A/N: This chapter only continues to rise with tension and drama because it's the beginning of an uphill battle. Prepare yourselves.
Musical Bear: things do happen unexpectedly, and they're either on a high or low or - ! I like giving my bad guys a little feeling - because when they finally do hit, it hurts :( As for Sanji, it's okay - maybe everything that's happening so far is making him a little stronger, like he'd wanted :)
Guest#1: Hopefully this chappie answers your questions! :D
Naghitan: Read on!
SEllen23: Oh, yes he does...read on...
Guest#2: Well, the house has their reasons for treating him that way (being that he is basically a prisoner, and no one likes Law, so they don't like Sanji, and that's why it happens the way it did) Law got angry because he does not want a doffy/sanji story :D
ShowIhd1: Things are building higher and higher, we should be cresting soon with intensity! Read on to find your answers - hopefully they're there, ahah!
Snowflake97: Both of them are struggling in a house that wants to kill them - sorta. :D It'll take some effort! Read on to find out what happens!
Thanks for all your thoughts and interest, everyone!
Part Ten
Law stood outside of Doflamingo's door. He'd tried barging in, but every time he touched the handle, the rest of him wouldn't move. Nothing would move. He moved to kick the door, to cause a scene. But he noticed too late that there was enough space below the door to allow the light out, so that meant there was enough space for Doflamingo to take control of him. Which was why he could not touch the door, the unnatural sensation forcing an angry curse from him. He stood there, motionless, until the control let up. But this time, the man was asleep because when he reached for the door, he found it locked. The jiggle was loud enough to be heard in the hall, and he knocked because that was the polite thing to do. When there wasn't an answer, he pounded upon it with one tight fist.
He moved to kick it, but his limbs fell paralyzed once more, and he snarled a curse as he was forced to stand motionless there.
When the control lifted, he didn't make a move to open it this time, but he sat down alongside the doorframe.
'Trust me', was all the note said.
There was nothing else in the book but that, and Rosinante was very uncomfortable expressing what he'd walked into, so now Law was growing more and more frustrated. What did that mean? There were many things that it could mean, but he needed a direct answer. He needed to know why Sanji was inside Doflamingo's room. He needed to know that there was nothing inappropriate going on, and he needed to apologize to Sanji for his earlier actions. He needed to be in that room and keep Sanji close to him because they were in this together and he couldn't stand not knowing what he was doing with Doflamingo, the worst one of all. So 'Trust me' meant nothing to him in note form.
Especially since he'd left him alone, and just that frustration alone was killing him because he'd promised not to do it again and - !
He knew he had to hold himself back – there was no predicting what Doflamingo might do – but he just couldn't sit there and wait for morning like he was asked. He didn't hear anything coming from the room, but his thoughts were racing too fast, his blood was pumping too hard, and his heart was clenched with ugly feeling to talk himself out of making any rash decisions. The stress of being here was causing many unnecessary thought into his head, and having him react in a way he normally wouldn't have.
He rose up from the floor and paced again, struggling to keep himself in control. But he wanted no more than to break that door down and barge in to demand to know why Doflamingo was doing this. He wiped his hands together, swiped them through his hair, paced back and forth, growing more and more agitated because this couldn't be solved with a gun or knife.
Finally, he lifted his hands and banged them on the door, and that was a relief because he hadn't been able to do that earlier. The sound rang out through the hallway, causing a couple of the guards to look over, but they relaxed once they realized it was only him. He jiggled the door handle, then kicked it several times in succession.
"Open up, motherfucker! You drunk piece of shit! Open your fucking door!" he hollered, growing increasingly furious as the seconds passed and there was no movement from the other end. He then hissed as he stubbed his toe, holding his foot for a moment, then switched to the other foot. He absolutely could not fathom how Sanji could kick with his bare feet when he could barely stand stubbing his own toe in boots.
But the door finally pulled open, and he pushed up to it, shoving it into the man that peered out. "Where is he?"
"The sun has yet to come up, and you're at my door in such a disrespectful manner?"
"Where is he, you slow son of a bitch?"
"I'd asked Rosi last night to let you know that I would speak to you later this morning – did you not hear him?" Doflamingo asked crankily, peering out into the hall as Law pushed the door open and stormed in. Doflamingo then slammed the door shut. "Law! It is now the second day of your return home! I let everything go yesterday because you were away for so long. I let you run rampant and allowed you to run your mouth, disrespect me and the others inside of this home – but today is the second day! I didn't think you were so eager to run into my temper quite this soon!"
When he received no answer, he made his way to the back of the room.
"Did you hear me?"
