#Thunder Soldier

[nehswritesstuffs]

The Fall and Rise of House Corrodia - Part 1

IIIIIIIIIIt's time for Nehs to write something completely self-indulgent that appeals to probably no one else!!! I’ve seen some takes on the Corazón!Law concept over the years, mostly in some delightfully chilling fanart, so two years ago I thought I’d give it a shot myself. Then, because it’s me, this happened, adding to what has now become a shipping agenda.

4618 words to start; this is just one of the potential ideas I have for these two floating around in my brain; warnings I shall be up-front about include Doffy the Bad Touch Uncle, attempts at grooming, graphic sex/violence, and Law, Viola, and (eventually) Rebecca being very sad nuggets (I shall not give specific warnings otherwise, so tread carefully if you are one who requires them); I’ve been trying to be a good noodle about getting as much written as possible/finishing new multichapter stories before posting so get ready because we have at least 46k of this down the pipe and more than that to come; planning on updating every other Monday until about late summer (eight to ten chapters), after which I shall likely take a break; NOTE: this will not be going up on FFN due to lots of things, but it will be on AO3--any chapters I do not post here will at least have updates linking to the AO3 chapter

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Viola knew that it had been a night that was going to change everything forever—she wasn’t a child anymore. Her father and his soldiers—all good men—had gone rampaging throughout the kingdom just a week before and she was now breaking bread with the villains who caused it as though she belonged with them. She sat towards the middle of the table, quietly eating her soup as she tried to not be sick.

Her father was safe, she had to remind herself. Her services to the enemy was a small price to pay to keep the coup from becoming irreversible. With her father safe, her niece out of reach, and her nation kept from crumbling into chaos, there was time yet to plan revenge. She kept her head down as the dining hall’s door creaked open and caught Doflamingo’s attention.

“Ah, there he is,” Doflamingo preened. “Everyone, look alive: the Corazón has returned.”

Most of the people at the table welcomed the young man who came into the room. Viola eyed him cautiously—he was just a little bit younger than her if she figured correctly, with the remnants of baby fat still on his face and his stature tall and lean with shaggy black hair. A coat of black feathers to match Doflamingo’s pink sat around his shoulders, moodily gaudy only until one saw the makeup on his face: his eyes were rimmed heavily in kohl black as his clothes, with an equally-dark shade painting his lips, sharply trailing away from his mouth to mimic a scar on either cheek. He sat down next to Doflamingo and a bowl of soup was placed in front of him.

“Took you long enough to catch up, brat,” Trebol huffed. “Where were you?”

“Securing the soldiers outside the city without dicing them into chunks,” Corazón replied. He glanced down the table and his eyes latched onto Viola. “Who are you?”

“She,” Doflamingo said, “is the other key to this entire operation. Violet, this is our Corazón.”

“I hope to be of great use to the Family,” she lied elegantly. She hated that the very training she had been given as a princess was now being used to please usurpers. Corazón went to his soup and ate, barely giving her any heed. He did not even take off his gloves to eat, which was curious considering he seemed to otherwise know table manners… unlike the others they sat with.

“What kind of things is she gonna do?” Buffalo asked as he chomped on his food, bits flying everywhere. Pica smacked the back of his head, almost causing him to choke.

“I know local customs, and am a familiar face for those who might have a more difficult time adjusting to the new regime,” Viola explained. She remained poised despite the spittle-infused bread flinging itself everywhere and causing her to lose her appetite. How was he a year older than her and yet still so grossly ill-mannered? “Dressrosan has a certain lilt to it that one cannot learn in the classroom—you need someone with an ear for it.”

“Do you think you can teach us?” Baby 5 wondered.

“You can barely handle Northern languages; don’t waste her time or yours,” Corazón said, not even glancing away from his soup. Baby 5 pouted, which caused him to throw her an icy glare that made her shiver and hide behind Monet.

“Fufufu, direct as always,” Doflamingo chuckled. He took a sip of wine and drank in the sight of the Family he had worked so hard to cultivate. “Don’t be too harsh on her now—we’re home, where we belong, and you can’t start setting fire to bridges before they’re even built.”

“I do what I want.” Corazón pushed his chair away and stood. “I take it there is a room for me?”

“On the way to mine; I’ll show you,” Gladius offered. He also stood, having eaten more of his food at the very least, and joined Corazón, the pair leaving.

“Don’t let Corazón get to you, dear,” Giolla said, nearly supportive in tone. “He’s been with us since he was a little brat and he still can’t shake some habits.”

“The little shit’s a real Grump,” Lao G added. “He needs to Get his life in order.”

“Now, now…” Doflamingo chided gently, tone nearly wicked. “He just has a lot on his plate, and in a new country at that. Let him adjust a bit before resulting in name-calling.”

“He still betrayed us,” Lao G stated. Betrayal…? Out of the Corazón…?

“Led astray by an actor in bad-faith,” Doflamingo insisted gently. “We have him again and he has done very little to insinuate that he will turn his back on his duties.” He turned towards Viola, his Haki bearing down upon her shoulders. “Corazón is an excellent example of how I am a loving and forgiving Master. He saw the error of his ways and is one of us, for always.”

“For always,” the others at the table echoed. Viola wanted to make herself smaller and disappear, yet that was unfortunately not to be.

“Don’t worry, Violet, my dear,” Doflamingo hummed. “You shall become accustomed to our ways as quickly as we shall become accustomed to Dressrosa’s. Before anyone realizes, it will be like we always were here, and you’ll see how Divine my rule shall be.”

She tried to not be obvious as she sucked in a breath, her emotions ready to crack under the past week’s undue pressure. The overthrow of Donquixote Doflamingo and his sycophant cronies couldn’t come soon enough.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Adjusting to life as Violet of the Donquixote Pirates was more difficult than Viola had anticipated. She saw how disappointed some citizens were with her over the following months, their distaste for her actions clear. They never knew the pleading and groveling that she had done, all to throw an old man into the Coliseum pits to fight for the chance to be sentenced to life under a false name instead of an execution. Her free time was spent trying to find her niece, who seemed to vanish into thin air, if there was any time to put aside, that was. Doflamingo kept her so incredibly busy helping to fully and completely transition power to him and his flunkies that some evenings it was all she could do to aim for her bed as she collapsed in tears. She felt so powerless and wretched that some days it made her physically sick, giving her a brief reprieve from the false king’s leering eyes and wandering hands.

