some reason before she scampered out of the room with the sauntering Doflamingo, before he turned his attention to Bepo and Komurasaki. 

"...shit…Bepo, buddy! I'm so fucking happy to see you're alright!"

Komurasaki– who was smoking a cigarette– took a polite step away as Bepo held out his big, furry arms to pull Law into an immediate hug, a growl almost like a purr deep in his chest.

Law squeezed him tightly, heat stinging the back of his eyes as he squeezed him tighter. 

"Fuck, I was scared I was gonna lose you too, big guy! I…" He sniffed and thumped his back as Bepo nuzzled him. "Shit… thanks for saving us." 

Bepo made a choked noise, his hug almost, but not quite, crushing. It was a good thing Law didn't have any broken ribs. "I couldn't get everybody. Wasn't big enough. Didn't have enough arms…"

"I know. I know… I wish I coulda swam too, so we could have grabbed the rest but—" He squeezed him tighter. "You got some of us, we'll– we'll make sure the others are remembered. We'll get revenge for 'em." 

"I'm just glad I got you," he growled thickly. "And someone plucked us up. I was at my limit…"

It sounded like Bepo didn't know exactly who had picked them up yet. That wasn't surprising. He'd never seen Doflamingo in person, and probably had barely noticed him in the room, anyway.

Law squeezed him tighter.

 "Y-yeah. That drug takes a toll. But you did good, Bepo. We tried our best but the bastard Teach got the drop on us." He took a deep breath, the bangle strange and uncomfortable on his wrist. "About who picked us up…it's kinda…difficult news." 

"Difficult?" Bepo cocked his head, his soft, dark eyes looking at him cautiously.

Komurasaki interrupted. "Captain, should I be here for this, or should I, too, give you and Bepo some space?"

"Lemme break the news to him, 'Saki. Then we'll figure out our next step together, yeah?" 

She nodded. "I'll be right outside, captain."

And then they were alone, and Bepo turned his soulful gaze on Law again.

"So I know the guys who picked us up pretty well…" Law said with a lopsided half smile. It didn't show in his eyes. "...and they ain't Kid or Luffy." 

The concern grew in Bepo's gaze. "I'm listening. Are we in trouble? Out of the frying pan, captain?"

Law glanced over his shoulder at the door.

"In a fashion." "The good news is they're not gonna kill us. In fact, it seems like their captain's been insisting that we stay alive, despite some reservations. I think he wants...well.." He shook his head. "What he wants can wait. We're on the ship of the Donquixote pirates, Bepo." 

Bepo rarely raised his voice, but "The Donquixote Pirates?!" leapt out of his voicebox at a roar before he grimaced and covered his muzzle in embarrassment, finally releasing his grip on Law's ribs. 

With his paws over his face he stared at Law in a mixture of concern and horror.

"Yeah. That guy I walked in with? That's Doflamingo. That girl who was clearly trying to flirt with Komurasaki? That's Baby 5. We grew up together. This whole crew is staffed by the Donquixote family." 

Bepo swallowed thickly, and moved to paw Law over, possibly checking for wounds. "Alright. How do we get off the ship?"

Law shook his head. 

"For the moment we ain't. We're in the middle of the ocean without a ship, I've got a seastone bangle so I don't… as they told Komurasaki 'go on a killing spree the minute I find out whose ship it is', and we've got no log pose or anything. We're on this ship until it makes landfall at least."

He grimaced. He'd called it a nightmare scenario. The kind of thing he rallied against for almost ten years. In Rosi's name he'd formed his pirate crew, and built it for the sole purpose of getting revenge on Doflamingo Donquixote. 

But now that purpose was dead— had been dead since the end of their stint in Wano. And Doflamingo, to the dismay of the family, was trying to 'rescue' him again. 

"...Doflamingo at least seems genuine in his attempt to rescue us, too. He spoke with just a few minutes ago about it. Seems he's kind of bent out of shape about how things ended with us." 

Bepo stared at him, his padded hand around the seastone bangle on his wrist now. "You're kidding. Doflamingo? The man you spent years telling us you were going to destroy because he was a monster? The one who's kingdom you did destroy like, a month ago, captain?"

The mink's always quiet and careful voice was quieter than usual, and he kept sneaking glances at the door behind Law. "He's the one who rescued us? And it's genuine?"

Law smiled weakly. 

"Yeah heh. Funny how that works. The man was genuinely nervous when we were chatting. Nervous that, I dunno, I was going to lash out and try to off him and he'd have to kill me, maybe." He glanced off to the side. "He gave his perspective on the thing I called him a monster about. And if he's being honest, there's been maybe a bit of a…a miscommunication." 

"Didn't seem like much of a miscommunication to me, to hear you talk about it," Bepo grumbled, sitting up more fully. He put his fuzzy hand on the sea-stone cuff again. "Has he done something to you? Is he threatening you with something?"

Law smiled at Bepo. Stalwart, protective, he was the best first mate a man could ask for. There were few people he trusted to have his back as much as Bepo… in navigation as much as in battle. 

"He hasn't threatened me with nothin', the only thing he's done is slap this annoying cuff on me to keep my powers sealed till 'people are less worked up'. " He chuckled and leaned his cheek against the back of Bepo's furry paw. "He says that he was the guy heading to the island to buy the fruit that Rosi stole for me. That he was gonna use it to heal me before Rosi took it and tried to sell out his organization to the marines." 

"Forgive me for saying so, Law," he grumbled as he leaned against him. "But that sounds like it could easily be a big fat lie."

"It could be," Law glanced towards the door. "...I can't take anything at face value here, and I'm gonna be looking for ways to verify it, somehow, but the important thing is right now we're guests of the ship. I promised him I wasn't gonna hurt the family, and he promised that he wouldn't hurt me." 

Bepo took a deep, rumbly breath and nodded. "Alright, captain. You know I'll follow your lead. But… I'm pretty wary here."