Law was standing over Sanji. The blond was lying near the end of the bed, the sheets rumpled and pushed aside, looking as if he'd just been dropped there. But he was also looking over him with a stunned expression, hands gripping the too wide collar of the too big shirt he was in. Doflamingo had to confess, he'd never seen such a betrayed look on that face.
"I gave him something to help him sleep," he grumbled, rubbing his face before slipping his glasses back into place. "He woke up with such a terrible reaction in the middle of the night– "
"Did you fuck him?"
Doflamingo paused for a moment, letting the words sink in. Then his lips curled into a baring of teeth.
"Are you fucking mad? Of course not!"
"Couldn't wait to try it out, huh? When you had the chance – you couldn't with your brother so you're doing it to someone who can't reject you!"
It took no less than a step to reach over and grab the other man, yanking him away from Sanji with such violence that his feet left the floor. Doflamingo tossed him towards the chaise lounge with a swing of his arm.
"You will not talk about me in such a way!"
The books he had been reading the night before scattered, the bottle shattering against the floor and spilling alcohol in an amber colored splatter, ruining the papers he'd had sitting there as well. With a snarl, he strode over, kicking aside the chaise lounge, nearly sliding on the spilled liquid, and reached for him again.
Rosinante was there in moments, nearly out of breath and in his nightclothes as he threw himself over Law. Law was straining to get out from under him to get to Doflamingo. Both of them looked red with rage, and Rosinante hissed out a scared breath as it looked like neither of them were going to 'listen' to reason.
"Get out of the way! Rosi!" Doflamingo roared, looking for a way to get to Law without touching his brother.
Rosinante couldn't sign, but he shook his head and eked out a negative sound. As he pushed backward, Law found something useful on the floor, and kicked Rosinante's head aside, freeing himself. Doflamingo's face reddened at the mistreatment of his brother and lunged, right into the sharp piece of broken glass. He jerked backward with a startled sound, as Law stabbed into him again in the meatiest part of his forearm. Doflamingo kicked outward, watching as Law ducked underneath that and lunged for his supporting leg, whirling around him quickly so he could slice across the inside of his knee.
It wasn't that deep of a cut, Law growling with frustration, but it was enough to send Doflamingo into a rage. As he lowered his kicking leg to the ground, he kicked that one up and out, flinging the smaller man across the room. Rosinante was back on his feet, and he lunged and caught onto both of his brother's legs as Doflamingo made to follow up. He had to catch himself as Rosinante put all his weight and strength to keep him from following, panting heavily with effort and terror.
Doflamingo lifted his hand, but Rosinante snatched that to the floor. Law had already picked himself back up and was on him, crawling like a monkey to his head, a psychotic expression of fury on his face. He slammed the bed side clock repeatedly into his face, and Doflamingo stumbled back from the force used, but he tripped over Rosinante, all three of them crashing onto the floor. As Law hastened back to his feet, seeing and hearing nothing but red, he grabbed what remained of the broken bottle nearby and lunged forward. He reached out and snatched the man's chin and yanked his head back, lifting the bottle with a furious sound. He stabbed the broken edges into that exposed throat, but it wasn't enough; Doflamingo was not a normal human being, he didn't get hurt like others did.
Rosinante crawled up over his brother's body and shoved Law hard to stop that from happening. At the same moment, Doflamingo twisted, tossing him off with a snarl leaving his lips. His face was just as red and furious as the other man's, blood staining his shirt and Rosinante screamed wordlessly because he couldn't hold onto his brother, his fingers tearing away from Doflamingo's pants as the man charged. He lunged to his feet and grabbed both of his brother's hands, holding them down with desperate strength. Law was on his feet and lunged forward to stab again.
Suddenly Doflamingo jerked forward, off balance as Sanji used his neck to swing from, and kicked Law hard across the chest, taking him off his feet and slamming hard into a nearby bookshelf. Books and shelves fell over him, his breath lost, Law dropping the bottle he'd clenched tightly. Sanji fell to the ground with a sound of distress, but quickly kicked out twice, sweeping the bigger man completely off his feet and into the floor, where Rosinante quickly laid himself over his enraged brother.
Seeing that Rosinante had Doflamingo in a tight clench, uttering panicked noises as he struggled to control his brother, Sanji made his way towards the man that had reached for the bottle again, clearly out of control. He grabbed handfuls of his hair and pressing his head against his, whispering lethargically.
"Don't leave me! Don't leave me! Don't leave me you fucking bastard, don't leave me!" he said over and over, having no real energy to fight, so he slumped against him. "Nothing happened! Nothing happened, nothing happened, trust me, you have to fucking trust me!"
"LAW!" Doflamingo screamed hoarsely, Rosinante clinging to his neck, kicking him at an effort to keep him down on the floor. "I'll fucking kill you! I'll KILL YOU!"