At least, she figured, she did not hate all of the pirates that had invaded her home. Most of them were lost causes, though a few seemed kind enough, if thoroughly misguided. Baby 5 was always looking for approval from someone and was quick to endear herself to the former princess. Dellinger was… cute… she supposed… if he was not breaking his toys or biting others. He really should have been over that at his age. Gladius even was occasionally tolerable, able to share a quiet meal or working space better than most others. She took her victories where she could, as the other members of the Family around her age she either didn’t trust—Monet—or was repulsed by—Buffalo—not to mention the older members…

Well… there was still the Corazón.

The best way to describe him, she decided, was as a mystery. He was an extremely quiet and sullen individual, who often kept to himself, even when he was in a room with others. There were times he would be gone for weeks on-end, only to return and act as though he had never left. He kept odd correspondences and even odder hours, leading her to wonder precisely what it was he did for the Family.

“Best not to think about it,” Giolla told her one day as the older woman was fitting her for a new dress. “Corazón is the one whose actions keep the Organization going, beating like a real heart in a way. Let the boy blow off steam. He hated leaving the North.” She then quickly changed the topic to that of the upcoming conference that they were preparing for, sort of a regional prelude to the following year’s Levely.

…and yet he still stayed on her mind.

There was something about Corazón that seemed… off… that was different from the way the other Donquixote Pirates were. Viola knew little of Northern accents, and yet his stuck out as odder than the rest. He was hesitant to interact and revealed things only through actions and body language; the droop of his shoulders, the length and depth of his stare, the intense silence. The weights he carried were not the same as the ones the others did, to the point where she eventually began to wonder if most of the Donquixote Pirates had any burdens at all.

Yes, something was different with Corazón compared to the rest of the Elite Officers—with the rest of the Officers in general—and although her family had instilled in her the idea that while different was not inherently wrong, she knew something deep down inside her that this different was…

…and the thing that was wrong…? It wasn’t Corazón’s fault. Viola couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she had an inkling that if she scratched the surface of his makeup that she’d find a boy just as broken and fragile as she was… someone who just wanted to be a little more Human than what their boss allowed his puppets to be…

The only problem was that finding that boy would involve too much attachment that she didn’t have the time or patience for as she quietly tried to figure out her new boss’s weaknesses, readying for when she would strike sure and true so that her father could emerge from the coliseum pits and reclaim his throne. She needed to be strong for her father, for the niece she was still missing, for the sister she wasn’t even allowed the chance to bury.

Viola had no room to worry about others, because Violet had too much on her plate.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

There was a Toy in her room.

How in the hell was there a Toy in her room so late at night?

“Who are you?!” she demanded. She tried to keep her voice down, though was still tempted to shout for backup. “How in the hell are you breaking the law?! How can you break the law?!”

“I am not a normal Toy, princeseta,” the Toy replied. He was a large tin soldier, with one leg on a turn-key skate and a pop-cork rifle resting on his shoulder. The amount of respect and politeness that emanated from him was preternaturally calming—he was definitely a friend despite everything.

“Then who are you?” she asked, sinking down onto the sofa. He seemed to consider it, pensive.

“You may refer to me as Thunder Soldier,” he said. “I am the First Toy, and therefore do not abide by the rules the other Toys must follow. Consider me the intermediary above all others.”

“…and you… you trust me…? Despite who I work for?”

“Princeseta, I know you better than you realize—there is no way you would turn your back on Dressrosa and her people in exchange for simply remaining in the palace,” Thunder Soldier said. His words cut deep despite the fact they were meant to be assuring. “Is it safe to theorize that you are here because of another sort of deal?”

“My father has been thrown into the coliseum pits; my cooperation in transferring power and working for Doflamingo has made it so he remained alive and able-bodied.”

“You remain a good woman, as I suspected,” the Toy nodded. There was something about his voice that was soothing to her ears… comforting… as though she needed to hear those words from this Toy and in that voice. “Do you mean to take the pretenders down from the inside?”

“Yes.”

“Good—then you must know that I am in close contact with the Tontattas, and they will soon know that you have not turned on Dressrosa, nor them.” Her lips parted in shock—how did he know of the Tonta Tribe?! “This is not something that can be managed quickly, I’m afraid. The speed with which Doflamingo was able to destroy any resistance to his reign has had a grave toll on our support networks. We need to rebuild much from scratch.”

“I am patient,” she claimed. Thunder Soldier put a cold hand on one of hers in condolence.

“As am I, but I am also furious,” he replied. “They took everything from me… and for what? Some delusional Northern pirate’s fancy? I refuse to lay down and die… not like this…”

“Then we are not alone,” she said. She took Thunder Soldier’s hand in both of hers and looked him in the eyes. “They have their sights on me, so don’t expect much to start, but I swear that one day, my father will sit on the throne again, and we will put him there.”

If the Toy could grin, he was doing so from ear to ear.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

So she waited, and watched, and played her part…

…because in the end, what else could she truly do?

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

It was about a year into The Donquixote Pirates’ occupation of Dressrosa when everything shifted.

Viola was enjoying a rare quiet evening in as she sat in the garden under the stars. Doflamingo and most of the Family was away on a Warlord mission, leaving only a select few officers in the palace, and of them Viola was the lone one making use of the garden. Señor Pink was off clubbing, while she had long ago made sure that Dellinger and Sugar were put to bed. Now it was just her and a book as she relaxed next to a lamp while a warm breeze off the sun-baked city kept the evening chill from invading her terrace hideaway.

Sighing heavily, Viola held her place in the book and let her head fall to the back of the lounge chair as she closed her eyes. Her mind was too active to truly enjoy herself—it was another week gone and another week without any sign of Rebecca. She was beginning to think the worst, which made her heart feel heavy.

“Shit feeling, isn’t it?”