He gave Law a look that reminded him he was all Bepo had left.

Law felt the sting of tears in his eyes. Bepo had been there from the very start. Since he'd saved him from men who'd ironically become their best friends and crewmates in short order. The whole crew of the Polar Tang, save for them and their newest member of only a few days, had been sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

The reminder struck home and leaked down his cheek as a line of tears "I know, Bepo. But you got my word as your captain we ain't gonna lose anyone else. You're not gonna lose me." 

Bepo wrapped his paws around him again and pulled him close. "I'm holding you to that."

-

Doffy felt a little bit better with some more wine in him, and a couple of puffs off of Baby 5's cigarette, before he'd sent her off to take care of a minor errand. He sat alone in the galley for the moment. He'd needed some space. A moment to clear his head. The whole family had been hovering around him for the past two days. Not that he could blame them, not that he didn't appreciate it. He did. But.

He was sure he was coming off as exactly what he was— a nervous wreck— and he was sure they'd all misinterpret it.

Law was on the ship. He'd let Doffy talk to him. He hadn't immediately tried to kill him. Of course, he could be scheming behind his back. That's what everyone thought, surely.

It was probably even the truth. Law had schemed behind his back for years. Law had destroyed Dressrosa. Law had gotten family members killed and tried to kill him.

And Doflamingo still didn't want to kill him.

He took another slug of wine, and set the bottle down too hard.

"Careful not to break the bottle, Doffy," it was amazing how quiet Vergo could be for such a large man and it seemed at some point in his brooding he'd entered the bar and stood just off center behind Doflamingo. 

Doflamingo glanced up at him, and self-consciously picked up the bottle again, taking another swig, before putting it protectively between his legs.

"What if I feel like breaking it?" he giggled, crossing his arms. "Come on, sit with me, Vergo."

Sure, he was kind of hiding from the family a bit, but it was never not a relief to see Vergo. Not after they'd spent so long apart. Not after Vergo had almost died.

At Law's hands.

Doffy took another drink.

Vergo sat beside him, and the reassuring weight of his hand rested against his back. 

"Then break away, I ain't gonna stop you. But you're gonna waste valuable booze that you seem pretty content drinking down instead." He chuckled, bumping his shoulder "Doffy, you know your secrets can stay with me, yeah?"

"I know." Doffy bumped his shoulder in return and leaned heavily against him. He coiled little strings around Vergo's fingers and tugged his hand up from his back onto his shoulder. "Law's awake. I talked to him."

"Ahhh…" Vergo nodded knowingly as he looped his arm around Doflamingo and reached for a drink himself. "You actually talked to him, huh? One on one?" 

Doffy passed him the bottle from between his legs. It was still half full. "One on one, yeah. Nobody even came and interrupted."

Not like in Dressrosa, when everything had been chaos, and literally on fire, and Law was trying to kill him, and even Doffy's brain had been screaming at him without a moment's rest.

"Things ain't as big a mess as they were last time, even with the kid's sunken ship," Vergo agreed. "...what'd he have to say for himself?" 

"He said Punk Hazard 'got out of hand'," Doffy mumbled, leaning heavily into Vergo's arm, and resting his head on his shoulder. "And… Rosi lied to him, Vergo. Told him all kinds of lies. Of course he did, right? He didn't even know where Rosi got the fucking fruit from."

Vergo sighed roughly, rubbing his shoulder.

"Got outta hand. Yeah I'd fucking say it did…and as for Rosi, I'd believe it." His eyes narrowed. "...he lied for years about his ability to speak, didn't he? About all kinds of things. Stands to reason he'd lie to Law about you and the fruit." 

"Lied and lied and lied. All without saying a fucking word to me." Doffy shook his head. "Law actually seemed… pretty shaken up when I told him."

He remembered the way Law's eyes had widened under his mop of hair. The sharp "shit… shit!" from his lips, as if he was really shocked. As if he'd never questioned it in all these years.

Vergo rubbed his shoulder and poured himself a healthy glass before raising it to his lips. 

"Yeah I bet he was. He was pretty shaken when I saw him that day too, when I intercepted Rosi's little message to the marines. He's probably had Rosi's words burned in his mind for the last fuckin' decade." 

Doffy took the bottle back when Vergo was done with it, and took a swig straight from it again. "Fucking hell. Yeah. Said he spent all these years trying to fuck me over as thanks to Rosi for saving him. Saving him. Which of course was what he thought the reason I killed Rosi was. For trying to save him."

He put the bottle down again-– just barely avoiding another heavy thump at the last moment.

"..............fucking shit, you're kidding me." Vergo rubbed his shoulder again with a huff of breath, and took another long sip. "He wanted to destroy us…'cause Rosi 'saved him' and you killed him for it. In Rosi's words, of course." 

Doffy leaned into Vergo's touch eagerly, like a cat in need of attention. Honestly he was desperately in need of attention. A backrub wouldn't have gone amiss with the way all of his muscles felt knotted and tense. Maybe later…

"In Rosi's words," Doffy croaked. "He had months. Months to fucking poison Law's head with lies. I should have fucking done something sooner. If I had done something differently, anything…"

Vergo practically tugged him over to press up against his side, resting his temple against Doflamingo's shoulder. 

"Then maybe it coulda been averted, yeah…but the thing is Doffy…" He chuckled grimly. "There's a lotta what ifs. If I didn't take your assignment to the Marines, things woulda gone different too. If I'd noticed Rosi was a rat sooner…but you can't change the past, right?" 

He turned, smiling at him in his charming way. It was maybe a little undermined by the spoon that'd somehow suction cupped to his beard… or maybe started to melt into him with his powers. 

The absurdity of the spoon. The strength of Vergo's charming smile. The sheer reassuring weight of his arm around him, and the sense in his words. All of it was enough to relieve at least a little of Doffy's burdened thoughts.

He took a deep breath and sighed. "You're right. Of course you're fucking right. Can't change the past, just have to deal with what's in front of you."

