#Corazon also lives

[gildedmuse]

ZoLaw AUs Nobody Asked For Presents....

Fairy Tale Twist

Part One: Abduction!

[This was inspired by watching the first episode of the anime Heaven Official Blessing with @jhaernyl. However, for the purpose of this ficlette all you need to know is the whole thing is your typical fanfic set up: a bunch of young women are disappearing, so in order to solve the mystery our main male character is forced to go undercover as a shy, virginal bride-to-be in hopes that the sexy bad boy will notice him and carry him off to his liar.]

[You know. The only sensible solution to a rash of kidnappings.]

"Please," the old lady begs, tears running down her face as she falls to her knees in front of the trio. "Even if there is no hope for my Liula, this village can't bear to lose another one of our daughters!"

Zoro scratches behind his ear, apparently unmoved by the old ladies tears, as well as the wet faces of the town folks who have gathered all around. It isn't that he doesn't care - he's sure it's hard to misplace a daughter or whatever, though it does seem to him as if it's at least a little the villager's own fault. Why do they keep sending the girls through the forest is they keep disappearing?

"So they're always taken in the forest?" Saga - Zoro's second best friend and training partner - always knows exactly the right questions to ask. He's just good at that kind of detective thing, the way Marines pretend to be. As a crew of bounty hunters, they may not be the most well known or most feared (they certainly aren't their richest) but between him, Kuina, and Saga, Zoro figures they have all the right talents to work their way up to the top, wherever that might be.

For Saga, Zoro is sure that eventually means becoming a marine or, as his overly dramatic friend would put it, "becoming a sword for justice!" Or that's what he says it if you get enough sake in him, though honestly it doesn't even take one drink to notice the look he gets in his eyes whenever a bunch of men in their clean white uniforms go marching pass. Not even Kuina's mocking their stupid insignia ("why do you want a shirt with a pair of boobs drawn on. I've got the real thing and they're nothing but annoying!" / "For the last time, the insignia is the mighy gull! Not a pair of blue boobies!" / "As someone who has seen plenty of both, trust me, no seagull looks like that..not unless it's had some major work done.") or Zoro pointing out he's never seen a single marine carrying a shuangshou jian, which he thinks is the far better argument. After all, Saga wouldn't want to have to get rid of his beloved sword, would be? It's the one thing he has from his parents....

If there is one person who would understand how important a sword can be, it would be Kuina, but he thought Saga would be next.

"Sounds like instead of worrying about your bridal traditions, you should have worked to make sure these girls could protect themselves," Kuina says, her voice low and steady, but there is an undercurrent of anger there. One Zoro finds adults often miss, due to Kuina's former, almost old fashioned, language and proper samurai etiquette.

Her father always said there was more to being a Kenshi than just holding a sword. Unfortunately, one of the things he believes makes for a Kenshi is....

Kuina stands up, bowing politely to the very same adults she'd just been so angry at. "We will find this pirate who is taking your lost daughters and ensure this does not happen again," she promises, and Kuina promises something it's like you can see the threads binding her, holding her to her word. It makes Zoro sit up straighter, happy to be her rival. "If what these girls want is to be married, they deserve to make that choice without some creep ruining it for them."

Kuina's small, and because of that, most everyone underestimates her. Only to be surprised when the girl they had just been laughing at is suddenly behind them, the sharp white blade of Wado Ichimonji pressed against their kidney, with Tenno Megumi clashing against their own steel, stopping them from being able to make a move. She's a fast, technical fighter and a slow, methodical thinker. She probably knows more about Zoro and Saga then the two boys know about themselves and, honestly, Zoro is alright with that. He doesn't even know where he'd keep all that knowledge, but Kuina seems to do a good

They had only come to this island to pick up some Nobody, Kuro of 1000 Cats or something stupid like that, but they had barely dragged him and his crew of losers to the local Marine base when an older woman, face wrinkled and worn from sadness, had grabbed a hold of Zoro's arm.

These people were desperate, and the small four man marine outpost they have seemed unable ("or unwilling," Kuina had muttered only once Saga was distracted - they didn't need to have that fight again) to help against what seemed to be some knd of curse.

"Qell it's not a curse," Saga decided immediately, the three of them gathering just outside of the town hall were the citizen had plead their case. And as much as Zoro hates being distracted from his goal, his one true dream, he has to admit their pleas were.... heartfelt.

"Hmm," Kuina puts her hand to her chin, her foot digging into her dirt as she stares down, her brain trying to ferment a plan of some kind. At the very least a place to begin. "It seems he only comes out when there is a bridal procession. What should we do?"

There is silence as they all contemplate this impossible task.

"I know!" It's Saga who gets a these first, slapping his fist in his hand, and with his eyes burning so bright, Kuina and Zoro are immediately doubtful. This is going to be one of those ridiculous plans like in all his marine centered manga. As far as Zoro has seen, Marines never actually do any sort of undercover work or whatever. They just stupidly fire bullets at things and hope one hits. But that's not how Saga sees them, not at all.

Saga gives a sharp, proud smile, his support of his own plan entirely unwavering. Zoro assumed they would just stare at him until sanity sunk back in but suddenly, he notices Kuina going all stiff, as if a realization had just hit.

"Not it!"

Zoro stumbles some, not used to the usually calm depth that is his number one rival and best friend moving with such a reckless, her arm flying up as of theyre back at the dojo answering questions. "Hey!" He pushes his shoulder back against her. "What are you-"

"Good point!" Saga says, his intensity still bur ing as usual. "I am also not it."

Zoro looks between his two friends. His two companions. His twisted sworn brother and sister. And the evil grins that were creeping up along their faces.

"I am NOT-"

Kuina leans in so hard, Zoro ends up squashed up against Saga. "Your mouth says no," the older girl teases, sluttering her eyelashes in a way that Zoro didn't understan. Was that supposed to make him do something? "But your eyes - and my blades," she adds that bit with a pat at the swords at her side. "Say yes."

At his other side, Saga gives him an unnaturally bright smile despite the narrowed eyes glare Zoro is giving both kenshi. "You really should try and look happier. It's your wedding day after all!" He teased, nd Zoro can only grumble.

He did call not it last, damnit.

"We will just have to set up a convincing bridal procession then!" Saga pulls back, striking what Zoro feels is an all too excited pose considering the fate they've just sealed for him. "Kuina and I will act as guards, while Zoro gakes place of the bride to be. We'll put the whole thing together and make it look just like a real bridal procession! That's how we will draw this scoundrel out!"

The two npeople only seem mildly confused by the bounty hunter's plan. Zoro isn't sure what the confusion is aboit. He's hardly looking forward to this mess, but he does think Saga and Kuina did an excellent job at setting the trap and as for his part, well, he can only hide one of his three swords under the bridal gown, but with the other two concealed in the carriage in easy reach, he doesn't imagine he'll habe any difficulty grabbing for them in time. The whole plan is actually one of their better thought out schemes, so he isn't sure why the villagers take moment to get on board, but eventually they do. They even lend them materials to help make the ruse undetectable.

"I've got this!" Kuina declares in reference to the dress. She isn't much for fu-fu clothes herself - it's all so much fabric for so little practical coverage, and it always has at least one part that hangs in the weirdest way. However, she's had years of practice learning to make men's clothes for her properly so they aren't baggy and in her way and also wouldn't.... disrespect her father (Zoro knows she would never wish to voice this, but he has also seen her on holy days with his image. Holding it as tight as if he were a long honored ancestor. Looking to the stars as if they would grant her his approval.) Plus, she definitely knew what looked good on girls. Just because she doesn't wear fancy kimono and jewelry and other useless pretty things doesn't mean Kuina can't APPRECIATE what other women look like in such elaborate get ups.

It's the make up where they run into something of an issue.

"Katatsumuri," Saga asks, holding out their den den mushi. Him and the snail wince together as Kuina gets angry enough to break the brush shed be using to try and apply Zoro's lipstick, yelling that it was a subpar tool unworthy of its title and a shame to whoever forged its.... it's.... it's stupid hairs or whatever! Grr!

"Can you play a make up tutorial," Saga requests, sitting cross legged in front of Zoro. Luckily, he is very good at copying moves even from videos. Maybe this is why he appreciates marine uniforms so much, Zor thinks, cause they're all neat and orderly and it feels like you have to keep your make up neat and orderly as well.

So with Zoro looking appropriately alluring ("You're a vision," Saga promises, his breathing just a little too rushed considering they haven't even started on the hard part of the quest just yet. "You almost look decent," Kuina laughs, making sure Katatsumuri takes a picture for future reference) they gather everything else they will need for their little nightie deceit. The procession, the carriage, the spooky nighttime forest that the temple lies in the middle of for some reason no one could adequately explained.

"just sit tight," Kuina whispers from the side of her mouth as they walk deeper and deeper into the darkness. "I'm sure this willl-"

"Kuina!?" Zoro knows he is supposed to be sitting there straight and well behaved, just the way he's practiced with that overly nice girl - the one who kept getting a little bit touchy, like Zoro couldn't figure out how to hold his hands just by LOOKING at her; there is no reason to touch - but at his friend's sudden silence he couldn't help but peak out of the carriage window.

Nothing but wind and leaves and darkness.

"Zoro," Saga growls from the other wise..Zoro turns to try and ask him to go check on Kuina. That's what he should do, rather than break character. Good call. "Keep on guar-"

Silence.

Suddenly there is nothing.. No horses. No Marines pretending to be maid in waiting. No guards. No friends. Just darkness, and a low, soft whisper of the wind. Something dark, something.... stirring.

Zoro licks his lips, that awful taste of the lipstick coming off with it. He reaches for the trap door where his two other swords are stored when -

Click.

The door opens a light storm: the fall of rain, wind sweeping through the trees, dark hair, striking eyes, and such long and slender fingers reaching out for him, not grabbing, but making an offering. Holding his hand out for the supposedly young and virginal bride.

And suddenly Zoro can feel it in his chest. This lightness. This heat.

He fumbles, trying to find the damn torch. Where were his matches? Why is he going for the stupid candle and not his swords? What is wrong with him?

"I can't help but notice," the strange is silhouettes in the darkness, out the moonlight behind him offering any glimpse. But that voice. So dark, like a shadow. Like the way a smooth sake feels sliding down your throat. "You seemed to be in trouble, my little lamb. I hope those ruffians didn't cause you any harm."

As if you didn't send those ruffians, only Zoro's voice is entirely gone. The boy's golden eyes pierce through him like an arrow. Where is his voice? It seems the only part of him that can speak is his heart, and that is beating so loud it filled the entirety of the carriage

It only gets louder when the stranger's lips quirk upward, the water running down his hair, his pale skin, sliding around his lips. Making them shimmer and shine in the low candle light. "What a remarkable beauty. How could anyone wish to hurt such an angel?" His hand is still hanging there, half way between them. Zoro licks his lip subconsciously, the water clinging to the stranger's lower lip making him want....

No! He's meant to focus! He is here on a mission, not some silly game.

Yet the way the stranger smiles does leave his stomach feeling all sorts of silly. Are those his finger tips shaking as he reaches out, gently entrusting his hand to the stranger.

Immediately he is being pulled forward, so close it Zoro can't keep the gasp escaping his lips. He's not used to these shoes, there's far too much of them for starters, and the heels catches on the fabric of his dress and-

As he falls foward, the stranger moves in close and through the low light of the moon and a single candle, those gorgeous golden eyes stare right into Zoro's soul, soft and yet certain as he reaches out, easily pulling Zoro into his arms.

Pressed against the man's chest, Zoro understands why so many of those manga he finds Saga hiding away have girls pressed up to marines just like this. The way his heart beats in Zoro's ear, the protective warmth of his arms....

"Where did-"

"You men seem to have run off," The stranger says, holding him close. The hold is gentle and yet formal, as of purposefully being polite and careful with him. "I believe they were trying to lure the attackers away."

He knows that hadn't been the plan, but he can only stare up at the stranger, his cheeks so warm he thinks of lifting the veil, just to get some fresh air. But surely if he saw him that would give them game away.

"Your physical beauty must only be surpassed by that of your heart, to have such a loyal and fearless guard. I would hate to see their bravery go to waste. I don't have much, certainly not lodging worthy of such a precious gem, but there is a small temple nearby that will offer us shealter. I can keep you safe until your entourage regroups. That is, if you will allow it."

His golden eyes are staring down at our hero, soft and intense all at once, and they leave his tongue feeling equally confused: heavy and light at the same time.

"You have my permission to do with me as you please." Zoro hadn't practiced any sort of script, the plan had been to attack and words had seemed unnecessary. He still isn't sure where such a sentiment even came from! What a silly thing to say! He must look like a gu-

Wait, that isn't the what Zoro is supposed to be concerned about. Why does he even care if he looks like a fool!?