Viola’s eyes snapped open as she jumped in surprise and saw Corazón’s lithe frame leaning on the railing, seemingly too casual for someone who had just appeared there out of nowhere. His face seemed all too pale for having been in Dressrosa a year, still too sharply contrasted by his black clothes and the equally-dark cosmetics on his lips and around his eyes, and it made him look almost like a ghost.

“What do you know about how I feel?” she frowned, trying to seem indifferent. What was he doing back in Dressrosa so quickly? She needed to investigate this ship of his and the crew that manned it—it was too good at slipping in and out of the underground port without anyone else’s knowledge. He shrugged at her words, not put off by them.

“I know what my Observation Haki tells me, and it tells me that you’re in mourning. It’s a shit feeling, because it’s a familiar feeling.”

“…and who do you mourn?”

He paused at that, considering his words carefully. “Same as you: a family and an entire nation.”

“I’m serious.”

“As am I.” Corazón stared at Viola as she sat there, not moving from her spot. “You’re a curious person, Miss Violet.”

“Curious? I’ve never been called curious before.”

“I mean it as a compliment.” He sat down on the edge of the lounge chair next to her, resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. “You’re an extremely practical person; puts the passionate Dressrosan lover stereotype to shame.”

“A stereotype started by jilted boyfriends and perpetuated by jealous husbands, no doubt,” she shrugged. “It’s true that Dressrosan women are true to their emotions, but tyrants we are not.”

“Still, not everyone would have joined the Donquixote Pirates for as logical a reason as yours.” She glared at him, drawing a scoff that almost—nearly—resembled a laugh. “Do you really think those idiots all joined up with Doflamingo because they thought him logical and reasonable? He’s a fucking psychopath and they follow him based on some twisted form of love that they share between them. He is essentially leading a cult.”

She paused, unsure how to continue. “Should you be telling me this?”

“He knows how I feel about him; my expressing this would be nothing new,” Corazón frowned. “The main question is: how do you feel about him?”

“I’m not in love with nor enamored by the man who destroyed my country if that’s what you mean.”

“Didn’t think you were.”

Silence settled between them, allowing the pair to reflect on one another’s words. Viola stared at Corazón, the flickering lamplight casting shadows across his sallow face. The wick burned out completely and they were plunged into true night; his amber eyes seemed to nearly glow in the moonlight, bringing an ethereal quality to them.

“He means to seduce you, you know,” he stated, voice low as it broke the silence. She scoffed at that.

“He’s wanted to since you people stole my father’s country,” she replied icily. “I’ve felt his stare this entire time, those lingering touches; I knew he’d want me in his bed sooner or later.”

“He’s been talking about it—he’s said roundabout things in the Executive meetings that make me believe he will make a move soon. He doesn’t care how messy bringing you into a relationship would be, only that he wants the last Dressrosan princess to be unable to live without him. The others are… about… as kind about you as you’d imagine.”

“Ugh… just what I need,” she grimaced. She did not mind the concept of being with someone so much older than herself if the attraction blossomed naturally, but for Doflamingo to be the one making eyes… that she was not imagining the gazes she was receiving from the other Executives… it made her ill. Corazón then stood, silently holding out his hand as he seemingly towered above her. “What…?”

“Would you like an ally?” he asked. She stared at him. “I’ve thought about it and… he will not touch you if he thinks we are involved.”

“…but we’re not…”

“…and he doesn’t need to know that.” Silence settled over them yet again, with just the quiet night air attempting to comfort them. “We are more alike than you realize: he stole everything from me when all I had was hope, and is trying to manipulate me for his grand designs. I refuse to let him win so easily.”

“…you say these things, yet you’re the Corazón…”

“Only because being Corazón keeps me alive… for now…”

Something heavy settled on Viola’s chest as she stared at the young man before her, at his hand, and allowed her mind to calculate the risks involved. She could not use her Devil Fruit in so open of an area in case of spies, though there was a feeling deep in her that wanted her to trust him. Could she trust him? One wrong move and everything she had worked towards for the past year would be for naught. Waste an entire year’s worth of slow information gathering and trust building… or…?

“…and if you refuse his designs as you claim, then what do you wish instead?”

“I only have one goal for now, and it has come before all else since I was thirteen. His plans involve the continued double-life as a Shichibukai and a King—as an underworld boss and a member of the noble elite—being completely untouchable, and I don’t entirely care for it.” She put her hand in his and he helped her stand, pulling her close to whisper in her ear as they were now nearly the same height. “We can plan his undoing instead.”

“A bold move,” she agreed, holding him gently by the shoulders. If anyone was watching from afar, then the lie was being set. “I’ll come to your room at midnight to talk more. We can share the bed—Doflamingo will be back in the morning and will likely see us leave for breakfast together…”

“I shall see you at midnight.” He took one of her hands in his and—after a moment of hesitation—kissed her knuckles. “Until then.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Viola quickly made her way through the dark palace corridors, her thin nightgown flowing as she snuck about. There was something immeasurably cruel about Law having been given her sister’s old room, though it did make the trip easier to make in the dead of night at any rate. She slipped in silently and immediately crinkled her nose.

“Oh, gross, what’s that smell…?” she wondered. Corazón was sitting in a chair looking more casual than she’d ever seen him with an ankle resting on his knee as he read. He had already cleaned the cosmetics from his face and changed into his pajama bottoms.

“If Doflamingo ‘catches us together’, then he’s going to expect to encounter certain details, smell being one of them,” he replied idly, not looking up from the page of his book. Viola noticed how different he looked without his makeup and clothes, with faint light patches dotting his skin on his face and body, while fresh-looking blackwork tattoos were decorating his hands, arms, and torso, all easily hidden during their normal encounters. “I took care of it; don’t worry.”

“Took care of what…?” She watched as he mimed a pumping action with his hand, making a small popping noise as he opened his fist—oh, that. “Gross. I don’t even want to know what you did for that.”

“Violet, I am civilized and have pornography for that sort of thing,” he huffed. “I washed and tidied up, but the cloth I cleaned with is by the basin for the smell to linger, so don’t touch it.”