Vergo nodded and rubbed his hand down Doffy's back. 

"Damn right, boss. So…what's the play…are you gonna try to swing him back to us?" 

Doffy let out a soft little laugh at the question and flopped his head against Vergo's shoulder again. "I'm transparent, am I?"

"Like paper," Vergo agreed…though with something not particularly transparent, admittedly. 

It made Doffy laugh. Anyway, it wasn't a bad comparison, in its way. Doflamingo was fairly sure he was completely fucking inscrutable to most people. But Vergo knew how to hold him up to the light and see through him.

"Well fuck," he chuckled. "Yeah. I'm gonna try. Would you be alright with that?"

Doflamingo ordered people around constantly. Habitually. But not his executives. Not Vergo. They were a team. A family. For thirty years. He needed to know Vergo would be alright with it.

He remembered Dressrosa again, with Trebol holding Law down and trying to convince Doffy to kill him, and Law shouting dreck about how Doflamingo didn't care about any of them…

Rosi had put it all in his head.

"I've got your back like always, Doffy," Vergo gave him his wan smile again, leaning on his hand. "...If you think Law'll see reason, then I'm more than alright with it. We let Vi come back home, after all." 

"We did." Doffy nodded, remembering that reunion too. There had been jagged edges, but they'd fit back together, almost like they were never broken. She'd come back. She'd come back on her own, without anyone trying to convince her. It was enough for Doffy to think, maybe sometimes a betrayal could be forgiven, if someone wanted to be.

Hell, had Law even betrayed them, if he'd been led astray?

"I want to try Vergo," he said, quietly, finishing off the bottle of wine. "Trebol will tell me I'm being childish and naive, I know. He already let me have it. But damn it, if I have to kill him, what was the point in any of it, Vergo? What was the point in taking him in?"

He'd had to kill Rosi. After everything he'd done for him. It had made all the things in their history seem like nothing more than broken threads.

He didn't want to feel like that again.

"I dunno, Doffy. Maybe there wouldn't be a point, if you did. Just another tragic end on the Grand Line," He raised his glass to his lips. "Trebol's a good man, but he thinks too far in the future and tries not to be muddled down by emotion. But I don't. I think we've got a chance here to avoid another Rosi situation. I say we take it." 

Law glanced over at Bepo and Komurasaki with a nod "I'll be back, alright?"

He started to stand with difficulty, hissing a soft breath before he stood up straight and gave Doflamingo a half wave. "Yeah, sounds good to me." 

Doflamingo waited for him at the door, and put a hand on his back to steady him as he arrived. Law was well aware of the dubious look from Bepo as he left the door. The door clicked closed behind them.

"How's your friend?" Doflamingo asked. It was perhaps not the question Law had expected.

"He's doing alright. The drug he took activates an artificial sulong state. Takes a toll on the body, you know? He just had to sleep it off, especially after hauling me and Komurasaki through the open ocean till you guys found us. A bit of rest and he's good as ever." 

"I'm glad to hear it." Doflamingo was smiling. It wasn't exactly a relaxed smile, but it wasn't the twisted giggling grimace from when they'd talked in the room. "He was out for two days, same as you were. I'm betting he's hungry. And you are too."

Law was suddenly uncomfortably aware of just how hungry he was.

He grimaced, his hand slung over his middle. 

"Yeah. Two days out like a light will do that to you, huh?" He closed one eye with a low chuckle. "you wouldn't happen to have a bit of extra food in the galley, would you?" 

"Plenty, in fact," Doflamingo said. Law was aware that his hand was still on Law's back. To steady him. "It's almost mealtime. Komurasaki's eaten with us already, and Bepo's welcome at the table. However…"

He gave Law an inscrutable, speculative look behind his shades.

Law felt himself flushing, almost uncomfortably under his stare, with the contact. He raised his eyebrow. "...and Komurasaki's doing well. So I know the food's safe. However?" 

"It's a bit tricky bringing you to dinner with everybody right away, Law. Eat with me in my cabin."

Law stared at him for a long moment. He failed to dismiss the thought that this had gone from a fairly 'normal' semi-kidnapping to the start of some trashy novel in a Loguetown bookstore for barmaids and housewives.

'Eat with me in my cabin, goes the evil pirate captain'. He shooed away the thought with a glance off to the side. 

"I mean, I don't want Baby 5 to try putting a live grenade in my soup, so..." 

Doflamingo nodded. "Yeah, that's exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to avoid. Let your crew know, and then come on with me. 'Saki knows where to go."

She'd really taken to things in the two days he was out. That at least was almost a relief— in a way. His nerves pinging with the idea of a dinner alone with Doflamingo, just the two of them in such a close proximity, he opened the door and gave his crew a smile and an update on the situation.

Bepo, he was sure, was certainly feeling a little incredulous with the whole thing. He couldn't blame him…he told Komurasaki to show him the way to the galley before he slumped down the hall with his hands in his borrowed pockets after Doflamingo. 

Komurasaki's borrowed clothes might have tipped Law off almost as soon as he'd seen her, but he'd hardly had time to take stock of his own, and finally did so as Doflamingo led him through the ship. The shirt was too big on him, with the sleeves carefully rolled up. The pants bore the hallmarks of having been hastily taken in. He could feel the extra fabric sewn down on the inner seams. It wasn't that much of a surprise. Most of the Donquixote Pirates ran a lot larger than Law was even now that he was older.

He could only imagine exactly who's hand-me-downs he'd been shoved in while he was passed out for two damn days. At least they'd made a pretty admirable effort to get them to fit. Still, he fell into step just behind Doflamingo, tugging at one of his rolled up sleeves. 

Doflamingo noticed, as he paused at the largest, most impressive looking door Law had seen on the ship yet, and pushed it open. "Sorry we didn't exactly have anything more in your size. Your clothes should be dry by now, I think."