Sanji saw movement from the side, and they were the guards from outside, and none of them were willing to get in between this mess. Their faces spoke volumes. Doflamingo and Rosinante struggled, pieces of furniture and decorative accessories crashing to the floor, a window breaking.
Law looked at Sanji, breathing heavily. Now that he was looking, the other man looked intensely listless, clearly under the effects of an opium. As Doflamingo drew closer to them, Rosinante clearly having problems keeping the bigger man from advancing, he asked, "How could you do this? Not with him!"
"Save your daddy. Don't be stupid."
Sanji kissed his forehead as Doflamingo grabbed him and yanked him away. In that split second, before Doflamingo's foot could connect with him, Law saw how Rosinante clung to his brother, pleading with him to calm down. His words were only mangled noises, but he struggled so desperately to stop him that all the rage fell away. Terror hit him, then. Only because everything that Rosinante had worked hard to make possible could be undone with his jealous rage, because if Rosinante continued to physically put himself between them, Doflamingo would kill him.
All over a fit of anger. Because he didn't trust Sanji, and he should have from the start.
He took the kick with a harsh exhale, and the next and the next as Rosinante screamed at Doflamingo to stop. Law relaxed his fists and thought about the moment in the river when Sanji's arms found him in the water. He had to trust the other man to save him. Maybe not from this moment, but overall. He had to believe in him.
Doflamingo shoved Rosinante away and began beating him with furious curses and shouts, and all Law did was cover his head and breathe because Doflamingo could do more than that, and he wasn't. Rosinante finally fell over him, and Doflamingo kicked him once and pulled away, breathing heavily.
All three of them settled, and Sanji stood nearby, watching Doflamingo cautiously. The man pulled himself back together, and it was terrifying that this giant could take up so much space, and yet be so human as to experience such feelings that made him lose control of himself. He felt too sluggish to do much else, knowing that he'd be useless to fight without the effort of surprise on his part. The sleeping aid was still in his system.
The guards began moving at that point, cautiously easing their way in, and it amused Sanji that they were so terrified of their own employer that they couldn't interfere with an in-family battle. Beyond them were the horrified faces of the other members of the family, none of them brave enough to step in to stop this fight. His lips curled with an amused smile, looking up at Doflamingo casually. The man caught sight of his expression and froze in mid-wipe.
"Are you amused?" he asked, dangerously quiet as his chest started to heave.
Sanji waggled a finger at him. It was hard to speak, but he did so anyway, nearly slurring his words. "You'll have to learn more control than that. If a man's jealous rage can take you over the edge, how in the world can you defend yourself against a teenager's jolly attitude towards a fight with you?"
The expression of rising fury told him he'd succeeded, if not minutely, in taking the man's attention from Law. As Doflamingo turned to him, Sanji held one of the small statues he'd found near his bedside stand up against his chest, and the action did cause him to pause in mid-threat.
"Let us wash this away. Take our confessions to a priest. This act of rage was a slip. It can be forgiven."
"Of course, of course," Doflamingo said tightly, hand clamping the wound on his neck. "My actions were…justified. I was only defending myself. But everything else after was…unforgivable. I shouldn't have given in to that rage, it's a sign of weakness. Rosi, Law. I apologize. We'll clean up, we'll go pray. All of us."
Rosinante was shaking as he pulled himself away from his son. He looked at Sanji, who still held the cross in front of him. The guards beyond them hastily scrambled from Doflamingo as he made his way to the bathroom to clean up, someone shouting for a doctor. Monet followed after him with worry, and Bellamy came into the room to look at Rosinante and Law.
Rosinante knocked Bellamy's hand away, and he pulled Law up after him, but the man was clearly in pain after being beaten. Jean was there suddenly to help him, and Rosinante signed furiously to him. Jean turned to Sanji and said slowly, "You'll never be forgiven."
Sanji looked at him with much sadness, then looked away, pulling the collar of the shirt tight over his throat. Law let Rosinante lead him out, everyone watching them pass by. Sanji watched him go with a heavy frown.
: :
"I'm sorry, but Father Gardner had a heart attack and passed away last night. I will be here in his stead. I am Reverend Sabo," the man said with a slight smile, looking up at the group with a calm stance. With his wavy blond locks slicked back to reveal intense burn scars on the right side of his face and temple, he was young and solemn. His robes whispered around him as he moved about, the cross piece he wore from his belt dangling against his right leg.