“Won’t dream of it.” Viola glanced around and noticed the change in décor that was very different from Scarlett’s taste: anatomy models and comic posters were everywhere, more bookshelves had been added, and old ratted photos sat in protective frames. The only thing that was the same was the mess of books that was strewn about, except instead of novels and memoirs it was medical journals and comic anthologies. “What… did you do to my sister’s things?”

“Storage—I can let you have them, if you want,” he said. Corazón snapped his book shut and stared at her. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

She hesitated, then nodded. “You’re my best bet. If I’m to convincingly pretend I cannot go without someone with a chair in the Hall of Suites, then I’d rather it be you. If anything, it’s at least more believable.” He stood and opened a Room, then dropped it—checking for interlopers. She hadn’t thought that there were many secret passages in this section of the palace, yet there was always room for surprises. “I checked where everyone was before I left my room; Sugar and Dellinger are in their rooms and Pink hasn’t come back yet.”

He nodded, acknowledging her Devil Fruit ability. “No one in port?”

“Lao G, but he’s been overseeing the loading of some shipments for the past few hours; I doubt he’ll be in the palace any time soon.”

“Good.” He thought for a moment before continuing. “Alright then; what are your terms?”

She raised her eyebrow at that. “What do you mean?”

“There have to be ground rules, right? How we can behave, what we can and cannot do, that sort of thing. I’m not going to fake a relationship blind and I’m not doing anything you are uncomfortable with. It needs to look natural if we’re going to make this work.”

“How do you normally treat women you’re with?” He didn’t answer, giving her pause for concern as they sat down on the sofa together. “The men…?”

“I’ve never been with anyone,” he admitted, blush darkening his face. “I don’t know how and even if I did, I don’t know what you’re willing to do because real life is different from stories. This is a front… but still…”

Appreciating his candor, she nodded slowly. “When we’re with the Family, sit next to me, lean in and whisper into my ear, let our shoulders and knees touch,” she said. “When Doflamingo is watching, rest your hand on my leg or put your arm along the back of my chair. It will make you look possessive.” She demonstrated by sliding in close to him, putting his arm around her as he tried to not shy away.

“…but I’m…” Corazón’s face darkened further in a panic, which made Viola giggle.

“I know you’re not, but that’s what he needs to think. In response, I’ll hold your arm while we walk together and lean against you and all the things a young woman in love is supposed to do.”

“…and how…” He swallowed. “How long do you think it’ll take before we can start planning our counter-coup?”

“I’d give it a few months, six at the most,” she replied. “If we play things right, then I can ‘move in’ and then we shall have ample time to discuss plans. I don’t expect to be able to talk more than personal schedules and trust-building with the others for a few years yet.”

“Right.” He swallowed again, doing his best to not make eye contact out of sheer nerves. “Did… erm… you want to use your Devil Fruit ability on me…? To make sure I’m not lying about this?”

“…no.” She gently placed her hand atop one of his and he inhaled sharply at the touch, doing his best to not jerk away. His panic was almost adorable; there was definitely going to be adjusting for him, as he clearly was not anticipating such close contact. “If we are to make this a sound partnership, then we are to trust each other. No tricks.”

“Partnership; no tricks,” he echoed. Corazón then stood and made his way over to his large bed where he took a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with.”

Now resigned to follow through on her choices, Viola agreed and slid herself under the blanket to join him once the lights were out. Though her back was to him, she felt him shift the mattress as he tapped her shoulder.

“I used to hold La—erm—Baby 5. I used to hold her after she had a nightmare when we were little and she crawled into my bed. Are you okay with that?”

“Yeah,” she whispered. He rested a hand on her waist and left a small gap between their bodies.

“That good…?”

“Yeah. This’ll be convincing, as though I slept with the Corazón…”

“Law,” he insisted. “Call me Law when we’re alone. None of them have used that name in years.”

“…then you must call me Viola.”

“Viola,” he said to the night, sounding it out on his tongue. “I think I can do that.”

“…alright then…” She allowed the silence to settle before letting out a small hum. “…Law…?”

“Yeah…?”

“What made you join the Family if you hate Doflamingo so much?”

He paused, clearly mulling it over, shifting on the mattress before a single word drifted over Viola’s neck—hot, thick, and heavy:

“Revenge.”

[kyros-tha-soldier]

The silliest of outfits for the silliest of toys!

[optreasurecruise]

[mysticaledelusion]

“Penelope is from Sparta she’d think Ody doing all that shit is hot”

no she fucking wouldn’t.

it traumatized him. It dehumanized him. she would be heartbroken.

[beheworthy]

Pepper's necklace made out of the shrapnel removed from Tony's chest in Iron Man 3 (2013)

Natasha's 'arrow' necklace in Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Black Widow (2021)

Jane's 'thunder' necklace in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

[illustratus]

Baggage Wagons in a Thunderstorm by Luke Clennell

[justjensenanddean]

Red Thunder Starring Soldier Boy

[r4inyclouds]

Had another awakening when I was meant to be studying, so have some more Marvel memes I created 😼

[tuji-art]

british maus concept art

[iwasmadetobeasoldier]

Pass the hat, we're getting Bob a dog

@official-redguardian @reportingyoutodoordashhq @your-fav-russian-assassin @the-best-black-widow @avastarr-official @avastarr-theghost @officialrobert-bobby-reynolds @thunderb0b @official-john-walker @even-better-john-walker

[wh40kartwork]

Thunder Warrior

by Oscar Obando

[nehswritesstuffs]

The Fall and Rise of House Corrodia - Part 2

You know how in the prior author's notes I said we had at least 46k of this total? Thanks to frantically trying to make sure the foundation works with later bits over the past fortnight, we're now closing in on 54k words and counting.

Part 1 [AO3]

While the Donquixote Family gets used to the idea of Viola and Corazón "dating", the couple do their best to make the lie look legitimate. [5133 words; Third Corazón!Law AU; eventual Law/Viola]

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Morning broke and Viola had to remember for a moment where she was before opening her eyes. An unfamiliar body was pressed against hers as it slumbered on and she remembered that she had just made a pact with Corazón—with Law—and they needed to make their reasoning for spending time together be convincing. There was nothing between them, despite the fact she could feel his sleep-hard cock against her thigh and smelled the combination of his musk and the spunk-filled cloth on the other side of the room.