"It's fine," Law chuckled darkly. "They're gonna need a wash to get the saltwater out. And these are— they ain't bad for now... are they Vergo's?"

He leaned over to peer into the room, scoping it out, not just as a precaution, but with genuine curiosity.

"Well done." Doflamingo followed him into the room and closed the door. "How'd you guess?"

Doflamingo's cabin reminded Law of the old days in the North Blue. There was a small table that was already covered with dishes, a writing desk with a couple of books open on it, as well as a couple of tone dials, and a bookcase beside it. The bed was covered in a mishmash of cushions in conflicting, garish and bright patterns, and the bedspread was neon tiger print. The rug under Law's bare feet was soft and plush… and similarly garish. In the corner there was a pair of armchairs, hugely oversized for Law, but comfortable for Doflamingo and the kind of company he kept. There was a book open on one of the chairs too. Law immediately recognized the cover as a collection of Sora comics.

It was nostalgic, almost. The kind of familiar sight he used to see back when he was younger. Doflamingo and him had read the Sora comics together, sparking a lingering interest in the piece's villains. He'd let him listen to the tone dials, strange and miraculous inventions from the sky islands of the Grand Line that let you play back music as much as you wanted.

But it'd been over ten years since then. It was nice to see the man hadn't exactly changed. He eased in, walking over towards the writing desk to lean over it, looking down at the tone dials with a shake of his head. 

"Hell of a cabin as always, Doflamingo." He glanced up. "And I guessed because he's one of the only guys who dresses like this who's anywhere near my size. Sure as hell isn't one of Derringer's. It'd be showin' a lot more leg." 

Doflaming giggled. "And not just because of Derringer's taste. He's still even smaller than you are."

He swaggered over to the dinner table and threw his coat over the back of one of the chairs, before pulling out the other.

Derringer had barely been out of his toddler years the last time Law had seen him before Dressrosa.

Of all the places he was expecting to see the fishman years later, kicking men to death in high heels while tittering like a schoolgirl in Dressrosa's colosseum was not one of them.

Law took a seat with a low laugh. "...too true. So yeah. Vergo was the obvious choice."

Doflamingo giggled and settled himself in his own chair across the small table. "Well, you got it in one. I'd have lent mine but we don't exactly have the same taste in fashion, do we?

He took the covers off of the couple dishes and it was another almost-nostalgic kind of moment. They were at sea, so there were no fresh greens, but it was the same kind of fare he'd eaten with them as a child, pasta in creamy sauce garnished with peas and carrots, fish and shellfish. There were a couple of bottles of wine at the table.

It'd all clearly been set out ahead of time. This wasn't some spur of the moment thing. Unlike those days a decade ago, these familiar meals weren't set out in front of a dozen hungry pirates. They weren't eaten amidst the raucous chatter of a bunch of runaways and thieves.

Buffalo and Baby 5 weren't trying to steal bites of his pasta to mess with him.

It was just him and Captain Doflamingo Donquixote, dinner, and bottles of wine.

"Yeah, I think I'd actually drown in your coat, Doffy." he said dryly, before he looked down at the table. "...you really went all out here, didn't you?" 

"Not really." He shrugged, grabbing one of the bottles of wine and uncorking it. "It's just what the family's eating in the galley, but I said I was going to eat in my room."

"I'm lucky we're not having anything with bread today then," he chuckled quietly, before he made to shift food to his plate, looking up at Doflamingo just in case. "It takes me back, I'll say that much." 

Doflamingo didn't stop him– he was pouring wine into glasses for each of them, and made his own plate afterward. It seemed table manners were the same casual ones as ever, too.

"I just didn't bother to have them send any bread down. You never ate it, it just got thrown across the table."

He snorted softly. 

"Yeah I ah…I'm not good with bread. I got some bad memories with it and they stuck with me." Eating moldy, half decayed, stale bread to survive in a village of corpses did wonders for souring him on the stuff for life. He grimaced, before he shook the memory away and pointed towards Doflamingo with his fork. "...thanks." 

"No problem." Doflamingo pointed his own fork back at Law, and then twirled it in his fingers for a moment. Law remembered that he too had sometimes been 'picky' about things at meals. Especially how red meat was cooked. "You know, this is a lot nicer of a reunion than our last one, I have to say."

Law snorted softly , taking a bite of the pasta with a sidelong glance at him as he swallowed.

"Yeah well, Dressrosa was a shitshow. Not exactly a lot of time for pasta and smalltalk," He leaned on his hand. "This one ain't half as chaotic, that's for sure." 

"Funny how that works out," he chuckled. "Thankfully, your Straw Hat friend doesn't seem to be around to start screaming and punching people so, I think it'll stay pretty quiet."

Law laughed sharply. "Careful he doesn't find out I'm here then. If he heard I was on your ship, he'd probably rubberband around from the final stretch of the Grand Line and crash onto the deck." 

Doflamingo's fingers tightened briefly on his fork, but he laughed. "Yeah, actually I have Violet watching out for that, so I'll have a heads up just in case. I think he's busy with some of his own stuff right now though."

"Given the way shit's gone sideways since Wano, I ain't surprised." Law smiled grimly, leaning on the table with his hands half wound through his hair, his other hand on his fork as he twisted it in the pasta. "So things should be peaceful while we …do whatever we're doing here. I'd call it catching up, but…" 

"Is it not catching up?" He looked up at him over the laden dinner table, taking a sip of his wine. "What would you call it?"

"I'm gonna be honest with you, Doffy, I dunno what to call it," Law looked up to meet his gaze. "...maybe it is catching up, but that just sounds too normal for the levels of complicated things are." 

Doflamingo's smile lit up much more broadly and he sat a little further up in his chair. For a moment, Law wondered what he'd said to cause such a reaction. Then he realized— he'd called him Doffy.

"I think, unfortunately, it's still catching up no matter how huge a mess it is, Law. " Doffy leaned on his hand. "I followed your career once you started getting in the papers, you know. Mr. Supernova."

