"Yohohoho, that was an excellent performance Law-san."
Law couldn't help flinching at the sudden unexpected comment and turned around to see Brook standing at the doorway, drinking a cup of milk like it was the most normal thing in the world. He could tell he was looking sheepish now, not surprising since he hadn't expected anyone around to listen in on him and he wasn't quite sure how the Straw-hats musician would react to having his instruments played with without permission.
"Apologies Bone-ya. I was just borrowing your piano."
"It's ok Law-san. Would you like a drink?"
"Hmm, some tea would be nice."
Brook went back to the kitchen and as he started making the tea, he sighed with pleasure as he heard the start of another piece. It was a light, cheerful ditty that finished when he was half-way down the corridor but was almost immediately followed by another piece. It sounded rushed, as if the player was desperate to immerse themselves in the piece. It soon evened out, falling back into an even tempo though it still held onto the melancholy undertone that the minor key conveyed. He noticed as he came up to the piano that there was a tight frown on Law's face and while he could interpret that as concentration on keeping up the fast speed, Brook was almost certain that there was something else on Law's mind.
He patiently waited for the piece to end, settling on a chair beside the piano and observing the movements of Law's fingers. He hadn't really taken a close look at the surgeon before but now as he watched his fingers dance across the keys, he could tell that Law was an experienced pianist. It had probably been months since he had last touched a piano yet the movement of his fingers was smooth and confident enough that if someone didn't know better, they would have thought he played every day.
As the last note was finally played, Law's fingers lifted slightly though the tips never completely left the key surface. They hovered slightly, as if unsure on what to do next. His eyes shut for a few seconds as if he was trying to suppress some unpleasant thought and it was now that Brook thought it was a good time to interrupt.
"Didn't know you were a musical person." Brook said as he handed the cup of tea to Law who mumbled a thanks before taking a sip.
"Music is quite soothing to me. I-" he gulped. "I have nightmares sometimes and I often find that playing some music helps calm me down."
"Do you want to talk about it?" It didn't take a genius to know that he was referring to Law's nightmares.
Law glared down into his tea before he gave a hesitant nod. "Have you heard of a country called Flevance?"
"I think I may have,yes." Brook was a little unprepared for the fearful glance that Law aimed at him and wondered why. "What I may have heard about it is probably outdated though since I was adrift in the Florian triangle for 50-something years yohohohoho."
Law seemed to relax a bit at that. "The Florian triangle?" He was curious now.
"The rudder to my old crew's ship broke so I was drifting about in there with no way to get out."
"I suppose Straw-hat-ya was the one who got you out of there right?" He smirked when Brook laughed lightly at that. "It sounds like the typical sort of thing he would do."
"Indeed. So what were you saying about Flevance?"
A haunted look passed over Law's face then and he took a deep breath before he began his explanation. Seeing that Brook didn't appear to know much, he explained a little about its history, mostly because it was important context that Brook needed to understand the events better but also to slightly delay having to describe perhaps one of the worst days in his life. He managed to avoid letting his voice waver but he found that sometimes he couldn't keep eye contact and at one point his right hand started trembling so he quickly shoved it under the other hand in an attempt to hide it.
He didn't put too much detail in as he did not wish to linger on the subject for long but what bare important details he did mention astounded Brook. He had heard rumours from time to time of the World Government sending in various numbers of men to eradicate certain areas but the idea of them destroying a whole country and massacring its people due to an illness that wasn't even contagious was ruthless, even barbaric to Brook.
"So, this all happened when you were...?"
"10"
Brook could only begin to imagine how traumatic the whole experience must have been for him especially at that young of an age. "That must have been lonely..."
"I did eventually find company but they were not always-" he gestured slightly with his hand. "Favourable. Nevertheless there have been varying amounts of time where I have been alone." He paused to take a sip but then realised that there wasn't anything left; he had been so anxious that he'd drunk the cup dry without even realising. He placed it on the floor instead. "So you said before about floating around in the Florian triangle...?"
"Ahh yes. I'd been floating around in there as a skeleton for 50 years before I met Luffy-san. If it wasn't for my devil fruit, I would be dead too." Law raised his eyebrows slightly at that. "The whole crew was killed by the poison that had tainted the weapons used against us but my devil fruit brought me back to life though it took me a whole year to find my body again."
"I'm assuming it was because of the fog?"
"Yes." Brook sighed "It was an incredibly lonely time. I had no one to talk to, the only company being the unmoving skeletons of my deceased comrades and no way of moving out of the fog. Somedays I regretted outliving my companions."
Law could understand that. Many times he had felt intense, almost crippling survivors guilt and constantly questioned the reason as to why he lived and nobody else had. Experience had changed him into a skilled tactician, always having a few plans so he was prepared but that didn't mean he didn't have his doubts.
There was a small silence as the two of them contemplated what the other person had told them. They were both a little bit surprised that Law had opened up at all since he was usually reserved. They both found what they had in common and that was being lonely at some point in their life (though it stood out more in Brooks life considering he was alone on the sea for half a century).
Brook suddenly came up with an idea. "Law-san, seeing as we both have people we dearly miss, why don't we play a little tribute to them? A duet perhaps?"
A smirk spread across Law's face. "Sure, why not." He shrugged and turned so he was facing the piano again. "Any suggestions?"
Brook strode across the room to pick up his violin and moved back towards the piano. "Have you heard of Binks sake?"