Even as he tries to hide himself against the stranger's chest, he catches a glimpse of that smirk. That horribly cocky, confident turn of his lips that leaves the poor kenshi melting, all the heat not coloring in his face pooling much, much lower.

"I shall take you with me then, beauty-ya, and act as your guide until we can reunite you with your proper assembly."

"Mmm," Zoro mutters, voice high and breathless. Perhaps to ensure the act is believable? "Take me with you, unite with me, yes..."

Just an act, that's all. Right, that's why he's doing this. To go along with the plan.

That's why he puts up no struggle as he suddenly finds himself lifted up into the strangers arms. The man's hat keeps his face mostly hidden, but Zoro is sure to memorize the edges of his cheeks, his lips and chin where rivlets of water drip from his dark skin. The beautiful dark ink that covers the strong arms that have Zoro safely held against his chest.

All for the sake of the mission, Zoro reminds himself, leaning his cheek against the stranger's wet shirt, tucking in closer to his warmth as a blue light suddenly involves the both of them.

"Shambles."

And then the forest is quiet, nothing but an abandoned carriage left behind.

[teddieart]

Happy Valentine's Day! (I'm posting early i know hehe)

[rujellyroll-art]

i had to try a rendition of @ddsdyingdsaster ‘s post here of their SICK AS FUCK cowboy energy cora???? ❤️‍🔥

also included a close up with lips and without. i like both?? what do you think

[fanaticsnail]

I don't know what else there is to say other than:

Donquixote Rosinante: Winter Soldier AU

Rosinante survived the events that occurred in the snow, dragged back to the great castle Doflamingo was making into a home for himself and his pirates. His brother was still breathing, his spirit propelling him to continue fighting for every pained inhale and exhale.

Doflamingo would put that to good use.

Placing him in a vat and finding every scientist known for experimenting on suspending life and wiping memory, he forced his will onto his brother by turning him into the ultimate living weapon.

His brother was a marine? He was going to use that training and amplify it to slay any enemy to the Donquixote Pirates.

His brother didn't speak due to a devil fruit? Amazing. He will wear a mask to mute his speech and use his silencing fruit to be the perfect assassin.

His brother wanted to protect little Law? His ultimate mission was now to hunt him down and bring him back to the Donquixote Pirates to serve out his ultimate purpose.

At each memory wipe, he found no whisper of the man Rosinante was: only the Corazon Doflamingo truly desired. Finally thrusting a mask onto his face with a painted ruby smile curved over his mouth piece, Doflamingo's perfect soldier and flawless assassin was finally ready for his first mission as the Corazon Soldier.

[l-in-the-light]

Trafalgar Law and shreds of closeness part 3: Donquixote Family Edition

What can I say, I got struck with inspiration yet again, the thoughts just do not want to leave me. This time it will get dark. And it will hurt, so feel warned. I will take a closer look at Law's closeness to the Donquixote Family and also do a small case study of affection between Doffy and Cora and their dad as well, to get a fuller context. Main focus will be on physical affection, yet again.

So what do you think, did Law get support and affection from his "second family"? I would say, very little. But let's look at evidence:

We have verbal support from Doflamingo himself when Giolla and Buffalo start to fear to touch Law or to even stay in the same room after they learn he's sick. That's 1:0 for him, I'm sure Law appreciated and remembered it. In retrospection, it would have been better for him if he didn't.

Then we have Giolla and Machvise who handled him like he's an object. Giolla keeps touching Law on the head, probably not caring why he seems displeased with it. She's just reinforcing the trauma, but I think overall she means well, she just doesn't think much about it. Giolla also shows Law the most physical affection and I swear it feels like she's trying to make up for her initial reaction, she's just not going the right way about it, making it worse instead.

Meanwhile we have Doflamingo, who despite defending Law before, never touches him. And I mean, never ever. Doffy remains cold not only with Law though, which we will see in a moment.

And then we have Baby5. She feels sorry for Law and even cried for him when she heard the story of Flevance (not in Law's presence tho), but she herself is bad with affection and care, because she also never received much, it also doesn't help that she is genuinely scared of Law's angry glares. All she can do to show him she cares is to smack and scold him. And of course when she does smack him it's on the head, which only becomes a trauma trigger over and over again. Those two just completely miss each other by a mile.

That's it. No other Donquixote Family's member ever tried to show some care in front of Law. They train him of course, but would you count kicking and punching him as a positive experience? Yeah, I don't think so.

And let's not forget Corazon, who carried Law like a bag of potatoes (and threw him around) for a long time, even after he kidnapped him. The Trip to Hospitals All Around the World kinda made him become better, holding Law close, trying to make him smile, carrying him all the time and at one point he even begs Law: "please give me the chance to do things right, stay strong for 3 more weeks!". Doesn't change the fact the touches he did give Law at the beginning were brutalized forms of affection, and we can't really forget that fact: that's exactly how Law's trauma of being touched on the head even started in the first place.

He already trained for awhile, but he still failed in the confrontation, and I think it was because of the touch. Being pinned down made Law probably freeze and unable to move. But even after being saved by Doflamingo, Law doesn't even try to seek support in him, unlike Baby5. Here we can see Doflamingo is alright if someone seeks comfort in him, but he will not give it by himself. That makes Doflamingo-Law combo the worst possible match up, a person who will never give it first and a person who will never ask for it, no wonder things were always cold between them.

Thanks to the fight against Smoker in Punk Hazard we learn that Law managed to overcome his trauma of being pinned down to a significant degree, because he manages to escape on his own. This scene gets an extra focus in the manga (it takes like 5 different frames!) which further convinces me it's that siginifcant. Law probably trained himself not to get overwhelmed like that ever again. Still, I can't help but notice soon after this happened Law starts to have troubles breathing, which means it still didn't leave him unaffected. He pushes to finish the fight faster afterwards as well.

One of his trauma triggers is feeling helpless and being pinned down definitely counts for that. I don't think this started with Vergo, I would say it was already a thing after Flevance, when he had to discover more and more dead bodies of people dearest to him, unable to do anything about it.

Let's look at his symptoms thanks to which we can recognize he's going through a triggering situation. Visible shivering, heavy panting (to the point of weezing which makes me think it can even go as far as bordering on hyperventilation or the opposite - apnea). And then in the last image he just goes stiff which I interpret as him completely freezing up. Damn, that's actually a lot. It's very similar to Robin's trauma responses in Water 7.

You can also notice that Law clenches his fists and it seems to be a sign that he's struggling or forcing himself to be strong. He still does it *a lot* when he's an adult. I think it might have honestly became a habit. He does that just before a battle, in most stressful situations when he knows he can't show his emotions (or just doesn't want to), and well, if we go by the anime version, also when he leaves Wano with his own crew. Basically any time he makes a firm resolve or a hard decision, he also does that. I swear sometimes it feels like he struggles for half of the Dressrosa and Punk Hazard, which you know what, might be way too accurate.

Also bonus wholesome points for Luffy caring more to support Law and Muucy than caring for falling into water himself. I'm not sure how much that helped Law when he was dealing with a triggering situation, especially that unfortunate contact with the top of his head. I guess it's still better than similar situation but with Law completely alone.

This puts this scene into a completely new perspective, right? He's shivering here and definitely froze up, even his speech bubble looks distressed. He's not getting angry here, his trauma trigger kicked in. I did check if he ever shivers or freezes up when he tries to, for example, stop himself from feeling angry, but no, we never see that happen. I'm sorry for ruining the comedy :( tho to make it better, he's also shocked, because just moments before Strawhats feared him, and now they already don't and even laugh at him. Damn, I'm now so torn about this scene, I mean, Strawhats couldn't have known!

Now a promised closer look at Donquixote family's approach to closeness and touch. When they were still Celestial Dragons, they barely touched each other. No small touches on the back, hand holding or anything else you usually share with kids. The closeness starts only after they're all starting to be persecuted. First time we see Doffy holding his mom's hand is when they run away from their burning house. First time we are shown Homing hugging his kids is when village people are beating them up and he is just trying to cover them with his own body, so he takes the beating instead of his kids.

The last memory Rosinante has of his father is the hug. And the first memory he has of Sengoku is also a sort of half-hug. Might be why he got so attached to him.

Little Doflamingo and Rosinante are always together, but they never touch in any way. It's clearly Doffy who takes care of his younger brother, probably also telling him to toughen up.

Weird mocking touch on the head from Trebol. And like always, no one ever touches Doflamingo, not even his own officers, and that's true ever since Doffy was a child.

He even tells Trebol he's too close. Doffy doesn't want touches anymore, because it seems in his mind he understands them as someone protecting him, and he doesn't need protection. Ever since he killed Homing, Doffy took the role of being a head of the family and protecting Rosinante, so no more hugs or hand holding for him. In other words, Doflamingo associates physical affection with protection and incoming abuse. And whenever he touches someone it's exactly for that reason: to hurt them.

An interesting parallel because this happens in exactly same chapter: Law is trying to move away because Luffy's "too close". He even lets him take the transponder away and just stands there and waits. And you might wonder: what for? Is he hoping Luffy will give it back by himself?

No, it just took some extra time for Law to brace himself to touch Luffy and shove him to the side. Even though both Doffy's and Law's first instinct here is to move away, Law is struggling but actually tries to overcome it, contrary to Doffy, who seems content in his "no touching" comfort zone.

Let's take a look at Dressrosa now. Doffy is carrying Law by his clothes, Law is unconscious, but he will not touch him directly anyway. Cora-san used to do it as well at first to Law.

But then, you might ask, they fought so much in Dressrosa, surely some kind of touch had to happen as a result? I mean, most of them were indirect touches with Doffy's strings, kicking Law or stopping him by grabbing his sword. But you are right, exactly two touches do happen. You're not gonna like it.

This is literally the first time Doflamingo ever touched Law. To stop his attack he forcefully grabbed his hand. Law is shivering, this actually triggers him, and there's just no way Doflamingo doesn't know that, he can feel it.

And then he makes the full use of the situation. Doflamingo holds Law up in the air, but we can see by the onomatopeia that he's literally holding him up by his hand alone and Law is just freely dangling there, Doffy's not using any strings to immobilize him, not even armament haki. He doesn't even need to. Finally he gave Law the touch he must have been craving when he was a child from him, but it's not a caring one, and what's the next thing Doflamingo does to that hand he just touched? He cuts it off, ripping open the psychological wounds, making them deeper, perhaps hoping Law will never recover from them. Because that's the easiest way to control him later if he wishes to do so, to make him pliant, defenseless and unable to fight back and terrified. But also to punish him for the "rebellion" against him... but also to punish Law for his need and fear of touch. This is a lesson: never want affection, closeness or touch, you're never getting any. Unless it's this: abuse. And if you don't think this is terrible enough, let me remind you: this is their first touch *ever*, Law probably waited for it when he was a kid.

And Law is just hanging there, not even trying to move, and it lasts for like three or four pages long, and I remember when I reread this a couple of times, I was a bit puzzled. Why isn't Law struggling to release himself? Why is he just letting this happen? Especially when it's becoming very clear what Doflamingo is gonna do next. So I have my answer: Law froze up, it's his body shutting off on it's own and all he can do is to just be there and wait for it to be over. It's painful, because we know Law always struggles, always fights back, and he tries here, with words, but he can't do anything else and he just watches it happen.

And this is the second time Doflamingo touches him. It's after the Gamma Knife attack, Doffy knows what he's doing here, he chooses to make contact with Law's head/face (he must have noticed Law's discomfort to it before when Giolla often did it to Law as a kid, and now he utilized this knowledge). He tries to make Law freeze up so he can't finish his move and who knows, maybe that was the final factor of why Law failed to kill off Doflamingo.

To wrap things up, I will share the interesting parallel that I think can be drawn between two rather unexpected characters: Law and Boa.

Both Law and Boa are most comfortable around Bepo (and the snake in Boa's case). Both are victims of brutalized touch and lack of loving and caring one. But while Law fearfully accepts what's given to him, Boa rejects it (even symbolically by kicking fluffy animals away or refusing any show of affection like gifts). Both are touch starved, but Boa will never even try to touch Luffy, and the only time Luffy touched her was in that stealth mission in Impel Down (they didn't have the choice) and hugging her after she gave him the key to Ace's cuffs. Boa doesn't return the gesture, she is very flustered and falls to the ground afterwards, which reminds me a little of her later scene with Rayleigh. Not even Boa's own sisters are shown to share any sort of physical affection with her, Boa shows cold and manipulative attitude to almost everyone besides them. The only other person Boa ever touched was Rayleigh (she's on the ground here again) after he helped them fight off Blackbeard's assault on Amazon Lily and it might be a traumatic response: Blackbeard tried to strangle her after all. Boa's love is passionate and platonic, she shows her affection and caring with indirect gestures (food preparation, offering support and help etc.), probably because that's what she remembers others tried doing for her before. She can't even deal with intimacy face to face and Law also tends to act cold to very open displays of affection and emotions.