He felt his face flush at his own slipup— and at the fact that Doflamingo had apparently been watching his progress through the grand line. 

Of course he had been. The runaway gang member who vanished shows back up being called one of the most dangerous up and comers of the pirate era? Of course he'd be following it.

But still.

"You did huh? I was following yours too, in a way. What'd you think when I started showing up in the papers?" 

"Well I was fucking thrilled to learn you weren't a Marine for goddamn starters," he laughed. "I thought about coming after you to bring you back to the family but… well, you knew where we were, right? Maybe had to be a little convinced on that point, admittedly."

Law's smile hitched. 

"...I'd never become a marine. I still hate their guts, even after everything." Doflamingo had to be convinced not to hare off from Dressrosa and his Warlord duties— just to intercept him? "You had to be convinced, huh?" 

"At length," he huffed, scooping up his wine glass again. The gruff tension in his voice when he said it made it sound like it had been quite a 'convincing'. "Admittedly, I was pretty curious how far you'd get. What you'd do. As for becoming a marine, well, we were told you'd been handed off to them, you know? And never heard from you after that."

Law hissed softly through his teeth. 

"Yeah I mean…most people who get handed off to 'em get brainwashed into their little justice obsession." He grabbed his wine glass and took a long sip. "I became a pirate, formed my crew from a bunch of ragtags, and got myself a ship. Heh… I bet it'd be a hell of a show, reading about it." 

"They should have written about you more." Doffy grinned widely at him. "Of course, then you became a Warlord, and the paper stopped covering you. And here I was, thinking we were going to meet at the next big Warlord's meeting."

"Imagine that meetup," Law laughed with a wry smile. "You, me, the rogues gallery of the Warlords.Sadly, I was pretty intent on cashing that chip as soon as I could." 

"Too bad, would have been a real shindig. Popcorn worthy, for sure." He giggled again, leaning on his hand. "They barely lasted six months losing me, anyway. Government didn't like their dogs getting off the leash. I had a hunch you weren't in it to last anyway, after I heard about you coming to stay at Punk Hazard."

That answered that question, after all. Monet had been reporting in on him.

"Got it in one," Law snorted softly. He hesitated. He leaned on his hand. "I'm sure Monet told you all about what I was getting up to there. Buddying up with Caesar, the operations— the target being the SMILE. All things considered it was nice to see she was doing okay, despite everything."

He regretted the way things ended with Monet. He hadn't expected to see her working as a mad scientist's assistant, and yet, he could tell she was enjoying the assignment. It made him feel all the worse for how it ended.

He really hadn't expected Caesar to go right for the kill, not a sadist like him who liked to watch people squirm. He thought he'd notice before he destroyed the heart. 

"It's funny. That's the way I felt hearing her reports on you." Doflamingo's smile had faded a little and his shoulders sunk.

Monet had been with the family a long time. She and her sister had joined just before Law had been spirited away, discovered begging and scamming to survive by Doffy and Dia on an expedition to an island halfway across the North Blue.

He hadn't known her long, her or her sister, but in the little time he'd spent with them he'd come to like them. They were unfortunates just like him, survivors in a nasty world out to destroy you. Kindred spirits.

Law's shoulders shook slightly as he reached for his wine glass. "At…at least to a point I'd believe that."

At least until she'd reported his true goals, and…he presumed…her final transmission. A sting of guilt hit him again. 

Doffy topped up both their wine glasses after Law had taken his drink. 

"She seemed to be having fun, living with you there," he said. He adjusted his sunglasses. "But why don't we talk about something else. Unless… there was something you wanted to say about that."

"She was. She was pretty happy during…during all that." he murmured quietly as he raised his glass to his lips and took a long sip.

What the hell could he say? 'Sorry' wasn't going to cut it. Especially with the complicated history between them. But as it stood, the whole mess looked like some active cruelty on his part.

He took a deep breath. So what if it sounded insincere, so what if it wasn't going to cut it? He tipped back a long sip of his wine and said. "Doffy, I'm sorry. For Punk Hazard, I mean. For Monet." 

Doffy could have exploded. Could have slammed his hands on the table and told him it wasn't good enough.

But he didn't. He just nodded. He took a long drink of his wine, almost finishing it in one gulp. He set the glass down.

"Thank you," he said. There was a quiet croak at the back of his throat. "Thank you for saying so. Monet knew the risks in this life. We all do. But I miss her."

Law wound his hand into his hair, leaning on the table after putting down his glass. "I know, and I can't fix that. Monet, I liked Monet. I was just… I was ticked off when I found out what she and Caesar were up to, and I was backed into a corner and I thought I could play a gambit for more time. I didn't think it'd go like that. I didn't mean it." 

"I feel you," Doffy said with a shuddering sigh. "Hell, I've been there. We all can do stupid shit when we feel panicked. Backed into a corner. Sometimes it happens and people die. Sometimes people we like. It's just part of this life, eh?"

Doffy's smile twitched back to life like a frog on a dissection table. Despite its sharp, moonlike shape there was something soft in it. Hesitant. Maybe hopeful.

Law glanced down at his plate. 

"Yeah, it is. As much as I try and stop it, it's just the way things are. I try not to do stupid shit, but— " He waved his hand. "Here I am. Shipless and mostly crew-less. So I guess I ain't so great at avoiding doing stupid shit." 

"I mean, you've always been a little fucking reckless, yeah," Doffy chuckled in the back of his throat. "Acting before you think and all that. But as far as I can tell this latest disaster isn't your fault, anyway."

"Might be the first time for me it ever came down to a bad gamble rather than a reckless disregard for safety, huh?" Law looked up at Doflamingo again, looking through the man's sunglasses to study his expression. "...but it went how it went. And now I'm here." 