In the name of Dressrosa and on her sister’s grave, Viola swore she was going to do whatever it took to take Doflamingo down, even if it meant fake-fucking his right-hand man.

“Hey,” she whispered, rolling over in his grasp. He looked worried even in his sleep, brow slightly furrowed as he breathed softly. She brushed some of the hair from his forehead, marveling at how soft it was. “Sleepyface, it’s morning.”

“Huh…?” His eyelids blinked heavily and she saw exhausted realization cross his face. “Oh… yeah… that’s right… this…”

“…and what is this, might I ask?”

Both Viola and Corazón panicked as they sat straight up in the bed, putting a bit of distance between them and the former pulling the blanket up to cover her. There, lounging in a chair that had been moved to the foot of the bed, was Doflamingo. A wide grin was on his face and his Haki began coiling around and brushing against the pair.

“What the fuck are you doing in here?!” Corazón hissed. Their boss’s grin only widened.

“Oh, I only came in to give a run-down of what I have planned next now that I am back from my meeting,” Doflamingo claimed, feigning innocence. “I take it that was not what Miss Violet had in mind. Didn’t realize you liked ‘em young, my dear.”

“Leave her alone and get your kicks elsewhere; I’ll get your briefing later,” Corazón replied before she could. Doflamingo looked at them both and chuckled.

“You know how to find me.” He got up from the chair and walked out of the room, pausing only once to look behind him and grin. “Might want to take care of your man’s needs, dear Violet, or he could end up straying while on duty.” He closed the door and Viola and Corazón looked at one another, their faces flushing dark in blush.

“Oh, I hated that,” she shivered. “He still doesn’t seem like he’s going to keep his hands to himself.”

“He might not, but give it a little bit and he will get the picture,” he replied. Corazón made a noise as he saw his lap and curled up, hugging his knees as he avoided eye contact. “Erm… sorry about the nocturnal tumescence.”

“…the what…?”

“What Doflamingo said you should… uh… take care of…”

Viola had to think about that for a moment before she rolled her eyes. “Just say ‘morning wood’ like a normal person.”

“Proper medical terminology is…”

“…‘morning wood’.” She took pity on him and pressed a kiss to his temple, which elicited a surprised squeak. “I know it’s normal and nothing to do with us. It’s alright.”

“Th-thanks…”

“See you at breakfast.” Viola tried not to laugh at Corazón as he acted so differently from his normal self it was nearly comical. He seemed shy and embarrassed, not the cold and emotionless he normally was, and it was almost cute, in a way. It reminded her that despite his responsibility he was still a teenager—not that much younger than her in the grand scheme of things considering she was only twenty—and that the situation they were in was truly, genuinely, fucked up.

After teasingly ruffling his hair, Viola decided she was going to leave Corazón to take care of his issue. She silently crept out of the room, opening and closing the door without making a sound as she had done countless times before with her sister. Creeping down the corridor, she did her best to not be noticed, ultimately failing when Baby 5 was waiting around the corner, making her jump in surprise.

“You did sleep with Corazón!” the teen gasped. Viola covered Baby 5’s mouth and pulled her into her room, hoping that no one else saw them. “Hey! What gives?!”

“Who told you that?!”

“The Young Master!” Baby 5 seemed almost giddy at the very idea of Viola and Corazón having sex, seas help her. “Are you going to get married soon?!”

“No?!” Viola could barely stomach the fact she was even having this conversation this quickly, her face scrunching in disgust. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you how relationships work?!”

“No, but it’s not that hard to figure out…”

“Clearly it is.” Baby 5 pouted at that, trying to not look hurt. “What…?”

“If you need a Maid of Honor, can I do it?”

Viola rubbed her forehead as she felt a headache coming on. “We’ll see.”

The cheer she was met with was at the very least encouraging; if she could convince Baby 5, then she might have an easier time convincing the rest of the Family. Possibly? She hoped.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The rest of the Family seemed to take the idea that Viola was sleeping with Corazón… well… in stride.

Most of it was a sort of tempered curiosity, thank goodness. They looked at the couple and wondered what sort of thing had led them to one another—personality or physical attraction or both. The women (and Dellinger) projected into the future with a grand wedding and the romance of a domestic family life for them both. Pink lamented the same thing, alongside their youth. The rest of the men would congratulate Corazón, laugh as they warned Viola to keep him in line, and then made jokes about the young man’s sex life when they thought she could not hear them. The Executives were much the same, though seemed a bit too suspicious of her and her intentions, which felt entirely unfair considering it took two to make a couple, but Corazón would lean over during meetings and Family Time, claiming they would get over it. She would giggle in response, press their foreheads together, and get a fresh round of jeers from the peanut gallery as they took the bait.

The one who ended up being the most concerning, however, was precisely the one they were most afraid of: Doflamingo. Although he joined in the jokes and teased about needing to plan a wedding and where to put a nursery, there was a certain sort of disdain in his voice he could not entirely mask. He wanted her… he wanted him… he wanted them under control, and any amount of devotion that did not go directly to the false king was almost like a slap in the face. Unspoken plans were dashed and ruined; what, she did not know. It was nerve-wracking beyond measure, as he was the one they needed to convince the most.

“You must be keeping one another very busy when we’re not looking,” Doflamingo noted one day, not long into the venture. It was an Executives’ meeting, with a few select Officers in key roles. Viola was there because she was to hold down the fort alongside Corazón while much of the rest of the Family were off on business. She blushed deeply at the accusation, only bested by her false paramour to her right. “I don’t even know if I should leave you two alone for that long.”

“Jealous?” Corazón quipped. It got a snicker out of some of the others there, though their boss stayed tight-lipped. “We have our chaperones, don’t worry. Can’t elope and leave the kids to fend for themselves.”