Big thanks to @tae-rambles for mentioning the scene with Boa that completely slipped my mind <3 added it in the edit!

[sereinreality]

law as a kid sometimes had bad days so corazon would ask him a random question about the body (how do you move your arms? how does blood go around? what controls what? etc) and watched law’s eyes light up as he rambled about everything he knows

[cheekynoz]

THE ADVENTURES OF CORA AND LAW

Part 5

In the Baratie, as they're leaving to get back on their boat.

Law: Riding on Cora's back because his little leggies are tired. "Where are we going to get our boat?"

Cora: "Syrup village. And then we're going to pay a visit to an old friend, word is she's settled down with some kids. So you guys can play while we talk."

Law: "Cora-san, I'm basically a grown up. I'm not playing with kids." Plays with action figures, refuses to go to sleep without a forehead kiss, needs to be picked up. "They'll be babies"

----------------

Back at Marine HQ.

Bogard: "A slip just came through. Apparently two patrons of the Bartie have billed their meal to you."

Garp: "Hah! That cook will do anything to get my attention. Tell him I'm on my way, and next time he wants to see me, he doesn't have to make up a fake bill"

Pt 4 -> Pt 5 -> Pt 6

(Masterlist)

[sakura-rose12]

Ok have you considered this silly au idea? Law gives up being a pirate to be a marine with cora. No ideas for context of law joining i just think it would be silly to see them running around as marines.

Also did you see the cora law locket neckless? Its a heart with law's tattoos with cora's symbol on the inside. (Sorry for got to save the pictures from twitter)

It would he a curious sight, but if we talk about canon story, even if Cora lived and all that, Law still hates the Marines for...ya know...killing his entire town. I doubt he'd join.

As for a different au where he doesn't hate Marines, maybe he would be a marine doctor who constantly needs to patch up Cora 😂

[slydiddledeedee]

Relationships: Donquixote Rosinante & Trafalgar D. Water Law, Donquixote Doflamingo & Trafalgar D. Water Law, Donquixote Doflamingo & Donquixote Rosinante Rating: G Words: 6.6k

Scared, Doffy?

He grits his teeth together.  “You wish.”

You’re my only brother.  I want you dead; I don’t want you to suffer.

[psy-ay-ay]

rocinante has the same voice actor as spike spiegel!!!!! he said two sentences and i knew hehe. also i love donquixote family. i'm ready to be emotionally destroyed, oda o7

[hauntingblue]

My theory is that corazón doesn't want law (and children) to be part of the family bc he wants to protect them so he just scares and hits them away

[uraniumglassgirl]

This scene. Forever on the brain. I love you nami i love you luffy i love you one piece

[veroinfaciem]

[zosin-ya]

Topic 8 - [ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ɪɴᴅᴇx]

Summary: Surviving on instant noodles, you order takeout in the middle of exam prep—what you didn’t expect was your delivery guy to be a ridiculously hot, tattooed biker. Even more surprising? He’s a fellow med student at your university. As good as it sounded, he had a complicated past with an obsessive Ex who starts to target you.

tags.: One Piece, Law x Reader, SFW & NSFW, slow burn romance, Modern AU, Penguin and Shachi as flatmates, fashion-designer uncle Corazon, Laws parents, Laws crazy Ex, Strawhats as your friends (+ Bonney), protective Law, mentioned of his dead sister, also mentions of Laws trauma

a.n.: I pulled this story out of my ass and it’s rather spontaneous how I write the story. If you have ideas, I’m open to them 🖤

status: [ongoing] last updated March 14th 2025

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 1 - ʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀʏ

An awkward encounter with the handsome delivery guy, who hardly speaks to you, yet somehow makes your heart skip a beat with his pretty face.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 2 - ɪᴄᴇ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋᴇʀ

Law was at your door once again, this time out of breath and visibly stressed. You offer him something to drink, which sparks a conversation that eventually leads to an exchange of numbers.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 3 - ꜱᴛᴜᴅʏ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ

At the café, you met up for a study date and saw a more relaxed, yet still exhausted, side of Law. Penguin showed up, clearly curious as to why Law was hanging out with someone from his university—especially since he rarely spent time with those people.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 4 - ʙᴏʏ ᴛᴀʟᴋ

Penguin couldn't keep his mouth shut about Law meeting you, which led him and Shachi to bombard him with questions. It was just a study date, right? No big deal. His flatmates quickly realized how oblivious he was. Or was he just denying any meaning, trying to protect himself from another crazy relationship.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 5 - ʟᴀᴛᴇ ɴɪɢʜᴛ ꜰᴜɴ

Law invites you to a party, and after a few drinks, the two of you start to loosen up around each other. So much that the bathroom becomes a short lived make out spot.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 6 - ʟᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʟᴏᴏꜱᴇ (n.sfw)

After you forgot your keys at home and had no where to stay, Law casually offers his apartment for the night without any second intentions. Though the heat from the make out session still lingering in the air.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 7 - ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ ɪᴛ (n.sfw)

You meet Laws kind-hearted uncle, Rosinante, and learn more about his complex family history. What was supposed to be a casual, cozy game night with Law quickly takes an unexpected and more intimate turn.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 8 - ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜꜱ ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇʀᴍᴇɴᴛ

A girl you've never met before, starts a chit chat with you during an uni event, you being immediately drawn in by her friendly, outgoing nature. Before you knew it, she invited you to a small party where she hinted you could make some valuable connections. Little did you realize, networking with a biker gang wasn’t exactly what you had in mind for boosting your CV.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 9 - ᴄʜᴀᴏᴛɪᴄ ɢᴀɴɢ

You dearly needed a girl's night with your friends after all what had happened. Law came to pick you up, yet got dragged into the chaos of a spontaneous party with your friends. Someone save this guy.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 10 - ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ᴡᴇ? n.sfw)

This day should have been special, with you and Law celebrating your academic milestone together with friends and family. Yet, Laws private and closed off personality shots back at him, causing you to break down.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 11 - ʙᴜʀᴅᴇɴ

It had been weeks since you had talked to Law, feeling drained from the past events. You needed time to figure the relationship out, which caused you to run away from talking completely and be confronted with a storm, none of you were ready to face.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 12 - ɴᴇᴡ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴꜱ (n.sfw)

Trying to mend the damage he had caused, Law makes an effort to open up to you this time. He shared pieces of his past, including hobbies he’d long buried. He never anticipated that attending Zoro’s Kendo tournament with you would reignite an old spark within him—or that it would stir a newfound desire to impress you.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 13 - ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇꜱ ᴏʀ ᴀʟʟɪᴇꜱ

Two unexpected intruders—familiar faces no less—show up at your door, shocked to find you inside. Hired to break into what turned out to be the wrong apartment, Kid and Killer aren’t prepared for your defiance. Mustering all the courage you have, you scare them off and waste no time alerting Law, who doesn’t take kindly to their mistake and pays them a visit.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 14 - ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ (n.sfw)

You call an emergency meeting with your friends to figure out how to deal with Law’s unhinged ex—who crossed the line by sending two punks to break into your home. The discussion quickly turns chaotic, with no real solution in sight. But amidst the frustration and tension, something shifts. The situation brings out a side of you that no one, not even you, had fully realized before.

[zolo-san]

Some thoughts on Law and his image of himself

Law clearly has a lot of conflict around being seen as "good" or a "good guy" I think he want to be a good person, and he actually is, but he doesn't see himself that way, so he has a hard time accepting when people try to suggest that he is good And I think that there are several reasons for that

Law and Survivors Guilt

Law clearly holds a lot of survivors guilt throughout his life and I think it takes a big toll on him When he was younger, not only did he out live his parents and his whole town, but he "failed" to save his little sister as well We see him go out of his way to try to save her specifically, but in the end, he's still not there when she needed him the most The loss of his family also lead him down a path of which he chose to be angry and violent (ooooo we love the stages of grief lol) and take out his feelings of guilt and resentment on others despite being raised by a family of caretakers As a doctor, his father put everything he had into trying to help the people in their town and I think that Law would have looked up to him and wanted to be just like him, but after everything that happened something really broke in him I can't help but think he would feel bad and like he failed again after he moved past the angry violent reaction - just like I think he later felt quite a bit of guilt over stabbing Corazon after the fact Corazon tried everything to save Law and gave everything to him and I think that that too would add to Law's feeling of guilt, especially because it took him so long to realize that he had been too guarded and untrusting to see that Corazon was genuinely trying to help him Once he was able to accept and recognize that, however, Corazon ended up dying shortly after Obviously, Law has a lot of guilt, specifically survivors guilt, surrounding Cora's death Corazon not only risked his life for Law to live, but Law was unable to use his fruit to save him because he didn't know how, then when Law did try to get Corazon help (against Cora's wishes) he managed to "get help" from the wrong person and put Corazon in more danger, leading to his death

Ironically this is not dissimilar to the way his sister died Law had told her to hide while he get help and not only did he not get help, but when he returned, his sister had been killed

I also think that Corazon's confession to Law about being in the navy as he was about to die adds to Law's guilt because he already knew that to be true and I think it hurt him to realize that someone who cared so deeply for him and was literally dying for him still felt bad and was worried he's disappointed him

There's also something to be said about Corazon dying with a smile and the fact that Luffy is also someone who always has a smile on his face, especially when it comes to helping others I think this very much molds the image that Law has of who a "good person" is

Law lived because he knew it was what Corazon wanted for him It was all Law could do for him (I do wonder if there's also some guilt he feels about dedicating the life Cora gave to him to revenge)

Law and Selfishness

I think Law truly sees himself as selfish for many reasons, one being that he was so driven by revenge, and I think he has a tendency to overlook the good that he does because of this

I think he even sees him saving Luffy at Marineford as a selfish act

I think that seeing the efforts that Luffy was going through to save his brother made Law feel that he had failed his sister all over again He would feel that he never tried that hard And I think that it's partly for that reason that he felt compelled to save Luffy

I can't help but feel that Law, without realizing it, was trying to absolve himself of his own "sin" of not saving his sister by saving Luffy I also think the idea of Luffy, after all his efforts failing to save Ace, really broke Law's heart and he couldn't stand the idea of Luffy having to go through something like he did, especially after all the effort Luffy put in

But because of Law's view of himself and his actions as being selfish, I think that Jinbe thanking him for helping Luffy was already too much for him He didn't see his act as selfless or "kind" he saw it as him acting in self interest and I think that's why he tries to present it as such He claims that he essentially saved Luffy because he thought it would be a shame and a waist to let someone with Luffy's potential die then and there, but I think there's so much more to it and I think a lot of it has to do with Law viewing Luffy as an actual good person and something that he's not Law leaves before Luffy can thank him because he doesn't think he deserves thanks

The next we hear of what Law did during the two years that Luffy was training, we hear about his collecting pirates' hearts and becoming a warlord He does this all as part of a plan to exact revenge on Doflamingo and as part of this plan, he leaves his crew behind with no explanation and fully expecting to never see them again (tho he doesn't tell them this) This brings up an interesting fact that even though Law claims he never intended to fight Doflamingo, he also never expected to live through it

I think that Law feels incredibly guilty about leaving his crew behind because he does really care about his crew and I think that lying to them knowing full well he's going on a suicide mission hurts him a lot But I think that despite his choice being fueled by a want to protect his crew, he would feel that it's a selfish choice When he's on Punk Hazard, Law is fully in the throws of pretending to be this other person that he isn't at heart He's trying to be that cold, selfish person he sees himself as, but I don't think he can really do it So I think for this all these reasons, Luffy's mater-of-fact declaration that he is "a good guy" would make Law incredibly uncomfortable I think he sees Luffy as the type of caring, honest, and straight forward person he wishes he could be When he thinks of a good person, he thinks of someone like Luffy - someone like Corazon - who doesn't hesitate to help others at his own risk and would die for his crew and the people he cares about

Luffy obviously shares a lot of traits with Corazon and I don't think that's lost on Law So having someone like that imply that Law is the same as him is something Law can't handle

In addition to this, I think that Luffy's willingness to fight for Law at every turn and his inherent trust in him only adds to Law's feeling of inadequacy next to Luffy And I think that his survivors guilt and the fact that he feels that he's nowhere near as good a person as Luffy are all contributing factors as to why he decides that if Luffy dies fighting for him then he has to die to

I genuinely think that the idea of surviving someone so good like Luffy (and Corazon) again is something that Law cannot handle and cannot allow to happen This is also why I can't help but think that we will see a point where Law attempts to kill himself via his fruit to save Luffy I think Law would rather he die knowing that he insured Luffy's survival than to outlive someone so kind and good Though I think there would be a lot of guilt and conflict here as well I think that whenever we get to this point, it will be abundantly clear to Law that choosing to kill himself for Luffy would also be a selfish act that Luffy would never forgive him for How could he curse Luffy to eternal life knowing that Law died to give it to him?