"And now you're here," Doffy repeated. He smiling wider now, as he loomed in his chair on the other side of the table. Doflamingo always loomed. Either he enjoyed it, or he couldn't help it. "Not a lot of people are thrilled with that, Law. Least of all you, probably. But I'll admit. Honestly? I'm pretty pleased."

Law shifted, feeling not unlike a bug pinned to an examination board for display under Doflamingo's smile and looming presence.

"You. You're pleased. After everything in Dressrosa you're pleased to have me here." 

"Like I said before, we didn't exactly get a chance to talk in Dressrosa," Doffy said. He licked pasta sauce off his lips before dabbing them with a napkin. "It's not like I'm not pissed about Dressrosa, Law. I mean, I am. It sucked. It sucked a whole fucking lot, okay? But I'd feel worse if we never got another chance to talk."

Law nibbled a piece of fish, staring at him for a moment. "...this ties into your whole 'I always want to rescue you when you're in danger' thing, doesn't it?" 

"Yeah, I guess it does. I know you… believed otherwise," he grumbled, tossing his napkin aside. "But I spent a whole hell of a lot of time when you were a kid pretty preoccupied with how to save your life. As annoyed as I am with you trying to kill me, I'd be pretty damn upset with a scenario where you end up dead after all that."

Law's smile twitched a bit. Upset in a scenario where he wound up dead, huh? Somehow, he believed him. Even in Dressrosa, things conspired to keep him alive, even beaten to hell and back. And here Doffy was, fishing him out of the sea to the fury of the crew.

"Don't tell me you'd miss me if I was gone." 

"Does that really surprise you, Law?" Doflamingo stared at him through unblinking red lenses from across the table. "My brother really managed to convince you I didn't care about you, didn't he? That I didn't give a flying fuck about anyone but myself."

"He did tell me you were some kinda heartless monster who he was tasked by fate to clean up after, or some shit like that, yeah." Law leaned forward over his plate. "I don't believe in 'born evil' or anything like that…but he certainly painted a picture of you, Doffy." 

"You were a kid back then, so I'm not going to hold it against you for believing what someone else told you." Doffy rubbed his jaw with obvious tension. "But I have to ask, now that you're your own man, Law. How's that hold up? Does the famous surgeon of death who delivered a hundred pirate hearts to the world government think I'm a heartless, pitiless monster?"

Law sized him up quietly for a long moment, his eyes narrowed as he leaned back in his chair. Was Doffy a heartless, pitiless monster, or was he just a man like any other? A violent man, even a cruel one…but just a man. Like any other pirate on the sea.

He flexed his fingers, the sensation of lack with his powers cut off permeating him before he sighed, and looked up at the ceiling.

"Komurasaki's been wandering around this ship for two days, and she's fine. You fished me outta the sea with no gain to your crew, and I know— I know they ain't happy about it. You're sitting there with an expression like a kicked dog, so… no." He looked down enough to see him, even leaned back as he was. "...I don't think you're heartless."

"I'm glad you don't think so, Law." Doflamingo's expressions could be hard to read sometimes, but he sounded genuinely relieved. "It's fun to play at being a fairytale monster, but it stops being fun when the people you like believe it."

Law chuckled roughly. "...yeah, I bet it does. I can't imagine it feels nice to be called some kind of heartless fiend. But I think it's pretty clear you've got emotions outside of just…pure malice." 

"Feels like it might be easier if I didn't, admittedly."

That made Law laugh even harder, half doubling on the table. "yeah. Sure would huh? If you couldn't feel anything but some gleeful dark malice, life would be a problem for everyone BUT you." 

This was insane. 

He couldn't help but laugh. He was here having a conversation with the man he'd spent ten years trying to put in the ground out of revenge, laughing about the way his brother made him sound like the very incarnation of the devil of the sea.

How could he not laugh?

Part of him still reached for something, some kind of catch to this that wasn't 'Doflamingo missed you, Law'. 

Doflamingo watched him for a moment, and then, apparently his laughter was contagious, because Doffy started giggling along with him. "Sure fucking would!"

"Hahah…shit." Law shook his head. "But you've gotta deal with emotions, same as the rest of us. Just like any other bastard of a pirate. Like me." 

Doffy took a minute to catch his breath. Did he realize how insane this whole thing was, too? He leaned on his hands, watching Law again.

"Like you. And I'd imagine you're pretty fucked up right about now. With everything that's happened."

"You can say that again, Doffy," Law shook his head, and tipped back the rest of his wine. "Everything that keeps happening too. This…" —he gestured to the meal, to him— "included." 

"Well, I'm sorry about your ship and your crew. But I'm not sorry for dragging you to dinner." He smiled widely again. Law couldn't quite tell if it was a joke. It probably wasn't a joke. "Feel free to tell me how you feel about it though."

"About the loss of my men and my ship, or about being invited to your fuckin' boudoir for a candlelit dinner?" Law drawled. 

Doffy giggled sharply and slapped his hand on the table. 

"My boudoir! Oh I like that, Law. I invited you to my boudoir, yes." He rubbed his face under his glasses. "Seriously though, I mean, I don't exactly that expect you see me as a shoulder to cry on any more after everything that's happened. I wouldn't' say no-– but I did mean about the boudoir. I mean dinner."

He giggled again.

Yeah, he was pretty clearly amused with the idea of this being like a trashy romance novel now that it was pointed out to him.

Law couldn't keep the tentative smirk from his lips. "...maybe I'll cry about it soon. But for now, this dinner's the most surreal experience I've had in years." 

"Given the kind of lives we live, I'm almost inclined to take that as a compliment." Doffy grinned widely, crossing his legs, and leaning his chin on his hand. "Admittedly, it's pretty surreal for me, too."

"Is it now?" Law's eyes lingered on the curve of his lips, that dagger of a smile he always seemed to wear. "I feel like I've stepped into some kinda light novel. Or a fever dream." 

"You calling it my boudoir does make it sound like some kind of cheesy romance novel. That's really where your mind went first? I'm flattered, Law. No, I'm intrigued." 