“True…” Viola felt Doflamingo’s gaze on her, his Haki pressing down cruelly. It felt like he was attempting so see through the entire conceit and pick them apart, becoming frustrated that it wasn’t working. “As long as you don’t knock her up while we’re still trying to establish ourselves here, let alone forget our prior agreement, things should be good.”

Oh! How dare he! It was bad enough that he was talking as though she wasn’t even present, but in such vulgar terms! She did not even realize she had slipped and shown her ire until Corazón gently placed his hand on her wrist, leaning in close to (barely) whisper in her ear.

“We’ll take care of that Dressrosan passion later.”

Very suddenly, Viola felt hyperaware of herself in a way she had not anticipated. She knew she was frowning, her hands were balled into fists, her shoulders were tense, and her legs readying to spring up so that she could attack Doflamingo. Her training in etiquette and courtly tactics had crumbled in an instant, just as the tacky scarecrow of a man wanted. A deep breath and she did her best to smother the tension building in her; only once she unballed her fists and flexed her fingers did Corazón straighten in his seat.

“Behehehe… looks like Corazón knows how to handle a woman after all,” Trebol chortled. “You’ll have to give me pointers next time we’re on a mission together.”

“You couldn’t do for Sugar what I do for Violet, even if you tried, making the matter moot,” Corazón said. That got most everyone else at the table to crack up—including Doflamingo—giving him a chance to give her an apologetic glance.

This is how we win their favor.

Seas, she wanted him to be right.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Do you trust him?”

Viola glanced over at Thunder Soldier and nodded. They were sitting on the ledge of her window, looking out on the city below.

“Enough,” she shrugged. “I can tell he has a shared hatred of Doflamingo that I mean to use to our advantage—his help shall be invaluable.”

“…but are you safe with him?” he wondered. She did not respond. “Viola, did you use your Devil Fruit to look inside his heart?”

“He is the Corazón because he wears his heart openly; I don’t fear him.”

“I do not trust him, but I shall respect your decision for the time being,” Thunder Soldier said grimly. “I wish you had talked to me before undertaking this; he is supposed to be Doflamingo’s closest advisor, his truest confidant… what if it is all an act?”

“He is just a scared little boy who loathes the hand that feeds him,” she replied. She sighed and hugged her knees. “It’s like looking in the mirror.”

“Well, be careful; I don’t want to have to extract you if things go wrong,” he insisted. She nodded in agreement. “I have to go dark for a while—there is something that needs my attention greater than our chats.”

“When do you think you’ll be back?”

“That I cannot say.”

“What do you need to do?”

“That I… also cannot say.” Silence passed between them, the only sounds being the far-off chirp of crickets in the gardens. “Promise me you will not falter from the mission.”

“I won’t.”

“I mean it, princeseta. Keep the Corazón at an arm’s length. Do not let him into your heart or you might come to regret it.”

Viola wrinkled her nose. “Why do you think I’d do that?”

“…because I do not wish the same fate for you as your sister, may she one day find rest.” He stood and bowed deeply. “Goodbye for now.”

“If I can trust you quickly, who says I’m not allowed to trust another?” He made a noise in irritation—he was caught. “Goodbye for now, and take your time. My allegiance shall remain Dressrosa’s until I breathe my last… just as it always has been.”

With that he was gone and Viola was left to wonder what could have possibly taken him away. Whatever it was had to be something important to the longevity of their plans, so she instead looked up at the stars until she could no longer keep her eyes open, trudging back to her bed both too late and too early, letting herself wonder the possibilities. Was Thunder Soldier training recruits? Doing delicate spy work? Did he need to live with the Tontatta for a while? It would be a little more lonely, sure, but she knew as she drifted off to sleep that it would be worth it.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

There was still the matter of Rebecca.

Viola sought out a few guards from the old days still within the palace’s ranks and requested that they search high and low for the child. She wanted proof that the girl was alive or otherwise, and she wanted her brought to the palace if at all possible. It would be difficult to hide her in her rooms, but it was doable, and she needed to try something while not alerting suspicion.

Eventually, the guard came back, reporting that there was nothing he could find. She sent him out again—there had to be somewhere he hadn’t looked yet.

She really needed to find someone to search for Rebecca, but there were no reliable guards left in the palace. Their loyalty was all in-question; if only some of them were from the old days… then that might have worked.

If only she could look more for her than she dared… if only she could find her and whisk her back to the palace. Oh, what she wouldn’t give to hold her sister’s child in her arms again, and the fact that she couldn’t drove her all the more.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Viola and Corazón kept up their charade rather well after the meeting that finally turned the Executives in their favor. They were still on the watch for Doflamingo, yet when were they not? Their meetings mainly remained alone and at night, where they would pretend to hide their desires behind closed doors and in secluded passageways instead of flaunting them in public. Little did the others know that they were beginning to pass along information to one another—mostly about other Donquixote Pirates’ movements as they entrenched themselves in learning the others’ schedules—nervously preparing for the worst as they began to lay the foundations for their plan.

It was one such night as Viola prepared herself to head out into the palace corridors long after the rest of the Family had gone to bed. She was in her nightgown and a robe, making sure she would look decent if caught, though made sure to remove her makeup in case they had to move locations. There was plenty of information that she wanted to discuss involving her conversation with Thunder Soldier before he left and hopefully they could get it all done that night.

The corridors were quiet as she quickly navigated them in the dark, hoping that Corazón was not going to be late. She was nearly at their meeting place when he popped out from behind a column in one of the grand corridors, pulling her into his hiding spot and covering her mouth with his hand.

“He’s awake,” he hissed. Her eyes went wide—what?! There was no reason for Doflamingo to be out this late, putting them in jeopardy. He took his hand off her mouth and she clucked her tongue in irritation.

“Maybe he’s just restless,” she theorized. Viola looked at Corazón—he was still dressed in his all-black attire and full-makeup from the day, his eyes alight in panic from their tenuous situation. Shit, he was so much taller than her, with her in her slippers and him still in his heeled boots. Damn that growth spurt of his… “Where did you last see him?”

“Wandering around the Coronation Balaustre,” he replied. Shit—that balcony wasn’t far from them. “We should call this off for now.”