But regardless of Law's own self image, we see repeated examples of him actually being a good and kind person He has a strong sense of right and wrong and cannot abide injustice, especially the mistreatment of innocent, good people And even if he didn't go about things the best way when he was a kid, this feeling of right and wrong and a need for justice (not in terms of the law but more in terms of karmic, moral justice) was something that was instilled in him at a young age He was taught by his family to care for others in need and to put others before himself And he tries desperately to do so when his town is being erraticated He reaches out to Luffy at Saboady when he sees, in Luffy, the same moral values and the same demand for moral justice and fair treatment of others (something I think is very important to Law given the treatment he faces for his condition as a child) Law then saves Luffy out of compassion for him, whether he's willing to admit that out loud or not He goes out of his way to try to make sure his crew is safe when he goes on his suicide mission to take down Doflamingo and even tries to assure them that everything is fine to ease their concerns When in Dressrosa while he was obviously focused very much on Doflamingo, his plan also helped benefit so many other people in Dressrosa and the world who were suffering because of Doflamingo He also refuses, at every second, to leave Luffy's side and nearly kills himself several times in the process (not to mention taking a beaten and battered Luffy into his care for the second time at his own risk) When they get to Zou, he leaves to get to his crew fairly quickly because he want's to be sure their okay and he accepts their love and happiness at his return with no argument And when Luffy asks him about altering the plan so he can go get Sanji, Law's first thought is of the people of Zou

I think this is partly because he can't stand the injustice of what happened to them, but also because he knows that insuring their saftey is something very important to Bepo since it is his home country and his people (even if he didn't really grow up there)

The people of Zou thank Law for this and he immediately shrugs it off because he doesn't see himself as someone worth thanking (especailly not after he heard of all the good the strawhats did - how could he compare?) Despite it all tho, Law makes room for Luffy - he accommodates Luffy's request because he knows how important it is to him to get Sanji back And again, he does this all selflessly and at his own risk, tho he doesn't see it as such, Law changes his plan to help Luffy and he does so without really any hesitation

There are other examples of Law going out of his way to do good and be a good person despite the image he has of himself (I'm just currently only just finishing up Zou so I haven't gotten there yet, I just know things~)

But in short, Law clearly doesn't see himself as "good," tho he desperately want to be a good person, but regardless of how Law views himself, he is clearly "a good guy"

[physics-of-one-piece]

Merlot & Primroses (Doflamingo x Reader)

Chapter 3

AO3 link

Summary: Your husband’s brother finds you. Life with him and his sham of a family is as cold as the snow your husband was found buried in. You're going to wilt slowly living with Doflamingo, you’re sure. No flower can survive in such snow.

Tags: Female!Reader, Rosinante's Wife!Reader, Civilian!Reader, Rosinante x Reader (mentioned through flashbacks), Donquixote Pirates, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Forced Proximity, Doflamingo's Comforting Skills are Non-Existent, Mentions of Fratricide, Grief, Angst, Post-Minion Island, North Blue Doflamingo, Red Suit Doflamingo, Touch-Starved Doflamingo, Doflamingo is His Own Warning, Protective Donquixote Doflamingo, Adult Themes

Word Count: 11.5k

A/N: I am so fckn nervous about this chapter it makes me anxious as hell. If there are any mistakes, pls do let me know. On a happier note... The Donquixote Pirates are here at last! 🦩🎉🎉Also, I didn't think the DQ Pirates were all so tall - I thought only the executives were above 3 meters - but was I wrong. They're all big. Gladius, my hedgehog pufferfish punk baby ❤️🦔 Also, Doffy & Baby 5 in this GIF aaaaa he's such a girldad 🥹🥹😊😊 Thank you everyone for the support! 🫶🏻🩷🦩

Taglist: @fanaticsnail @moonbaby26 @daydreamer-in-training @queenmimi2817 @dummyduck44 @pinejayy @tellynojelly @capycapy-bara @dilf-destroyer-04 @yataidiot @orioncipher @isabeauwolf @r-amenegg @skullfacedlady @wrennyx @yan-love-reader @caldrien @rujellyroll @bonzaibaby @emilyfeetumbrella @ghostiequill @pipsterz @graceland321 @panthorastormheart @thesmolestsage @thesaltycrisp @hurricanebrownie @heroinicyfingers @t-sarah @aganhim @smol-flower-kiddo @vaniiiavengeance @sagyunaro @froggiewrites @doffyslittledove @7wanne @ohnomyhooves @tinycreature21 @aganhim @anime-fan-isa-art @fruity0salad @tavsianus @xblackxjackx @hime44444 @ripndips @shanalikeanna @multifandomgirl2018 @shirayuki-ayumi @misaneeragoni

“Diamante!” Doflamingo yelled, entering the top officers lounge room with sharp steps of his pointed shoes.

Corazon and Pica looked up from their reading material and toward the swordsman with an unspoken, ‘What did you do now?’

Doflamingo lifted his hand, revealing the pink magazine filled with adultery to Diamante, his tanned forehead covered with roads of his throbbing veins. Rosinante’s eyebrows shot up all the way up to his hairline, and he was rather grateful for his bangs. Pica blushed, hiding his face into the geology book he was reading.

“How many times did I tell you?” growled Doflamingo, throwing the porn magazine onto the coffee table. “Stop putting your porn magazines on Law’s study pile!”

“Well, he needs to study about that, too, Doffy, hehe!”

“He’s ten,” said Doflamingo, frowning at the man, feeling the veins on his temples throb. “I see any of your magazines one more time on his study pile, I’m throwing out your entire stash. I know where you keep them.”

Diamante started to sweat.

“Oh come on, Doffy,” Diamante said, “they’re all going to grow up eventually. Even Baby 5. She’ll be taking picks of which man to ri —”

Corazon covered Diamante’s mouth before Diamante could put himself into an early watery grave.

Doflamingo slammed his hand on the table, making the entire wooden surface shake from the sudden force colliding with it.

Doflamingo growled, veins bulging on his forehead. Baby 5 and the words ‘having a boyfriend’, ‘suitor’, or ‘lover’ were banned from being spoken in the same sentence.

“Riddle with bullets!” squealed Pica quickly, sweating. “She’ll be taking picks of which man she’ll riddle with bullets!”

Doflamingo frowned, glaring at Diamante. Then, slowly, his mouth curved into his infamous grin.

“Exactly,” said Doflamingo, accentuating the word, smile sharp and dangerous.

“I’ll be taking this one,” said Doflamingo.

“Huh?!” cried Diamante. “H-Hang on, Doffy! That’s one of my favourite ones!”

“Shouldn’t have left it on Law’s desk, then, fufufu!”

As Doflamingo approached the couch to sit down, he tilted his head curiously at the magazine in his brother’s hands. “What are you reading, Corazón?”

Corazón jumped.

“Don’t keep them all to yourself, fufufu…”

Corazón rolled his eyes at him.

It wasn’t a porn magazine — which was a shame, Doflamingo definitely needed some new material, the models in his porn magazines were getting boring with similar physical features and poses — but a furniture magazine.

“Why are you looking through this stuff?” Doflamingo asked. “You want a new couch in the tea room or the study? An armchair in your bedroom?”

‘Just killing time,’ Corazón wrote. ‘I like reading through them.’

“If you say so,” said Doflamingo, not questioning his brother’s strange choice of entertainment at all. He sat down beside his little brother, spreading his legs to be more comfortable. “Oh, there are some nice armchairs…”

Corazón rolled his eyes at him, but Doflamingo’s trained eyes captured the slight movement of his brother’s lips curving into a tiny smile.

Doflamingo felt his chest swell with happiness at the sight of it. He’d buy Rosi some more furniture magazines at the port tomorrow. The magazines seemed to put his brother in a good mood.

***

You knew that at this point, your face had been squashed against the soft, warm red fabric of Doflamingo’s suit for what felt like hours, and you had learned exactly what Doflamingo smelled like against your own will.

Much like Rosinante turned selectively mute with Doflamingo, you turned selectively deaf. You stayed aware enough of his words as he happily — way too happily — told you all about his ‘family’. You hummed affirmatively when you knew you needed to.

“And that’s everyone,” said Doflamingo. “I know Lao G’s puns may sound...” He paused for a moment, humming to himself. “Repetitive, but he never sticks with one word. You have to admit, he has a large vocabulary. Large. There’s the g! Fufufu!”

“What about you?” he asked, his deep voice carrying across the clouds and sky like the loud voice of a god. “Any friends in Marineford? Or on that island I snatched you from?”

His long fingers moved, deploying more strings, pulling himself forward in a blast of speed, the feathers of his coat guarding your left ear from the hard wind pressure. His arm was squeezing you to him so tight your right ear was safely guarded by your right cheek being smothered to his suit.

“No,” you said, cryptically enough for him not to know whether it was a lie or not. You didn’t want to put anyone in danger.

“I see...” said Doflamingo, letting the words hang in the air as he flew over the sea. “Don’t worry about it. You’ll be friends with everyone in the Family. We’re not as uptight as the marines and people of Marineford.”

You felt your brows furrow in anger. Marines and the people of Marineford were not uptight. You’d know — you grew up there. It was no Water 7, Sabaody Archipelago or Dressrosa by natural beauty, but it was the safest place in the world, and most of the people there were kind and always helped each other.

You opened your mouth to tell him just that, to tell him the marines were a thousand times better —

“Don’t,” came Rosinante’s voice, cutting you off before you could open your mouth. “He wants to make you talk, let you reveal personal information about your life by discarding it as worthless. It’s a trap. Don’t fall for it.”

You clamped your mouth shut, softly exhaling through your nose, letting your tense muscles loosen.

Something cold landed on your eyelashes; it felt fresh and chilly. It was a snowflake. You blinked it away, adjusting your neck to be able to look at the sky better. Snowflakes soundlessly descended down the sky. They twinkled and shone under the sun. A few of the white crystals landed on Doflamingo’s coat, littering the pink feathers with dots of white. More snowflakes landed on his blond hair and atop the white frames surrounding the red lenses of his sunglasses. They were swept away by the brush of wind with the next leap of his long legs, scattering to the wind. The entire colours of the sky turned frosty, dimming in the cold climate.

You were clearly travelling away from the edge of the Calm Belt bordering the island you’d lived on for the past few years. The few islands that didn’t experience the harsh, long North Blue winters filled with endless snow were the ones close to the Calm Belt.

“There she is,” said Doflamingo fondly, gathering your attention.

For a moment, you thought the ship was a huge flamingo floating on the sea.

The figurehead was exactly as Rosinante had told you when describing the flamboyant ship reflecting Doflamingo’s entire personality; a flamingo’s long, curved pink neck and head, the flamingo wearing Doflamingo’s red sunglasses. The flanks of the ship were covered with a layer of thick pink-painted oak wood carved like a flamingo’s folded wings. The front hull and back hull were made of red cedar, framed by white wood. The deck was surrounded by a white balustrade supported by thick vase-shaped balusters topped with a thick top rail covered with a thin pile of snow.

As Doflamingo flew closer to the massive pink vessel, you saw the white sail with a large, cerise grinning smiley with its left eye crossed out hung from the dark red wooden yards of the foremast, the large cerise letters DONQUIXOTE written underneath on the same sail. Above the two crows nests, black flags with the same jolly roger painted white waved high in the wind. The stern was shaped into a curved, pink bird tail.

The only ships that huge you’ve seen were the marine warships.

It was ridiculous, and yet, there was a certain charm to it. It was so pink.

“Numancia Flamingo,” said Doflamingo proudly. “My home.” He grinned down at you, and you felt your stomach sink in dread; you decided you liked it better when he didn’t smile. “And now yours, too.”

You felt like the chill of the falling snow entered your skin. Doflamingo called it home, but the closer you grew to the ship, the worse your gut felt, and what was once a cute ship started feeling intimidating despite its child-friendly design.

You saw something move atop the crow’s nest. It was a big blob of what appeared to you as blue slime. You stared in shock as you saw the large blue blob fall off the main crow’s nest and down to the deck.

Was that thing... That person that just dropped from the main crow’s nest looked like slime.

“We’re going down,” Doflamingo informed you, his musky scent and deep voice filling your senses.

With surprising smoothness, Doflamingo landed on the deck of the ship. The walnut hardwood floor of the deck was covered with a thin sheet of snow.

You watched in horror as the slime you saw turned out to be a large, hunchback man.

The slime is a human. you thought panically, staring at the hunchback man in shock and disbelief. The slime is a human!

“Welcome back, Doffy!” said the man nasally.

Despite having a hunchback, he was taller than Doflamingo by about half a meter. He wore a green bowler hat, and a pair of black sunglasses covered his eyes. His appearance was ragged and unkempt, with a long, thick beard; he looked like some sort of helpless beggar you’d see in the back alley, someone you’d stay the hell away from. A long, ragged light blue coat that seemed to be made of dripping mucus and slime covered his entire body and hunchback; the mucus constantly trailed from the hem; it was like he was a living slime. His broad nose had snot hanging out of it, which nearly made you gag at the sight of the size of the snot. He held a cane in his right gloved hand.