He giggled again, that evil smile like a slice of moonlight. The leader of the Donquixote pirates was striking, handsome, in an eerie, almost unearthly way– 10 feet tall and constantly dressed to grab attention, his natural features sharp and statue-like.

He poured both of them more wine. How much had Doffy had, anyway? He'd already smelled like it, Law reflected, when he'd met him in his room the first time.

Knowing his old habits, Doffy had probably been drunk off his ass for days. He'd probably gone through almost a dozen bottles of wine by the time the table was set. It was always his go-to stress relief, after all. Law felt his face heating up , and downed some more wine himself. It was dangerous to get drunk around Doflamingo….

It was even more dangerous to his mental health not to.

"...d-did I say that was where my mind went first? I never said that." 

"Why call it a boudoir then?" Doffy giggled. He leaned forward across the table. "Dia always says it looks more like a kid's room."

Law felt his face heating even warmer— the room briefly seemed to wobble in his vision as he tore his eyes from Doffy's smile to look at the desk instead. 

"Hah. Yeah yeah…I mean it does look like a kid's room. With your comic books…" that Law once had in the Polar Tang along with his Germa merch. "...and tone dials and obnoxious colors. It's not a boudoir at all. That'd be dumb." 

"But you called it a boudoir," Doffy hummed, still half shouldered across the table. "So now I think I want it to be a boudoir. That sounds like fun."

Law sank back against the chair, feeling increasingly embarrassed the more Doflamingo shoved his bulk across the table.

"Alright, then it's a fucking boudoir. But that doesn't mean I think it's anything like a romance novel." 

Doffy sat back, still smiling widely. He was quiet for a moment as he finished the last bites on his plate. "It'd be a pretty weird romance novel, admittedly. You're so funny, Law. I missed teasing you, you get so riled up."

Law hurriedly ate the rest of his own plate, before grabbing his cup of wine with a sharp huff, flicking his gaze back up at Doflamingo. "...can you blame me? You're pretty much tailor made for riling people up!" 

He giggled. "Tailor made for riling people up. What a thing to say. I guess you're not wrong. But this is nice, don't you think? Having dinner like two people not trying to kill one another?"

Law smothered his twitch response of a snide reaction with another sip of wine, looking down at his empty plate. 

'This is nice'. 'Having dinner like two people not trying to kill one another'. Only an idiot would miss it. Doflamingo really, really seemed to miss him. This was verging on desperate. And that fact alone was sending Law reeling at a loss for words.

"Y-yeah. It's pretty great."

-

Doffy was finally feeling the wine go to his head somewhere in the middle of the dinner bottle with Law. Usually food settled him, but not this time. This time he felt a warm and hazy glow through him that he hadn't managed to drink enough to find in a while. Maybe it was thanks to the company. 

Law had always been such a snide little shit, alternating between biting sarcasm and easily flustered brattiness. That, it seemed, hadn't gone away in the intervening years. It was nostalgic. It was fun. It was almost enough to forgive all the bullshit that had happened between them.

Law had called his room a 'boudoir', evoking the kind of chest clasping pirate romances that cluttered the less reputable bookshops of port towns all over the world. Doffy hadn't thought of it like that before then. But once Law put it in his head, he'd been struck with the image of just such a lurid book cover, Law clinging to his open shirted chest.

It had really gotten a giggle out of him. And it had flustered the hell out of Law. That was something. He wondered what exactly.

Doffy uncorked another bottle and poured. It was about time for dessert. "Cheers. To not killing each other."

"Cheers, to not killing each other." Law raised his glass once the pour was finished. He seemed to be having trouble meeting Doffy's eyes, but he'd long since stopped catching himself from using the nickname and substituting it out at the last second.

"It's a grand line miracle," Law drawled. His face was flushed pink under his scruffy beard, not yet trimmed from his time out like a light. 

Doffy grinned. He couldn't help enjoying watching him squirm a bit. It was funny, and adorable, like teasing a rather grumpy cat. It had been the same way when Law was a kid, and now, despite– or perhaps because of– Law being older, it was even more fun.

The scruffy beard looked cute on him, too. Petulant and audacious, it suited him. It had been one of Doffy's first thoughts, seeing pictures of him, and then in person. That Law had grown up to be really handsome, in his own way.

If still a little undercooked.

"We haven't had enough of those, recently." Doffy said, sitting his wine more restrainedly now. "Grand line miracles. Well, not in my favor, anyway."

"I've seen a fair share of 'em, I guess," Law shifted in his seat, and Doffy watched as he tipped down the rest of his wine like he was trying to get drunk. Maybe it was an attempt to seem less flustered, maybe it was an attempt at liquid courage.

Either way, the lazy way he leaned in his chair with the stem of the glass between his fingers was almost picturesque as he glanced at the door as if worried someone might burst in at any moment.

"Stands to reason even a bastard like you's got a few coming your way." 

Doffy chuckled, and refilled his glass for him. If he was trying to get drunk, he was more than happy to indulge him; as much, or more as he had when he'd been a part of the family.

"Even me," he chuckled. "I hope so. Losing sucks."

Doffy's whole life was marked like that. Long stretches of winning streaks, marked by horrible, stomach churning falls. The abrupt end of his childhood in Mary Geoise into the chaos and destruction of the North Blue. Losing everything he'd ever had. His mother. His brother. His innocence. His eye.

That awful fall had led him to meeting the future executives and founding the Donquixote pirates. That winning streak had gone on for a long time. Up until Rosi came back and ruined his life. He'd been a wreck for months.

Then there was Dressrosa. And that had ended in disaster.

Doffy felt like he was due for an upswing. He hoped.

Law's brow was slightly furrowed for a moment, maybe thinking about his own downswing. That wreck and his crew's bodies floating among it.

He shifted to lean on the table again with his wine glass balanced between his tattooed fingers.

