This PL with the last chapter of this little story! I can't still believe I've written it, moreover, in English! I feel hyper but sad at the same time. This couple of weeks have been amazing thanks to this ff, AND I swear I've learn more English writing this than in the last year and a half.
Oh yes, that reminds me, I must say I'm sorry for the delay, cause I finished it a few days ago, but airports always get me in a bad mood. U.U so sorry.
Anyway, Thanks a lot for reading and hope you enjoy it to the very end. Reviews are welcomed and made me very happy (and they help me to improve my English too).
PL.
There are a couple of lines in italics, please remember that means they aren't from Law's memories but present time.
He complied with her request, only to find that the areas where her hands touched him, the bruises had disappear from his skin.
"Impossible."
"I have to disagree with you, my dear Captain." She wore a tired smile up to her eyes. "You've seen my magic and I've kept to my code, we're even. Now, get out from my house and if possible, from this island."
She got him up from the chair and was now pushing him out of the hut, but on the door frame he stopped her by grabbing her wrists, and studying her hand's palms.
"Leave. Now."
"Why did you do it?"
She raised and eyebrow and broke in a laugh. "Why, he ask! I just kept to the code, Mister Law, always the code!"
Law's patience was reaching its limits and it was hard for him to stay calm any longer. "Bepo, let's take Miss Witch 'advice' and go back to the submarine."
And with a relaxed smile she sighed looking at the bear standing up; however, the man wasn't too eager to leave without some last words towards her.
"Miss Witch... I've been a gentleman so far, despite your behavior. I would appreciate it if I receive the same treatment on my next visit. I'm sure you don't want to have a real reason to hate pirates."
She let him go with a smile, what a cheeky brat.
Once they returned to the submarine, Law said to the crew those dreadful words Bepo was waiting for: they weren't leaving the island yet.
"May I know why, Captain?" he asked him once they were alone near his cabin.
"Miss Witch, Bepo. She's the reason." How usual of him, he went straight to the answer not even thinking of lying. "I might have another chance to see her powers in display soon."
"Poor girl." the captain glared at him and he apologized automatically.
But Law was right, that same night heavy noises coming from town woke him up from his light sleep. Minutes later, someone was knocking on his cabin's door.
"Come in."
"Captain! Some folks are here saying a witch called for you to assist her in town. What should we do?"
The captain took his hat from the desk and his long sword before walking out to the deck. On the docks there were some locals, Law could see their trembling forms, hear their fast-beating hearts and even smell their fear. They didn't show these emotions when they arrived to the island a couple of days ago... Would it be Miss Witch's powers? None the less, one of them repeated her message loud enough to reach his ears: I need your help.
Law cursed under his breath tightening his grip around the nodachi. Something in his insides stirred up the need to help them, or at least he needed to go to her side. Without a second thought on this new feeling, he broke running leaving his crew behind.
If asked in that moment, he could have easily blamed it on his curiosity about Miss Witch. Later on, he thought it was her ways to teaching him the infamous code.
He stopped when he spotted the woman waiting for him at someone's door. On the outside, she was calmed, but her eyes said otherwise, and the cigarette in her hands was shaking... Was it despair?
"Don't stand there, Law! Go in and help her!" her shout made him act without questioning her, about that cigarette, why she was shaking, not even what he would find inside or why she wasn't treating her patient. He just nodded and went in.
Those were the three to five worse hours he had lived in the last month, even worse than getting into Grand Line. He needed fresh air. And answers. From little Miss Witch.
"What was that?" Trafalgar Law bursted angrily looking at her eyes. "Why did you call for my help?"
"I couldn't do anything." It was a soft whisper. After some seconds bearing Law's glared, she continued speaking. "And I feared I might have tainted the newborn with my cursed hands."
"For goodness's sake, woman! Stop acting up. You are a doctor." Law let himself get carried away as he regained the control of the situation. "She just got into labor. You didn't need to call for me. Moreover, don't you believe she would have been more comfortable with a 'woman' helping her?"
"Look, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I have disturbed you for this, Law, but there weren't anything I could do for her, ok? She was not ill." That was the second time she called his name as an equal. "and I'm not sure if they would have preferred me helping her over you, even if you are a man. Trust me."
She was still trembling, might that be due to this argument, or the whole situation was getting on her nerves. She took another cigarette from her pocket and lighted it, or at least tried to.
"Shit. Help me here." Law took the lighter from her cold hand and hold it for her. Anger was still clouding his mind, until the smell of tobacco woke him up from the daze.
"Smoking will kill you, and it won't help-"
"It will calm me down, and we will all die sooner than later." She said in a whisper through the smoke from her lips, "what's more, it will stain this pure air."
"Pure air?" Law asked after giving up in controlling the conversation any longer. Who was he kidding? She had been bossing him around from the very beginning.
"The ocean's, or the sea's it doesn't even matter. After I ate the Devil Fruit I've come to completely hate it, as much as the sea hates me. I can't stand its pureness anymore, it feels like it could kill me any time, which can actually happen."
Law looked at her, those words sinking in his mind.
"Anyway, thank you, Captain Law. I don't like being in debt to anyone, so, what can I do about it?" He raised an eyebrow at her now calm self approaching him, whatever it was she had already come to a decision. "Close your eyes."
An order once again.
"I told you I don't –"
"Cut it out, Law. Close your damn eyes." he closed them breathing in the toxic smell from her fingertips as she reached for his face.
Once more he could feel that soft caress of her, soothing the bags under his eyes, taking away the insomnia and the tiredness, leaving a fresh sensation behind. Bringing peace to his heart. What had the Witch done to him?
"Now we are even." he opened his eyes admiring that tired smile of hers, not wanting to lose this new closeness, nor her touch. A comfortable silence then fell upon them for a few minutes, until she stepped back.
"I've never thought of us, Devil Fruit users, as hated by the sea."
She raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Law was still interested in her theories, the Witch was a good conversation partner with her reasoning. But at the same time she gave the impression to get further away from him with every word. And he couldn't understand why the thought of her being out of his reach pissed him off madly.
She gave another drag to her cigarette and blurted out the smoke in a uncontrollable laugh.
"A pirate who can't swim, and here I was thinking I shouldn't call you brat anymore." That bright grin suited her better. Law knew by now that Miss Witch had him trapped in her web. "And at what price did you sell your soul to the devil, my dear Trafalgar Law?"
He smiled pleased at her. Two could play this game.
"I can take your heart away."
"Stupid doctor, you already have." The sweet blush spreading quickly across her cheeks might be his last memory of her.
Soon after those days, the Heart Pirates departed from that island with no farewell.
"Maybe if I had taken it, you would be with us now, Miss Witch."
Thinking about the past was no use anymore. Now he has to concentrate all his energy in getting back Straw Hat Luffy. And having him in his debt.