“Any trouble while I was gone?” asked Doflamingo, calm and authoritative.

Thinking it was over, you tried to get out of Doflamingo’s long arms with some squirming, but his gloved, large fingers dug into your shin, pressing into your bones. The sudden jab of pain made you wince, turning still.

“None, behe!” said the large man covered in snot, his thick lips pulling into a smile; his teeth were round with some spaces between them. All the hairs on your nape stood on end. Something in your gut told you how dangerous this man was, no matter how unkempt his appearance was; you knew better than to judge someone’s strength based on appearance alone. “We’re still on a stable course for Beliera.”

This guy must be Trebol. Rosinante had warned you about him the most. Trebol had been the one to give Doflamingo means of “taking revenge” and giving him power in the shape of a devil fruit and a gold plated flintlock pistol.

It must have been terrible for Rosinante. To have the same gun used to kill his father facing him next.

A swell of sadness filled you.

Rosinante...

You clenched your teeth, your jaw clenching as a surge of anger boiled in your chest. Sadness and anger mixed within you, the first for Rosinante, the latter for Doflamingo.

“Don’t underestimate him.” Rosinante once told you when showing you pictures of the Donquixote Pirates. “The mucus is just a way to hide how weak his body is, but it's hard to find it because of the mucus. That entire coat is made of mucus. He’s a Paramecia, not a Logia. If you’re gonna aim for him, aim for his face.”

“Good,” said Doflamingo, his deep, commanding voice startling you out of your thoughts. “Gather the Family in the dining room so I can introduce her properly.”

“Yes, Doffy,” said Trebol. He was much taller than Doflamingo, wider as well, taking up three times the space of a normal man.

You could feel Trebol’s eyes watching you behind his black sunglasses, and suddenly, you decided you could endure being in Doflamingo’s arms a bit longer if it meant not getting any closer to this creep.

“So, this is her, eh?” Trebol tilted his head down at you curiously, a smile that reminded you of leers of old men on his face. You forced yourself to glare at his sunglasses, clenching your jaw, frowning, trying to make yourself appear as angry as possible. Better to show anger than fear. “She’s cute.”

Doflamingo grimaced at the taller man. “You’re too close, Trebol.”

“Behe, sorry!” Trebol leaned his towering body away from you, and looked at Doflamingo, asking, “Will she sleep with Giolla and Baby 5 in their room?”

“No,” said Doflamingo. Slowly, he smiled, that devilish, unsettling grin, and patted the top of your head with his free hand; you stiffened up, since his hand was bigger than your head. “She’ll sleep with me in my quarters.”

You stopped breathing. Your heart stopped. You could feel the colour drain from your face, could feel yourself turn as pale as the snow on the balustrade and the figurehead.

No. No no no no no. Anything but that.

You went to open your mouth to tell him that you’d be fine sleeping in the bunks in the women’s quarters, but Trebol’s laugh cut you off.

“Behehe! She’s cute!” said Trebol. “Who’d think Corazón was hiding such a cute woman.”

Your skin crawled. Before you could stop it, you shivered. Between this creep and Doflamingo, you’d choose Doflamingo any day.

You couldn’t believe this. You were surrounded by pirates, you were on a pirate ship. This was a nightmare. Absolute nightmare. You felt sick. You were so terrified you were going to throw up what little breakfast you had on the deck.

Following your trail of thought, your stomach let out a small, low grumble.

Doflamingo turned his face down to you with a curious hum, slouching down to you, craning his neck, bending over you. He had no sense of personal space, and it seemed he wasn’t going to offer any of it to you.

“Fufufu!” Doflamingo smiled at you, the sharp smile chilling you to the bones. His gloved thumb rubbed your bare, goosebumped shin; you would have yelped, shrieked and jumped if you weren’t two meters high from the ground. “Seems someone’s hungry. Don’t worry. We made it right on time for lunch.”

Heat climbed up your neck, enveloping your cheeks. It was embarrassing to have your stomach growl like that near strangers.

Doflamingo headed to the foremast of the ship, under which stood a circular cabin. With his free hand, he deployed a string, opening the large wooden door. It was a navigation room and an office, full of maps and books. There was a wide tunnel of staircases leading below deck.

Doflamingo walked down the wide, wooden staircase to the underbelly of the ship. He turned into the first arch of the cabin doors, and swung them open, entering into the timber labyrinth of the first level of the ship.

Your jaw nearly dropped. The ceiling was about ten meters high. The panelled walls decorated with intricately detailed wall mouldings were painted a luxurious light blue shade of periwinkle, framed with thin, narrow, ornate strips of gold. On the opposite wall, between the portholes, ornate paintings of all styles and themes in golden frames hung every few meters. They weren’t normal paintings bought at a market. Your eyes widened when you saw a painting of the lighthouse at the starting point of the Grand Line. It looked real.

“Isn’t that Monet’s Grand Line Lighthouse?” you asked, staring at the detailed oil painting.

“It is,” said Doflamingo.

“It’s -” you started.

“Three hundred million berries,” said Doflamingo, smile wide and big, sending shivers down your spine. “It was stolen in an underground auction.”

It wasn’t just this painting. All these paintings were reported to be stolen over the last six years in North Blue. Some were stolen from rich noble’s houses, from auctions, from museums, from art galleries…

“You stole it?” you asked, staring at him with wide eyes.

“Yeah,” said Doflamingo, still smiling, seemingly pleased you caught on so quickly. It was unnerving how long he could smile for. “That was fun. You should’ve seen how delighted Giolla was when Corazón and I brought it aboard — like I brought her the most precious treasure in the world, fufufu! I didn’t let Corazón carry it. It would’ve ended up broken on the street with him.”

“You like stealing, huh?” you asked him.

Doflamingo hummed. He tilted his head down at you, giving you another smile which made your body squirm on the inside.

“I like stealing beautiful things and making them my own.” he said.

You had a sinking feeling this wasn’t limited to objects.

Right as you thought this, Doflamingo’s right gloved hand reached down to your face. The suddenness of it had your entire body retreating further into the crook of his elbow. Your breathing picked up; you could feel your own terror in the loud thumping of your heartbeat in your throat as you waited for whatever happened next.

Doflamingo tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear carefully, curving it behind your earlobe. The tip of his thumb brushed along the skin of your ear as he did so. Goosebumps rose on the nape of your neck. Your chest felt hot, rising and falling rapidly.

Doflamingo’s browline creased in amusement, the neutral line of his mouth quirking up, curving across his cheekbones smugly. You could imagine his narrowed, scrunched eyes laughing at you behind his sunglasses. It seemed he himself was struggling not to chuckle at how flighty you were.

“You really are a little canary,” he said, smiling devilishly, turning from mysterious and frightening to dangerously charming. “Shrieking like mad and fluttering about, but when I pick you up...”

His gloved thumb slid down your cheek, tracing along the softness before settling under your jaw; your breath caught, and you held it trapped in your lungs. You stiffened in his arms, looking up at him like a fish pulled out of the sea. Doflamingo’s mouth curved wider, lips opening into a devious grin of white teeth, forming dimples on his cheeks. You could feel his satisfaction at being right, at reading you like a book.

“You turn docile and sweet.”

Doflamingo chuckled. “How cute.”

He lifted his gloved thumb from your face, releasing you from his invisible grip, lowering his hand back to his side. You let out the breath you’d been holding. Doflamingo chuckled darkly again, and started moving again.

There was enough width to the hallway for two people of Doflamingo’s size to walk comfortably without brushing shoulders. Crystal sconces hung from the ceiling, swaying with the sea’s movements, casting soft shades of light into the hallway. The polished, hickory wood floor was covered by a dark red carpet runner, muffling his steps as he walked toward the end of the hallway leading to another set of doors.

Was this really a pirate ship?

“Have you sailed before?” he asked as he prowled through the hallway, steps muffled by the red rug.

“Yes,” you replied, continuing to look around; the portholes were crystal clear, showing the movement of the ship as the sea swayed by. The interior of the ship didn’t look very much like a pirate’s ship. “With the marines.”

“The white-coats must have been so uptight, fufufu!” Doflamingo flashed you a playful grin, but all it did was make you shiver in fear. “You’ll have much better sailing adventures with me.”

At the end of the hallway was another door, this one wooden and more fitting for a sailing ship, taller than Doflamingo, with a porthole window; you couldn’t see through it. There were voices coming through, muffled through the thick wood.

Doflamingo opened the doors, and entered the room. It was the galley. A long, large oak dining table covered by a silken mauve tablecloth spread out across the length of the large room. The main crew of the Dobquixote Pirates, the Donquixote Family, were all satten on the table.

The greetings of “Young Master!” and “Welcome back!” filled the dining area.

You felt the way Doflamingo’s body relaxed, his usually squared, pulled-back shoulders loosening, his chest deflating.

He gave the twelve people a warm smile. “I’m back.”

Doflamingo continued toward the table, carrying you.

Shame flooded you, self-consciousness swelling in your gut. You wanted to hide your face from view.

Doflamingo was unbothered by whatever emotions rolled within you, uncaring, no expression on his face as he walked through the galley packed with his crew members, carrying you cradled in one arm, his hand under your knees, warm and large. You felt like a puppy who he picked up on a whim and decided to take home with him.

The Donquixote Pirates were all huge. The ones of a normal height were the kids. But even the oldest kid, Buffalo, was as tall as one of the elite officers, Pica. Even the only female officer, Giolla, was over two meters tall.

Having been married to Rosinante for five years and often working closely with him on translating documents and decoding messages for his squad and the rest of the Navy, you grew a new habit. Whenever you entered a room, be it your house, a meeting, an office, your eyes instinctually searched for Rosinante.

Rosinante was the human equivalent of a warm hug.

All you felt in this room was the lack of warmth.

It didn’t take you long to feel it. The remnants of warmth, the feel of Rosinante’s presence. It was the empty chair on Trebol’s left.

If you weren’t so struck with grief at the awareness of being able to still sense Rosinante’s presence even if he hadn’t sat on that spot for six months, of being able to identify it was his seat even though you’d never been here, you would have laughed and broken down crying.

Law wasn’t here.

The relief you felt at this realization was indescribable. Law was safe. He was free from Doflamingo’s clutches and influence. It wasn’t all for nothing.

You felt like the odd one out right now. All the people gathered here were much, much taller than you. Sure, you were used to hanging around with people of differing heights while working for the marines, attending meetings and formal events with Rosinante many times. Rosi’s own crew consisted of marines taller than you, but at least he had two crewmates below two metres tall with whom you could converse without having to look up sky high.

You were… the shortest adult in the room now.

Doflamingo reached the end of the table where there were two chairs, one already occupied by Trebol. He put you down, and your feet touched the ground at last. You unwillingly used his leg to stabilize yourself as the ship sailed over the sea; you felt the difference in footing from it.

Twelve pairs of eyes were on you.

The thought of running for the doors crossed your mind, and was quickly vanquished when Doflamingo settled his large, gloved hand on your shoulder, his palm completely enveloping it, your shoulderblade and your upper arm. All your joints stiffened.

“This is Donquixote (Y/N). She’s my sister-in-law.” said Doflamingo, speaking the surname with the same pride as he did when saying it with his name. “I’m sure Diamante, Pica and Trebol set out the rules before we returned, but I’ll repeat them again. I’m instigating the Blood Law on her. If anyone harms her, outside or inside of the Family, I will put them to death. She has no battle experience or any fighting ability. She’s a civilian, and a translator. Since she’s mourning Corazón’s passing —”

What an elegant way to say murder.

“— she doesn’t have to work unless she wants to. Be kind to her and get along.”

The replies of, “Understood,” and “Yes, Young Master.” went around the table.

Doflamingo removed his immense hand from your left shoulder, and your body slumped in relief. Thank the fucking seas.

You took the chance to look over at Doflamingo’s crew. They weren’t that frightening.

You gulped.

Not frightening at all.

You wanted to glare at them and say, “I don’t like any of you. I don’t want to be friends with you. I hate you all, and I’m going to kick your asses.”

That’s something someone brave would do. Someone like Wulf. He would probably say, “I hate each and every one of you shitheads and you better keep one eye open while you sleep because I’m going to kill you all.”

But Wulf had something to back it up. He had his Devil Fruit, his battle experience, his Haki.

All someone like you — someone normal — could do was wish you were more like your husband, or your husband’s best friend. All someone like you did was feel a thick tightness of terror surround your throat whenever you thought of saying something; it was paralysing fear. One pirate, you could act tough in front of, especially Doflamingo. Twelve pirates, all loyal to Doflamingo, ready to kill you if you put a toe out of line and did something to hurt their captain? Not a group you'd pick a fight with.