 "Losing does suck, Doffy. So tell me this— what's your idea of a grand line miracle look like?" 

"Good question." Doffy rubbed his jaw, thinking about what to say as the wine glowed through him. Stalling for time, perhaps, or looking for a distraction, he pulled the cover off of desert– a pair of ramekins full of creme brulee. 

He'd asked Law to come back to the family before, in Dressrosa. He'd asked him to take up the mantle of Corazon that he'd been promised long ago. Law had thrown it back in his face.

But it had been a bad day for everyone. Tense, full of fighting. The situation was different now. He tried to decide if he was ready to ask again, or if it was too soon.

He picked the dessert up and offered it over to Law, hoping that he couldn't see the indecision on his face.

Law's eyes were always keen, and even dulled by the drink and the heavy flush on his face— he seemed to be looking right through his indecision as he took the creme brulee with a half smile.

"Looks good," he said…obviously waiting for his answer. 

Doffy's fingers brushed Law's hand very briefly as he passed him his dessert, and he sat back more firmly. He picked up his spoon, and cracked the sugary surface.

Why was he hesitating? Wouldn't Law be wondering if Doffy meant to offer again? What if he'd be disappointed if he didn't?

For just a flash, anger welled up in Doflamingo's chest. Maybe, after everything, Law deserved a little disappointment. Maybe he deserved to be kept in limbo, not knowing where he stood. After all the chaos and the pain he'd put them through— he'd put Doffy through. Maybe he should keep him guessing.

The anger sputtered out like a match starved for air, smothered under the weight of Doflamingo's own needy, possessive desire. The desire for after so much grief for something, one thing, that had been long denied him to be set right. Surely Law needed that too, right now? After all, his own crew, his whole life, was in tatters…

He put a spoonful of the sugary treat in his mouth and rolled it on his tongue for a moment, letting Law hang for a moment. Just for a moment.

"Tastes good, too. As for my grand line miracle…" he replied quietly with a smile. " He glanced up at him, his world as always, a little rose-tinted."There's a big empty space with your name on it. Like there has been for a while."

Law's spoon dropped from his fingers and its edge cracked the surface of his creme brulee.

–

Hearts. It always had come down to hearts for Law. Corazon, Rosi…the second Corazon had been the one to spirit him away. He'd named his crew the Heart Pirates. He'd tattooed the symbol all over his body in spiked lines like barbed wire.

Doflamingo had offered him the seat that he'd claimed to have reserved for him in Dressrosa.

As his spoon fell from his fingers to crack the surface of the dessert between them, he was shocked to find it come back to it once again.

'The Big Empty Space with Law's name on it' was undoubtedly that offer once again.

'Be my third Corazon.'

Doffy was watching him. Watching his reaction from behind his shades. He'd taken another bite of creme brulee, and was quiet; maybe waiting for his answer, or waiting to decide how to follow up what he'd said.

Either way, a silence fell over the table for a moment.

Law's fingers twitched as he reached down to grab his spoon. 

"...hell of a miracle, Doffy." He scooped a healthy portion of crystalized-sugar topped custard and took a bite to stall for time. 

"Oh, trust me, I know," Doffy said quietly, licking his spoon. "It's already slipped out of my fingers a few times. Starting to think it's an impossible one. Well, I've already been told it's impossible, but I really don't like hearing that."

An impossible miracle. Law's lips twitched into a smirk as he hastily took another bite of the meal. No, Doffy never was someone who took 'impossible' for an answer. There was something to be said for the man's willpower and drive against the odds…

His fingers tightened around his spoon. "At the end of the day nothing's really impossible, is it?" 

He watched as Doffy's posture shifted, shoulders squaring as he sat up in his seat, leaning slightly over the table. His chest swelled as he took a breath."Damn right it's not. Nothing's impossible for me, and my family."

There was a while in Law's childhood where he'd heard that quite a lot. 'Nothing's impossible for the young master'. 'Nothing's impossible for the Donquixote family'. For a long time, that was one of his biggest inspirations. For someone trying to burn the world down to make even the tiniest impact he could, the feeling that nothing was impossible with the right support was…heady. Powerful.

He looked into his dessert instead of Doffy's eyes for a moment, taking a bite. "And I mean, you're still here aren't you? Seems there's more to that than just talk." 

Doffy met his gaze, a hint of the scar tissue on his face visible, his glasses slipping slightly down his nose. 

"A hell of a lot more. Setback after setback, I'm still here. We're still here. I–" he paused, and fumbled, before tightening his jaw, and shaking his head. His voice was strong. "I was going to wait to ask you, but fuck it, right? You've been through a lot. I wanted you to know that you've still got a place here, if you want it."

Law felt his body tense. He couldn't say yes. All that conflict between them, the decade of strife and vitriol as he tried to tear him down…

The hopes of the end of the Grand Line and the One Piece. Not that it was ever Law's dream. Law's dream, his goal, was vengeance for Rosi. But that fell through, dropped like lead in the ocean— and it might have all started on false pretense anyway.

A pointless revenge that culminated in a pointless and tragic loss.

And here was Doflamingo offering him a place back with the gang. A place of honor, in Doffy's twisted worldview.

He felt his face flushing more as he grumbled an answer. "As your Corazon?" 

"As my Corazon," Doffy answered in confirmation. He put his hand over his chest. "You don't have to answer right now if you're not ready. But you asked what my miracle would be, Law. And that's it."

Law stirred his spoon around in the bowl. 

"It'd be a hell of a miracle, Doffy." He said it again, the idea playing through his mind as he leaned on the table with a wry smile.

"You've got me stuck here for a while yet. Who knows. Maybe you'll convince me." 

He wanted to shoot himself the moment the words left his mouth.

He'd issued a challenge to Doflamingo, just then. A goal. 

There was nothing more dangerous in the world than a Donquixote with a goal. 

The sharp knife of Doffy's smile could have sliced pure moonlight.