“We’re already out here,” she reminded him. “All we need is to figure out a way to avoid him for long enough.” He looked uncomfortable with the idea, as well as uncomfortable with how they were standing, sandwiched between a column and the wall, with little room to maneuver. “This will not be the only time we are tested.”

“Do you have to put it like that?!”

“How else do you want me to put it?!”

“Is someone there…?”

Viola’s stomach lurched—it was Doflamingo at the end of the corridor, sounding like he stumbled upon the find of a lifetime. What other reason could he have for announcing himself instead of ambushing them? Corazón looked ready to pass out in terror; it was up to her to salvage things.

“Kiss me like you mean it,” she ordered. Corazón was barely able to make a noise in confusion before she pulled down his face and kissed him hard. It took a couple seconds but he caught on, lifting her right leg up with one hand while the other kept him steady as he braced against the wall. He was unpracticed, but it was serviceable. Running her fingers through his hair, it brought her back to when she was sixteen and engaged in a whirlwind-and-brief romance with a visiting royal’s footman; he had not been her first crush, but he was the one who taught her how to kiss. She felt the cold of the wall pass through her clothes as he pressed her fully into the stone surface to get a better angle.

“Ugh… get a room, you two.” Viola and Corazón stopped kissing to see that Doflamingo was right there next to them, the man looking down at them with a smirk. “I’d think there are more comfortable places to take your woman than against a marble wall, Corazón.”

“Go get your rocks off watching whatever followed Pink home,” Corazón scoffed. He put Viola back down on the floor—oh, shit, he had moved his other hand onto her and picked her up by her thighs without her realizing itseas help her—and glared up at their boss. “This is not a peepshow.”

“Oooh, sorry,” Doflamingo apologized mockingly, raising his hands in surrender. “Didn’t know you were so sensitive about getting a bit of tail.” He backed up towards the rug that ran down the center of the corridor. “Let me leave you to it, loverboy.” With that he walked off, his bemusement fufufufu-ing after him in the night.

“That was close,” Corazón breathed. He looked at Viola and began to blush, his gloved hand raised to touch her face, though not quite making it. “Oh, sorry, you have…”

“Let’s take this back to my room; you can spend the night,” she said. Even in the low light she could see that his lipstick was smudged and his clothes too rumpled to do much else. “Come on—we can finish this there.”

Corazón silently nodded and took Viola’s hand, allowing her to guide him through the palace back to her rooms. Once she was able to look in a mirror, she saw the black smudges around her mouth and down her jaw and throat were worse than she had thought, with only the bare hint and outline of the stuff left on his lips. There was little she could do but chuckle—at least they sold it.

“He knows,” he said quietly as they began to clean themselves up. “He has to know.”

“The more we panic, the more likely it is he will win,” she claimed, hoping she was right. She looked at him with his half-cleaned cosmetics and teeth chattering in terror. Gently, she placed her right hand on his in an attempt to calm him. “Law, we will not let him win.”

“You don’t know him like I do, Viola,” he replied, voice barely above a whisper. “He has to suspect us of something…”

“…he suspects that we’re dating…”

“He didn’t even trust his own brother; what makes you think he is going to trust us and take that at face-value?!”

“We never said this was going to be easy!” She took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself, knowing that too much more and both of them would be liable to raise their voices. “This is supposed to be scary, Law. You’ve been under this man’s thumb for too long to know what that’s supposed to be anymore, and I think that when it actually hits you…” She brought his face down to press his forehead into hers. “I think when it actually hits you how terrifying this is, panic sets in. How long have you been making yourself numb to this?”

“Too long,” he admitted. He stared into her eyes, his golden irises glinting in the lamplight. Something flashed in them that she couldn’t place and he sighed before pulling away, her hold loose enough to allow him the movement. Legs no longer seeming like they were willing to function properly, he sat at the vanity and tried to not tremble. “Thank you for reminding me that I’m not alone anymore. This is terrifying and I don’t know if I could truly explain that to someone who just doesn’t know.”

“We’re more than him, better than him,” she reminded him. “Look at the lengths we’re going through—we keep it up for long enough and he won’t be able to see us coming.”

“Yeah,” Corazón nodded quietly. He then went back to cleaning off his makeup, avoiding eye contact as he did so. When he was done, he carefully grabbed Viola, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing the top of his head against her abdomen, looking at the floor instead of at her. “Can I stay?”

“Of course you can,” she assured. That was the reason for him coming to her room to begin with, yet she was not going to remind him of that. All she did was stroke his hair and waited for him to let go, his body reluctant to end the contact.

Once his clothes were carefully shed and draped over bits of furniture, Viola found herself in bed with a shivering Corazón, his back turned to her as he tried to remain as far away and close to the edge of the mattress as possible. She instead turned out the lights and pulled him closer to her, one arm draped over his body while the other was tucked between the pillows. He sniffled loudly and she realized that he was not shivering…

…he was sobbing.

Sighing, Viola turned Corazón over and saw that he was, indeed, crying. The tears were too ugly to be as silent as they were, which spoke volumes about how he had been handling himself before then. She pressed his face into her shoulder as she cradled him in her arms, giving him permission to let the cracks form, only for him to shatter.

It was simply one more thing she could not forgive Doflamingo for; not many people she knew could make near-grown men cry like a small child. She held him gently until he cried himself to sleep, clinging to her tightly as he curled up best he could. It was tempting to look inside his mind while he was asleep—no doubt thinking about what terrified him so much about their boss—but she kept her Devil Fruit to herself. He might have been Corazón, but she was still the adult in their relationship, and considering none of the others in the Family wanted to be adults even when they were one… their options were slim.

Viola drifted to sleep herself with Corazón latched onto her like a limpet and her hatred for Doflamingo simmering even stronger.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

It was finally time—Viola was going to move into Corazón’s chambers after months of them pretending their relationship was anything but platonic. She summoned some maids and they helped her pack most of her things, bringing them down the corridor to her sister’s old room with a sort of muted excitement about them. They all were former employs of her father, making their loyalties slightly different than many of the other servants now wandering around the palace, and they were excited to see their princeseta engage herself in something so normal for once that there was not a single word of protest.