You might as well be a delicious little tuna fish thrown into shark-infested waters. Wulf could pick fights with everyone. You couldn’t. You didn't have the luxury of being reckless now, of telling them outright you don’t want to be in the same room as them. You couldn’t piss them off. You couldn’t attack them. You had to stay civil and avoid them. That was the best way to survive for you.

You were deep in the enemy territory, and your best choice was not to antagonize them and stay out of their way.

“Trebol, pass the chair,” said Doflamingo, gesturing with his chin to the empty chair — Rosinante’s chair.

“Yes, Doffy!” said Trebol.

The man grabbed Rosinante’s chair like it weighed nothing, and next thing you knew, Doflamingo had put it on the right of the empty chair next to Trebol; you jumped a little when Doflamingo put it down.

“Take a seat,” said Doflamingo, pulling out the chair for you. You found yourself sitting down in a mere moment, listening to him without realising it.

Doflamingo sat down on the chair on your left, took the napkin beside his plate, and tucked the napkin into his collar to protect his suit and tie. He took off his gloves and put them in the pockets of his merlot suit pants, revealing his long, smooth, tanned, puppeteering fingers. The sight of them filled you with a terrible sense of helplessness.

He put you on your husband’s empty seat. Talk about a bullet to the gut. A bullet to the gut would have hurt less.

If I don’t punch this bastard in the face at least once in my life, then I have failed as a human being. you thought, glaring at Doflamingo.

You nervously eyed the table. None of Doflamingo’s crew was too heavily eyeing you. Good. The more they ignored you, the easier your life would be.

Talk about being satten between two boulders. Doflamingo was sitting at the head and center of the table with you sitting on his right. Diamante, the tallest of the crew at five meters tall, looming two meters taller than Doflamingo, was on your right, on the first seat on the length of the table. At least Diamante wasn’t as broad in shoulders and torso as Doflamingo was, and you had plenty of space to dine comfortably. In fact, Diamante was slender and lanky all around; he reminded you of those slender, long-limbed rock singers you watched on the projector snail, who wore face makeup and had long hair. He looked like he could fit right into a rock band as an electric guitarist.

Pica, who sat on Diamante’s right, was the complete opposite. He was huge, like a human boulder, with a hulking frame and incredibly muscular body; his arms were thicker than the width of your head. His lavender hair was much like Diamante’s; wavy and long, hanging down to his shoulders. The golden, three-spiked shoulder guards covering his shoulders made you shiver.

You felt sweat coat your palms. This was bad. You were surrounded by the strongest people in the crew and Doflamingo. There was no slipping away.

Well… there was always the dive under the table and try to make it out before they catch you idea.

The servants came in, carrying plates of appetizers. Doflamingo called one of the maids over with a wave of his hand.

“Take these to my cabin,” Doflamingo ordered, taking the bouquet of primroses from where it laid in your lap; the action was so sudden it made you jump when the flowers suddenly disappeared. “Put them on my office desk.”

“Yes, sir,” said the servant, carefully taking the bouquet, mindful not to touch Doflamingo while doing so. Doflamingo didn’t even look in the woman’s way, as though she didn’t even exist.

You frowned. A royal through and through, this brother of yours, Rosinante.

That commanding, overpowering tone of Doflamingo’s sent chills down your spine. It was clear Doflamingo was used to ordering people around and grew up doing it; he expected people to obey him.

Rosinante was completely different. He was always polite with all the staff wherever he went, speaking politely to them, thanking them for their help and work.

For appetisers, the servants served deviled eggs topped with shrimps.

Deviled eggs — how ironic. The devil was literally sitting on your left. You grabbed your fork and stabbed through the shrimp and the hard-boiled egg, and took a careful bite, neither too big or too small. The tastes mixed together pleasantly; eggs, shrimps, mustard, mayonnaise, garlic, paprika and salt.

Beside you, Doflamingo did the same thing, eating the deviled eggs slowly, picking them off one by one. Unlike you, who got six of them, Doflamingo got twelve, but he was picking them off at a slower pace than you were.

That was weird.

Wait… how many pancakes did you put on that plate?

Ten? No, the pile was taller than ten…

Of course. The pink-feathered idiot’s stuffed himself full of pancakes, of course he can’t eat more right now!

He really is Rosi’s brother! Rosinante did the same thing once. Once, and never again. For a reason.

And here you thought Doflamingo was supposed to be the smarter one.

These Donquixote brothers and their eyes bigger than their stomachs!

Furrowing your brows, you reached out with your foot and tapped the side of Doflamingo’s dress boot. He shifted slightly, then turned his head toward you, that cold expression on his face momentarily frightening you. He leaned his head down to you.

“You ate more than ten pancakes, didn’t you?” you whispered to him.

Doflamingo’s lips curled; whether he was amused by the frightening effect his presence had on you or your question, you couldn’t tell.

“So?” he asked.

“So, you won’t be able to eat much.” you said, voice steadier now. “Pancakes are filling.”

Doflamingo merely smirked, guiltless and arrogant, patting his red suit where his stomach was happily. “That they were, fufufufu!”

You counted to five inside your head not to snap at him.

“You won’t be able to eat,” you said.

“You underestimate my appetite.” said Doflamingo, smirking confidently.

Rosinante said the same thing. Then he overate, eating a full serving of thirty pancakes. And ended up sleeping the rest of the day away.

Doflamingo leaned back from you and went back to the food.

“Is the food not good, Doffy?” asked Diamante.

“No,” said Doflamingo calmly. “The food is fine. I already ate. My sister-in-law here made me pancakes.”

This fucking pancake-thieving, lying —

“Pancakes, you say?” asked Diamante, tossing four deviled eggs into his massive mouth. “She made you pancakes?”

Doflamingo simply grinned like a child who got the best candy.

“I didn’t make them for him. Your captain stole them.” you said, unable to take it anymore. The last thing you wanted was for these criminals to think you could be stepped on, that Doflamingo managed to scare you into making him pancakes, or worse, that you offered them to him.

Diamante chuckled. “Free food is free food, missus.”

“They were delicious. Best pancakes I ever had.” said Doflamingo, chuckling like a giddy child who didn’t regret his actions at all; except his voice was deep as the sea and not the innocent squeak of a child. It made your insides squirm fearfully.

You frowned at him, hating how flippant he was about it, how casual. You could tell Doflamingo was never disciplined for anything he did — ever — in his entire life. It was frightening, because that meant he would do whatever he wanted to do, which made him incredibly unpredictable.

“Well, now I want some.” said Diamante, and you felt your entire body tense up like a cat’s. You didn’t want to make pancakes for Doflamingo, and you certainly didn’t want to make pancakes for any of his crew, for the people who hurt your husband.

Because there was no way Rosinante would have gotten killed in a one on one fight against Doflamingo. He’d have gotten away. He wouldn’t have gotten killed.

“Sure,” said Doflamingo, chuckling, not even asking for your opinion, whether you wanted to make a bastard like Diamante the pancakes you only made for your friends and family — for Rosinante. “I’ll have the chef show her around the kitchen tomorrow and help her out.”

You wonder why on earth you would need help from the ship’s chef or cooks to make something as simple as pancakes, but after a moment, it dawned on you. They wouldn’t be there to help you out. They’d be there to watch you, to make sure you don’t poison the food.

It was slightly insulting to you, really. To you, food was something sacred, something that shouldn’t be used to kill people with. You’d never poison food, not after spending so much time making it. You never really thought of that. You haven’t thought about hurting Doflamingo in the ways assassins would.

In truth, you wouldn’t dare.

You looked at Doflamingo. Here, eating with his crew, conversing with them, he looked almost friendly. Almost... harmless.

It terrified you, how harmless Doflamingo looked while dining with his ‘family’. Just an hour ago, he was the materialisation of a villain, sitting on your couch with a ruthless, cold look on his face, sneering at you. Now Doflamingo looked warm, comforting, like a family man.

After the plates were clear - Doflamingo gave the leftovers on his plate to Diamante “Well, if you insist!” What the hell? Does Diamante have some sort of need for affirmation of his greatness? - the servants picked them up.

It all felt so regal and peaceful, so unlike what you expected of pirates. Most of them were still messy eaters, such as Diamante and Trebol, and Buffalo was no better, either. But people like Giolla, Gladius, Pica and Señor Pink were nothing short of neat eaters. Doflamingo ate differently in public than Rosinante did. When eating in public, Rosinante always dove into his plate, hunching over it protectively, eating as fast as possible. You knew why. It always broke your heart. After Rosinante told you of his two years of childhood with his family in the North Blue, it made you realise that Rosinante did his best not to show you that part of himself on the first few dates because he was ashamed of it.

Doflamingo ate like royalty, like a king. It was so obvious he had a noble upbringing it was funny. The way he cut his food, the way he stabbed it with a fork, the way he brought the fork in his mouth, and how he made next to no sounds while chewing, keeping his mouth closed, and the tissue in his collar and over his lap. Most people wouldn’t notice it. But you got to see Rosinante eat when he was relaxed, when he was alone with you, not in public when his ‘eat as much as you can or someone might take it from you’ instinct won over. And he ate alone with you in the exact same way as Doflamingo was doing now. With grace and elegance only high nobles had.

You remembered how you gawked at Rosinante the first time you saw him like that — the first time he invited you over for dinner at his place — unable not to feel awed by simply watching such a beautiful, mannered man with his head held high and lanky frame straight and relaxed, eat the food you two made together. Eventually, over the years, Rosinante got more comfortable eating in public and not rushing (though he did still take a lot on his first serving during public events like barbeques in case all the meat and burgers were gone by the time he wanted seconds) letting himself enjoy the food and savour it.

The public meals you hosted — and all the public parties you and Rosinante were invited to on the island — always had enough for endless servings. You made sure of that.

The main dish was baked sausage and cheese rigatoni; pasta and sausage with thick, melty ricotta and provolone cheese baked through and crisped and crusty on top, served in a deep, large baking dish.

You always gave Rosinante five times the size of a normal portion, and every time, he was over the moon. Rosi always ate everything on his plate, and always asked for seconds and thirds. It made you worry you weren’t giving him big enough portions, but Rosi later confessed that he ate so much because it was so good he couldn’t physically stop eating.

The moment Rosinante patted his stomach and said with a happy sigh, “I’m full!” you were overjoyed. Rosinante worked hard while undercover, and you wanted to always welcome him with a meal, to take care of him as he took care of you. If you ever missed his return — sometimes he arrived late — you made sure to get up early to prepare him pancakes.

The same pancakes you prepared for yourself in an attempt to comfort yourself.

The same pancakes Doflamingo devoured after breaking into your house.

Doflamingo, Trebol, Diamante and Pica got their own rigatoni in jumbo sized baking dishes placed in front of them. It didn’t surprise you they got entire servings for themselves; they required much more calories and nutrients than normal-sized people.

You picked up your fork and knife and started eating.

Fuck, this is delicious.

Eating beside Doflamingo felt like eating beside a lion. The last thing you wanted to risk was bumping elbows with him. You also knew you couldn’t curl your body in and take as little space as possible. It would make you appear weak. You decided to sit as casually, as normally, as possible with the pink demon sitting beside you, the feathers of his coat brushing your elbows as you ate, forcing the food into your mouth.

Doflamingo looked like a chipmunk with his mouth full and cheeks puffed out — much like Rosinante.

If you didn’t look above his chin, if you focused on just his jawline and the curve of his chin from his side profile, if not for Doflamingo’s tanned skin, you would definitely expect Rosinante’s features to materialise up above, his brown eyes instead of Doflamingo’s red sunglasses, his curly tufts of blond hair over his ears rather than spiked-back blond hair revealing the ears completely, one earring dangling from each.

You shook your head off of the image, blinking away the image of Rosinante, your vision shifting back to reality.

That’s Doflamingo. Not Rosinante.

“Figured out the parts of me more attractive than my brother’s or do you want a closer look, darling?” Doflamingo asked, startling you.

You stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. Doflamingo wasn’t even looking in your direction. You didn’t realise he noticed you looking at him.

How could you realise? All his sunglasses revealed were what he was looking at, and sometimes, such as now, it wasn’t even that, because his red-orange lenses were reflecting the way his face was turned, the length of the table, the room. But in truth, his eyes were on you.

“No, thank you.” you said simply, and returned back to eating. It wasn't that Doflamingo wasn’t handsome. He is. But he is the sort of handsome man that was bad news for women. The macho sort of man oozing with masculinity. The dangerous sort of man, the one who could command an entire country, the one with so much pride it could overflow the Grand Line. Some women were attracted to that. You preferred gentle, honest men who wore their heart on their sleeve over dangerous ones who barely communicated, who gave you cold looks, and you won’t even get started with those men’s hearts.

Absolute nightmare.

You heard Doflamingo huff an amused breath through his nose, the line of his mouth quirking into a curve of an arrogant smirk. He chuckled. The sound sent goosebumps up your spine.

“Tough woman, isn’t she?” you heard Doflamingo say to Trebol.

“You’re definitely more handsome, Doffy, behehe!” Trebol said.

You continued chewing in silence.

Wine started pouring all across the table.

All of the wine bottles were dark green, with the same label name Petrus on the middle of their label. They were one of the expensive red wines in the Grand Line. It was the sort of wine you saw Fleet Admiral Sengoku sip at when he had dinner with you and Rosinante.

Doflamingo took the bottle in front of him, and poured the dark red liquid into his glass of wine, filling more than half of it with the rich red wine. It was the same colour as his suit.

Then, Doflamingo’s large hand holding the wine bottle extended to your glass, clearly intending to pour the wine for you.

Your heart dropped to your stomach.

Oh, hell no. Hell to the One Piece no.

You snatched your glass into your hand and pulled it toward yourself, meeting his feigned innocent face with a firm, hard glare.

You reached forward and grabbed the jug of orange juice, and poured yourself a full cup into the wine bottle beside your plate. Once you poured enough of the orange juice, you placed the jug back onto its place on the table with a firm thud.

Doflamingo scowled, as though you’d hurt him, then turned back to his glass, and poured himself more wine, continuing to scowl.

That’s right. Drink your tantrum away, asshole. Get alcohol poisoning, see if I care. Oh, boohoo, I can’t pour wine while sneaking some drug into my sister-in-law’s glass, poor me. Fuck. You.

After Doflamingo poured his wine, he slammed the bottle down with a resounding, loud, rattling THUD! The table wobbled, shaking from the impact, as though an earthquake hit it.

You jumped in your seat, flinching violently. Some of the officers were startled as well, slowing down in their dining. The blond toddler with a fin on his back clutched onto Giolla’s orange dress, looking more worried for you than scared of Doflamingo.

That was fine. You were scared enough.

Your heart beating in your ears, you moved your eyes up to Doflamingo, holding your breath in your lungs. Doflamingo was looking at you, his forehead and browline scrunched, his anger leaking out of him in silent waves, all directed at you. Veins throbbed along the length of his thick neck, his jaw clenched.

You realised you were trembling.

Diamante snickered at you.

You clenched your teeth. Unbelievable.

Damn it. Fuck. Damn it.

You’re shaking… just from that? What the hell is wrong with you? You’re the wife of a Navy commander. You shouldn’t show fear, especially in front of pirates.

You pressed your fingers deep into your thigh, hoping the pain would force your body into settling down. Breathe. You had to breathe.

You breathed in, and breathed out.

You broke eye contact, looking away from Doflamingo, metaphorically backing down and submitting. The thick, suffocating air bearing down on you slowly retreated.

“Next time you do that, it will be your head smashing on that table, Corazón’s little wife.” said Diamante, while Doflamingo looked at you with his mputh downturned, forehead furrowed, his face cold and heartless. He looked like he was going to kill you in cold blood just like he killed Rosinante. “Doffy can crack your skull open if he wants to.”

“Diamante,” said Doflamingo. The suddennes of hearing his deep voice filled your veins with ice. There was an outline of blood vessels forming on his forehead. “Enough. How I deal with my sister-in-law is up to me. She’s already terrified enough as it is. Play nice.”

“Of course, Doffy,” said Diamante. “I was just giving her friendly advice.”

Doflamingo went back to eating.

You made sure to empty your plate. You felt like Doflamingo was intently watching you eat, and you could feel that he wanted you to eat everything on your plate. Doflamingo finished half of his meal, and as he did with the deviled eggs, offered the leftovers for Diamante to eat.

It reminded you of a master giving his uneaten leftovers to his dogs.

The main dishes were taken away and the dessert came. You felt your traitorous mouth water at the sight. It was a chocolate souffle, covered in chocolate syrup.

Doflamingo waved the server away when they wanted to place his plate in front of him.

You fought back a smirk. Those pancakes are finally hitting, huh?

“I’ll take his,” you said with far too much enthusiasm, smiling at the server. “Can’t waste it, can we?”

The server glanced nervously at Doflamingo, asking for permission.

“Give it to her,” commanded Doflamingo frigidly.

“Y-Yes, sir,” stuttered the server. He placed the second plate in front of yours.

“Thank you,” you said politely to the server, with a lot of satisfaction.

Doflamingo stared at you intensely. Especially so as you hummed, lifting your spoon and taking a large spoonful of the delicious souffle.

You ignored him and started devouring the souffle. It was delicious like the rest of the meals.

You felt the weight of Doflamingo’s presence shifting. He leaned over to you, resting his long forearm on the table, more of the pink feathers of his coat gathering against your left thigh.

This time, you did look. You wished you didn’t. Doflamingo was leaning over you like a bird of prey towering over a mouse, his neck and spine bent.

Doflamingo’s large tongue slipped out, licking along his lips hungrily. He continued hovering over your meal like a lion patiently waiting for the lioness to be done eating so he could have a taste of the meal.

The way he was looking at the souffle… one would think he wanted to do unspeakable, lewd things to the poor thing.

Doflamingo lifted his face up from the angle where he’d been staring down at the souffle and looked right at you, his face relaxed, mouth curved into a close-lipped, wide smile, warm and charming.

You inhaled sharply, nearly gasping in shock. You recognised that look.

The Donquixote puppy look.

No. That can’t be.

You didn’t think Doflamingo was capable of that!

“Who do you think taught me the look?” Rosinante asked you; you could imagine him deadpanning, giving Doflamingo an unimpressed look.

That makes sense, but is also incredibly disturbing.

Doflamingo leaned closer, until his face was right in front of yours, his nose an inch from yours, that charming expression still on his face.

Your stomach clenched and squirmed. You cast your eyes left and right panically, but you could feel the heat of energy pressing upon you, the unspoken words clearly said by the expression on Doflamingo’s face.

Won’t you give me the souffle won’t you give me the souffle won’t you give me the souffle, just a bite, just a bite, won’t you be nice and give me the souffle?

It was too much. There was no way to fight against it.

You could feel the heat of the blush on your cheeks, could feel the strangeness in your stomach, the wide openness of your eyes, taking in the handsome man in front of you; the same reaction you had when Rosi had gotten in as close as Doflamingo was now, with his nose an inch from yours, with that pleading look on his face.

There was no pleading in Doflamingo’s expression, simply… pure, sheer charm. He looked completely innocent.

It was overwhelmingly charming. All your determination and walls crumbled away while facing such a look.

Damn Donquixote puppy eyes.

Not that you can see Doflamingo’s eyes, but you can feel them. The bastard was giving you his puppy eyes, or something like it!

There was no use fighting it.

You took two spoonfuls and put them on Doflamingo’s plate. He beamed like you just gave him the world, the dimples of his cheeks full of triumph.

Did you just get charmed into giving him the souffle?

Yes.

Yes, you did.

All Doflamingo did was relax, his face softening into a look of warmth, removing any roughness from it, and curving a close-lipped, charming, entreating smile onto his mouth, leaning forward until he was extremely close that one more inch would make his nose brush yours, and that was that.

It hadn’t even been deceitful. It had been an honest look speechlessly asking you to give him just a bit of the souffle, just so he can try it.

What the hell? What the fucking hell was that?! What is wrong with me?! What the hell?!

Doflamingo just… Doflamingo looked so…

Cute.

What was worse was... He wasn’t leaning back. He was still there. His face remained right in front of yours, that innocent close-lipped smile on his face.

Doflamingo was unabashedly staring at you now, and was uncomfortably close, his large hand resting on his cheek, his tall body lounging and... Enjoying the view.

The view of you.

It reminded you of —

Rosinante clung to your legs, his long arms wrapped around your legs in two layers because of their length. He was crying openly, his long body sprawled out across the floor as you dragged yourself — with a lot of effort because you were lugging a one-hundred-seventy kilogram giant that decided to flop down and not move — and the second plate full of ume mochi you made to the table. His feet covered in his donkey-themed slippers were so long they touched the end of the wall of the dining room.

You were starting to sweat now, losing your breath as you dragged yourself forward with nothing but determination. Rosinante was so heavy… It felt like a baby elephant laid down, wrapped its tusk around your legs, and was waiting to be dragged around by you.

Rosinante was always mindful not to put his entire weight on you, but he had no shame in using all of it against you when he needed to, it seemed.

Like right now, when he was begging to eat your mochi.

“I never thought I’d say this in our marriage, but…” You sighed, took a deep breath, and yelled, “Rosinante, get off of me!”

Rosinante was not discouraged.

“Pleaaaaseee!” he cried, lifting up his face to you; you froze at the cuteness you were faced with; soft, shining, warm brown eyes full of tears and a pleading, sweet, handsome face of a man who might as well be an angel. “Just a little bit! I can eat it, I promise!”

“Rosinante, you can’t have the mochi. You’re going to get sick from overeating.” you said, putting on your best stern look. “You’re going to get sick from overeating. You already have a stomachache!”

You couldn’t let yourself be influenced by your husband’s puppy eyes; he always used that weapon against you, and with Law sitting here at the table watching the scene in utter bafflement, you had to at least appear mature and not melt under Rosinante’s sweet face and gaze as you usually would. You couldn’t give into it!

“B-But...” Rosinante managed through his sniffles. “You made it... You worked hard on it... I wanna eat it...”

“That’s what you get for stuffing yourself with (Y/N)-san’s pancakes, Cora-san.” said Law with a blank, blunt tone that would make even the toughest marine feel like they got shot in the heart.

‘Cora-san can stuff himself with my pancakes and other things of me any time,’ you thought, but didn’t say. The smile that came across your lips while you had that thought might have betrayed you. Thankfully, both the man and the boy remained none the wiser, focused on their conversation.

“You’re so cruel, Law!” cried Rosinante, tears streaming down his face. Law sweatdropped at your husband's emotional reaction.

Law put another mochi into his mouth. He didn’t like umeboshi or plums of any kind, so you filled his mochi with black sesame paste instead, which he seemed to enjoy. You only made the ume mochi because you had to use up the leftovers and intended to eat the plate you were carrying yourself.

Your husband who had spent the entire afternoon on the couch digesting the thirty pancakes he ate had other plans.

“Look! He’s eating! He’s doing it on purpose!” Rosinante gasped. “He smirked! He just smirked! The little smartass smirked at me!”

You couldn’t believe your husband was fighting with a sick, small thirteen-year-old boy who didn’t even reach to his knees.

“That’s because Law ate his serving of the pancakes in moderation like a normal human being, unlike you, who ate five servings!”

“I couldn’t help it! They were so delicious!” He smiled goofily, dreamily. “And we couldn’t have wasted the mixture!”

“We could have had the mixture for dessert after dinner or put it overnight for tomorrow, you know this! That’s how we always do it! You let your stomach make your decisions for you!”

“Just a bite!” insisted Rosinante.

“No!”

“One bite, por favor!”

Law took another mochi, amused by the scene in front of him.

You sighed. “Rosi…”

“Please.” whimpered Rosinante, sniffling.

"Fine," you said, giving in. "But only one!"

Rosinante beamed like you just gave him the world.

Rosinante let go of you. Free at last, you took one of the ume mochi from the pile and gave it to him. Rosinante grabbed it and bit into the soft, mellowy mochi, chewing through it with eyes closed, moaning happily, lost in deep bliss.

“Delicious!” said Rosinante cheerfully, cheeks blushing a sweet pink, a big smile blooming on his face. “Thank you!”

And just by that face Rosinante made, you fell in love with him all over again. Your heart bloomed, butterflies flying wild in your stomach.

Before you could stop yourself, you reached out and cradled your husband’s face, bent down and kissed him deeply, wrapping your arms around his thick neck and strong shoulders, burying your fingers in his fluffy, wavy blond hair.

Rosinante made a surprised sound, but he recovered quickly, closing his eyes, kissing you back, his large hands sliding around your body, pulling you flush to his warm, broad, strong chest.

Rosinante hummed, smiling lovingly into the kiss.

“Really?!” asked Law, baring his teeth like an angry gremlin at the two of you. “Right in front of my mochi? Get a room!”

You giggled, exchanging one more kiss with Rosinante before parting from him.

Rosinante looked adoringly at you, his half-lidded brown eyes full of love.

“Stop staring at her like a lovesick puppy, Cora-san!”

Rosinante giggled.

“Nope,” he said playfully, continuing to stare at you lovingly, looking completely smitten, a goofy, dreamy smile on his face. You were starting to smile despite yourself, feeling yourself blush more and more, staring at your husband lovingly, equally enchanted by him.

“I love my wife, and I’ll stare at her as long as I want!” announced Rosinante proudly.

Law stared at Rosinante in what could only be described as disgust and disappointment.

“If I ever become like Cora-san, I want to be shot.” said Law.

“Hey!” Rosinante whined.