“Would you like our assistance in unpacking, milady?” one of the maids asked. It was just Viola and the three women in the room—Corazón was busy with an Executives’ meeting.

“Ah, no thank you,” she replied. “I can take it from here.”

“Then would you like us to bring over some more of your things?”

“No—I plan on still keeping my own room for privacy purposes,” Viola claimed. It was close enough to the truth, but they didn’t need to know that. The less the women knew, the better, because they would be in significantly less danger. She did not even want to know the amount of dedicated and loyal staff the palace had already lost to Doflamingo’s machinations—not yet, anyhow—and she did not want them to become the next victims. “I’ll call if I need another round of help.”

None of the maids appeared entirely convinced, but took their leave anyhow. Viola knew they were able to read her a bit too well—very little really could sneak by a well-trained staff member, after all, and this was nothing even remotely close to little. She opened one of the chests with her clothes and began to fill the spare armoire that had been procured for her, putting in it all the daily-wear dresses and blouses and skirts that she bothered to bring over. All her formalwear was still in her bedroom, which was honestly by design. The more of a foothold she had in her normal life, the easier it would be to compartmentalize everything. She had just finished putting away her underthings when Corazón entered the room and pressed an uneasy kiss to her cheek, alerting her to the fact something was wrong.

“Carinya,” he said, emphasizing the Dressrosan pet name, “we have a visitor.” She looked over his shoulder and saw Diamante lingering by the door, hands in his pockets as he leered at them. Considering it a viable threat, she put one hand around Corazón’s waist while the other found the base of his head as she slowly pulled him in for a more… sensual kiss. Shaky hands cradled her face as he returned the gesture best he could.

“Then don’t mind me,” she smiled falsely. Her eyes flicked from Corazón, to Diamante, and back. The older Executive was observing them carefully, while Corazón simply appeared uneasy. “I was just finishing up anyhow.”

“I don’t know why you’re letting her invade your space,” Diamante scoffed as though Viola wasn’t even there. Instead of responding, she went to the final trunk and began taking books out and putting them on her designated shelves. “Next thing you know she’ll be nagging about why you’re not in bed on time and putting you on vitamins.”

“I put myself on vitamins, thank you,” Corazón countered, able to put his mask of indifference on again. “Besides, I want access to my girlfriend—it’s leagues more comfortable to sleep with someone else in the bed than alone.”

“If you want access, there’s a spare room just off yours right there you can shove her in,” Diamante frowned, motioning towards a door. Viola knew it was filled with old furniture covered in sheets, once used as a private sitting and dining room some generations ago, yet shuttered due to the changing needs of a shrinking royal family. “I wouldn’t give up my bed to some pair of tits that are gonna sag before I know it.”

“Ptosis is a natural part of ageing that not everyone experiences, just like erectile dysfunction,” Corazón quipped. Viola choked down a laugh as Diamante went red at the suggestion. “Now, are we going to continue our discussion from earlier, or are you going to be a semi-soft dick about my girlfriend instead?”

Grumbling, Diamante left, with Corazón and Viola waiting until he was just out of earshot before they burst into giggles.

“Thank you,” she said. “He couldn’t’ve been more rude about it.”

“He could have, but he has to learn that he can’t just say shit like that in front of the person it’s about,” he replied. “I respect you, Viola—he respects no one but Doflamingo.”

“…and I am glad that I’ve put my faith and respect into you, Law,” she said. He blushed at that, snapping up a Room instead of answering. Within moments, all Viola’s books were out of her trunk and onto the shelves, even sorted based on topic, author, and name. “Thank you—your ability is certainly handy.”

“It can be,” he admitted. He then stared at her, as though he was thinking about something intensely important, then backed away. “I think I’m going to read for a bit before we’re summoned for dinner. Care to join me?”

“Of course,” she smirked. Viola plucked a novel off the shelf and sat down on the sofa, waiting until Corazón joined her with his own book before leaning into his side. She could feel his body stiffen in surprise before relaxing slightly, the pair settling against one another as she began a new novel and he cracked open a medical volume for the tenth time. Because this…? This they could deal with.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

That night, Viola laid on her back in the bed, staring at the ceiling as she tried to get to sleep. She thought about the implications of her having now moved into this place, about what her father would say, what her sister would have said… wondering if she was really alright with it. Shifting to lay on her side, she faced Corazón’s back; he had long fallen fast asleep, not really giving the fact they were in the same bed seemingly much thought.

“Law,” she whispered. When he did not answer, she poked him in the shoulder. “Law.”

“Hmm…?”

“How long do you think we have?”

“What do you mean…?” His voice was drowsy and far-off. “We have all the time in the world.”

“We don’t and you know that.” She watched as he rolled onto his stomach and looked at her, his eyes softly out of focus. The corner of his mouth twitched up in half a smile—he was definitely still asleep. “Oh, forget it.”

“It will take as long as it does,” he claimed. Corazón took one of Viola’s hands and kissed the back of it. She stared at him, watching as his eyes fluttered shut while probably not even dreaming about her for all she knew. She took back her hand and scratched his scalp, knowing he would remember none of it in the morning.

“Thank you.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

A/N: Law under normal adult circumstances is 13cm/~5in taller than Viola. Although here I don't think he's quite at his full adult height of 191cm/6'3" in this chapter since he's only seventeen, at the same time I can't help but think he could be upwards of 20cm/~8in taller than her if he's in those heeled boots and she's in flat feet. That's tall. Obviously not by Donquixote Executive standards, but you catch my drift.

[kyros-tha-soldier]

been browsing animanch forums and...

Oh my god my heart, he looks soooooo littl in that pot I could eat him in a spoon 😭

[guardian-angel12]

Phase 5 in a nutcase

[thunderjackal]

between gunpowder tim and hozier i am really seeing a pattern in the guys i am madly in love with

anyway the mechanisms brainrot has taken over might draw some of the others in the next few days

did you guys know gunpowder tims icon on google is this. all i can say is yeah yeah it be like that and i agree

[karagna]

The verdict is in: They're both girliepop !