You laughed, burying your fingers in Rosinante’s soft hair, gently petting his head to calm him down. He settled with a grunt, resting his cheek on your bosom, closing his eyes. He squeezed you tight in the encompassing embrace of his large arms, his palms easily wrapping around your waist, his fingertips on the middle of your back.

You rested your forehead on the crown of Rosinante’s head, closing your eyes, basking in the peace.

“I can eat the rest of the mochi if you two are gonna cuddle, right?” Law asked, eyeing you curiously.

You chuckled. “Sure, Law. But no more than five mochi for you.”

“Yes, (Y/N)-san,” said Law politely. “Don’t worry, I know how to count, unlike Cora-san.”

Law smirked like the mischievous boy he was; it was adorable.

Rosinante peeked his left eye open to look at Law. “If I wasn’t having a great time on my wife’s bosom, I would sooo eat all your mochi, Law.”

Law made a face. “You’re a perverted klutz, Cora-san.”

“A happily married perverted klutz,” said Rosinante proudly, lifting his arm and showing Law his hand with the gleaming, golden wedding band on his ring finger. “And don’t you forget it.”

You laughed.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Law’s lips twitch into a tiny smile.

Your heart clenched painfully tight. You turned your head away from Doflamingo, back to your souffle.

Doflamingo’s charming expression shifted, his brows furrowing when you looked away from him, when the blush on your face faded away as well as the reflection of him in your wide eyes.

“Young Master, you can have all of mine!” said Gladius enthusiastically.

“That’s fine, Gladius.” Doflamingo said. “Anymore and I’ll bloat.”

Tears welled in your eyes, clogging your throat. The need to cry was so great it was physically painful.

You can’t cry. You can’t cry here.

“Is she really Corazón’s wife?” asked the black-haired girl in the maid outfit. She must be Baby 5. Rosinante told you she doesn’t know how to say no to people asking her for help, and her entire purpose in life is to be useful. Apparently, Doflamingo found her starving on an island, on the brink of death.

“No way, dasuyan. I bet she’s Young Master’s secret wife.” You had to swallow down your orange juice not to choke on it, the sudden need to heave overwhelming you at the mere possibility of being married to a man like Doflamingo - that sounded like absolute hell. “He must’ve gotten tired from hiding her, so he finally brought her aboard to sail with us, dasuyan!”

“How romantic!” squealed Baby 5.

I wouldn’t touch your captain with a twenty meter pole. you thought, staring at the kids blankly, wondering whether they were really that ignorant.

“They’re pirate kids.” said Rosinante. “They’re stupid, vulgar, adjusted to violence, and have no filter. They don’t know anything. Don’t take it personally.”

You exhaled, and got back to eating your souffle.

“So, missus, where are you from?” asked Giolla. “North Blue?”

You gulped, feeling a heaviness settle over your chest. Telling them Marineford was your birthplace and hometown was suicide. They’ll tackle you and kill you the moment you say the word. Should you lie? If you lie, will Doflamingo punish you? He must know where you’re from.

No. You weren’t going to lie. Screw them. You were proud to be born in Marineford, proud to be the daughter of two marines.

“Head high. Stare right into their eyes.”

“Marineford,” you said firmly.

You might as well have thrown a live grenade on the table, because the chaos that resulted from that single reveal equaled that.

Diamante spit out his red wine, spraying it across the table and right into Trebol’s face. Gladius started choking on his meat. Lao G stood up and performed the Heimlich maneuver, helping the explosive man cough out the meat.

Doflamingo didn’t say anything.

“Seriously?” asked Gladius in disbelief, staring at you.

“Behe! I’m all covered in wine, behe!”

“You’re already covered in snot, though...” said Diamante.

“Behe! It’s so funny, I can’t help my nose running!”

You gagged in your mouth. You clenched your eyes shut not to see Trebol’s booger, turning your face away; you felt your stomach roll with nausea, at the edge of throwing up. That was disgusting.

“My parents were marines,” you said.

Gladius collapsed down into his seat, holding his head in his hands, moaning, “Not another one.” under his breath miserably.

“Are your parents still alive?” asked Diamante.

“They’re gone now. Killed by people like you guys.”

“By pirates, eh?” asked Diamante, and you were starting to realise why Rosinante called him a sick sadist. “Which ones?”

Sadistic pieces of shit like you.

“More dangerous ones than you,” you said flatly. “How many parries do you think you have in you before Mihawk slices you to bits?”

Diamante gaped. Whatever he had been expecting of you to say, it clearly wasn’t that.

“You had that coming, Diamante,” Pica said. Your eyes widened at the sound of his voice. Rosinante told you how high-pitched it was, but you didn’t think it would be this squeaky, like a balloon losing air. “You started it.”

“Behehe, Diamante got defeated by Doffy’s sister-in-law, behehe!” said Trebol, laughing.

“Shut up, Trebol!” yelled Diamante, grabbing an empty bottle. Your eyes widened, your body springing to duck in case the swordman threw the bottle at the slime man.

“Don’t throw glassware,” said Doflamingo, taking another spoonfull of his chocolate filled souffle with a spoon.

Diamante huffed, lowering the glass of wine. Doflamingo lowered his pinky. You caught the gleam of strings disappearing.

You could feel eleven pairs of eyes on you. Oh, there’s the weariness. About time.

“Calm down,” said Doflamingo. “(Y/N) isn’t a marine. She never went through training. Never applied for it, even. She works in the civilian service, in the translation and cryptography department. She knows almost all languages except Godly Tongue and Amazonian. She translated the contract of trade routes between Fishman Island and Marineford, as well as trade routes between Dressrosa and its neighbouring countries. She and her co-workers translated a lot of Arabastan books into Common, and even Flevan medical books, so the government and medical schools all have copies of all their research, just as they translated Common books into Flevan. I’m sure Law studied from one she translated among all his pile of medical books.” Your stomach sunk at the mention of Law. “And, she’s been one of the translators at the Reverie four years ago. She was King Riku’s translator.”

The entire table shifted gears at this load of information.

“What an impressive résumé!”

“Indeed,” said Doflamingo proudly, as though your accomplishments were connected to him. “She even translated the collection of Dressrosan Poems.”

“Fufufufu... speaking of translating... Did my little brother help you out with those?”

“Sorry?”

Doflamingo leaned down to your ear. His breath was hot on your ear. “Did my little brother whisper filthy things to you in Dressrosan or will I have to provide that, too?” His tongue licked his teeth; he looked hungry. “Because I’d be happy to.”

For the first time, you were frightened enough to physically defend yourself. Your arms shot out and shoved at Doflamingo’s suit, on his shoulders, hard. You shoved him away, getting him away from yourself, from your personal space.

Your face was burning. You were breathing hard from terror and disbelief of what he’d said.

Doflamingo laughed. “You’re so red, fufufu! Like a lobster. So cute.”

Doflamingo cooed the last two words, which only frightened you further. He didn’t take you seriously. Not you shoving him away, and not you being unsettled by his implications that no normal brother-in-law would say to his sister-in-law.

“Did my little brother teach you that?” Doflamingo had asked.

Rosinante taught you how to wield a knife, and how to throw it. He also taught you how to shoot, and the basics of self-defense. Your husband taught you many things, but he never thought to teach you how to handle missing him, how to handle this hopeless, empty void in your chest. You thought to fill it with something - the first emotions that came to mind were all for Doflamingo; rage, revenge, hatred. But Rosinante wouldn’t want that.

You didn’t want that. You didn’t want to become a husk of yourself, to make it easier for Doflamingo to manipulate you. Rosinante wouldn’t want you ten kilometers near his brother.

But what Rosinante wanted didn’t seem to matter anymore. He was dead, after all. He couldn’t help you.

“I’m teasing, querida,” he crooned, flashing you another of those vicious-looking grins that set you on edge that made you want to run and flee into the cold sea. “You’re cute when you’re embarrassed. I do think they were very well-translated.”

His large hand reached for your face, taking your jawline into his grip with ease, the pads of his fingers touching the back of your ears, caging your head in his grip. He brushed his thumb along your chin, trailing it down. He put your chin on the knuckle of his thumb, lifting your head up to look at him. He smiled, smug and curved. “Romantic.”

Doflamingo removed his touch from your face, and your stomach deflated in relief. You didn’t realise you’d been holding your breath in terror, releasing it through your nose in relief the moment Doflamingo’s hand left your face.

“Pardon me, but do you mean Poems of Dressrosa Collection?” asked Giolla. “You translated it?”

“Uh… yes.” you said.

“Oh my goodness!” squeaked Giolla, the sudden energy in her startling you. “Young Master, why didn’t you say so before?”

“Fufufufu...”

Giolla reached down to her bag, taking out a leatherbound book; you recognised the cover of engraved roses, your eyes widening.

“Would you sign my copy, missus?”

What the actual fuck…

This day was getting weirder and weirder.

It would be rude to say no. Pirate or not, Giolla was asking you politely, and there didn’t seem to be any trick to it.

Oh, what the hell. Might as well.

“Sure,” you said.

“How did you end up translating them?” asked Señor Pink curiously. He was the only man on the crew who truly didn’t appear like a pirate, like he belonged there, with his combed hair and neat suit.

Rosinante had found out on his mission Señor Pink was secretly married to a civilian woman and your husband had nearly bust his gut laughing at the absolute irony of it all. Neither Rosinante or Señor Pink had let Doflamingo know about it, but Rosinante said unlike with him because he was his brother, Doflamingo wasn’t very interested in what his officers did in their personal lives as long as they did their job and put the crew first.

“That wouldn’t be the case for me.” Rosinante had told you. “He wouldn't leave us the hell alone if he found out. Which is exactly why I’ll never let him find out!”

And in the end, he didn’t. Rosinante took the secret of his marriage with you to the grave. It wasn’t his fault Doflamingo had his own spy in the Navy — it was the only possible way he could have found out, because you didn’t sign yourself as Donquixote in any of the published translated books.

“After the Reverie, King Riku commissioned me to translate them.” You shrugged. “They sold pretty well, I suppose.”

It was a very old book, and the author had been dead for five hundred years. They’d never been translated into Common until King Riku commissioned you - and by formality, the World Government - to translate it.

“You’re being too humble, damasu! They became one of the best-selling books from Dressrosa, shipped all over the world! They earned Dressrosa five hundred million berries!”

You felt uneasy. You didn’t like attention. Translators and cryptographers didn’t get attention, and you were very happy with your job because of that fact alone. You enjoyed supporting the marines and helping them in your own, stealthy way.

“That’s uh, nice...” you said. Giolla sent the book through the officers, and it reached you through Doflamingo.

You opened the book on the first page.

Doflamingo was peering over your shoulder with his unnerving smile. You could guess why. He wanted to know what your signature looked like. How you would write the letters of Donquixote.

Ugh. Great.

“You’re credited with your maiden name... That’s how you kept me from finding out." said Doflamingo.

Damn it. you thought. That sea king was out of the ocean now.

Knowing Doflamingo, he’ll now demand you write him a full list of every single book you ever translated in your career. You didn't even know all of them!

You signed the Donquixote as you did through the last five years of signing official documents and reports, with a bit of a curve at the q as you always did. You loved Rosinante’s surname. It was always fun to write it. You added a dedication to Giolla and drew a heart for her, because fuck it.

Doflamingo smiled.

“This is wonderful!” Giolla squealed, beaming left and right, holding the leatherbound book close to her chest, like it was a precious treasure. “Thank you very much!”

You weren’t expecting thanks from a pirate.

“Uh… you… welcome…” you said.

Doflamingo leaned down to you and whispered in your ear, “The worth of that book just skyrocketed, at least to Giolla.”

It seemed as though now that Giolla liked you, there was some unspoken stamp of approval among the officers. The entire atmosphere at the table turned less quiet and more light-hearted.

After everyone finished their desserts, small talk started while everyone digested the food. Soon, the officers started taking their leave. The children got second servings of the souffles and were busy eating them. You were absentmindedly still picking at your souffle.

Trebol leaned to Doflamingo and said something to him, hushed and for Doflamingo’s ears only. You felt your stomach clench the longer you sat there, with no knowledge of the layout of the ship, and no knowledge where you were supposed to go until it was time to head to bed which wouldn’t happen for another six to eight hours.

Doflamingo got up from the chair. Trebol and Diamante followed, and you nearly collapsed from fear at the sight of all three of them at their full height.

“Baby 5, show my sister-in-law to my cabin,” he said.

The devilish, curved, scythe-shaped smile bloomed on Doflamingo’s face as he looked down at you. “Help her get settled in.”

You felt like you were going to throw up all the food you ate.

Baby 5 beamed. “Yes, Young Master!”

“I’ll come and check on you later, little bird,” said Doflamingo. He bent down to your height and kissed you on the cheek.

Doflamingo gave you a smile; the sight of it made you nauseous.

“Welcome aboard.”

***