There were ten of them standing in front of him – the head of the family wore bandages on his neck and face. He also had a very tense expression as he looked down at him with distrust. Next to him was his brother, who wore sunglasses and a hood, an unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth. Both of them wore their contrasting jackets over somber suits, one black, the other white. Sabo could see an unusually bulky and artfully crafted rifle hanging from Rosinante's back, underneath his jacket, the thick strap positioned across his body. He'd only heard of the weapon, an imaginative design created and manufactured in one of Doflamingo's weapons gun factories in the mid-west.
To his side was a glowering brunette with bruises and scrapes on his face, who walked with a slight hunch, indication of rib injury. To the other side of Doflamingo was a blond man with a tight frown – despite the others' he was wearing a very plain ensemble that might have been one of the servants' uniforms. It clearly showed that he wasn't considered part of the group, but Doflamingo had a very uncomfortably close presence to him.
Beyond them were nameless guards, Bellamy, Pink and Monet. All of them were dressed for the visit, in somber clothing and tension that made Sabo nervous.
"It seemed that everyone else in the area had business with their parishioners," Sabo continued. "I was the only one available. Please. Have a seat. Let me provide counsel, sir."
"Father Gardner was the only one that understood our position," Doflamingo said tightly. "I would hate to have to waste my time going over our family situation."
"I'm well aware of your family tree and up to date with your family matters, as Father Gardner left some information behind for the next in line," Sabo said solemnly.
"What sort of 'information'?" Doflamingo asked, a trace of irritation in his tone.
Sabo held a finger up, and then waited for the approach of a nervous curate. He gave him quick instruction, and the man hurried off.
"While we wait for his return, take a seat, I'll tell you what I know," Sabo said, gesturing at the rows of benches around them. "As head of the family, I understand your position. You are responsible for the lives and livelihood that live under you. Let us be frank; I understand your position of an empire built upon alliances, understanding and misdeeds – Father Gardner had expressed that this was to be dismissed, as you are a faithful, faithful follower, and we all are children of God under this roof. God has forgiven you for most of your sins – due to the fact that some things cannot be helped. You contribute to medical and westward expansion for dreamers looking for a life to provide for their families.
"And this is your younger brother, Rosinante. And his son, Trafalgar Law. Welcome home, sir, it's been awhile," Sabo said to him reaching out to shake his hand. But Law looked away from him and Rosinante elbowed him sharply for his rudeness. "Don't worry about it! There is Bellamy, there is Monet, there is Pink. And you…? You're new."
"This is our guest, Blackleg Sanji," Doflamingo said, hand on his shoulder. "He is also Law's intended."
Sabo looked at him with a baffled expression. "In this house, such a thing isn't recognized between two men, I apologize. That's just…!"
"Father Gardner understood that I come into this house with expectations regarding my family and their well being. You don't sound stupid. Such things may not be formally recognized, but I do. Because Rosinante's son kept himself away for as long as he did, it now makes sense why. I accept his relationship with this man, but I will not have them living together as they did under my roof. Not until it's recognized formally."
"Then it'll never be."
"It will when it benefits the family. And there will be no argument about it."
Confused and struck with immediate need to refute all those words, Sabo stared at Doflamingo for a few moments, and then nodded, pulling at his collar as nervousness hit him. The man was much too big to be human. "If that is so. I will not waste your time standing here, arguing about propriety."
The curate hurried over to him, with a stack full of paper. He handed it all to Rosinante, who glanced through it with a frown. He then signed to Doflamingo, 'Blackmail. He kept a journal on every visit we made here.'
Doflamingo growled, the guards looking at him nervously. Rosinante handed him the pile, and he took it with fingers that clenched the paper. "That bastard! This is a sacred place where we are supposed to feel safe!"
"If you'd like, his things still remain. Go ahead and send someone back to retrieve everything that might unfavor the family," Sabo said easily. He touched the curate's shoulder. "He will provide assistance in any way you'll need."
Doflamingo looked at Rosinante, who emitted a tired sigh, signaling for the guards to follow him. Then he looked at Sabo, folding the stack of papers in half and sticking them into the inside of his jacket pocket. "We would like counsel on an incident that happened this morning."
"I can absolutely assist with that," Sabo said, bowing his head.
Nearly an hour later, he was exhausted; listening to all of them confess to a fight that seemed frightening, especially considering just how dangerous they all were to the common people, was something right out of a book. But their injuries matched up and he couldn't help but look at Doflamingo in terror – because if the so-called Surgeon of Death couldn't kill him with a stab of a broken bottle into his throat, then what could affect the man?
He looked through the lattice as Sanji entered the booth and sat down, looking annoyed that he was being told to do so. After hearing Doflamingo's angry version of events that brought the family to visit, Sabo was quite relieved to see that Sanji was holding his own very well. From his sleeve, he extracted a folded note that Sanji took from him curiously.
"Well, now, you know how it works," Sabo said, gesturing at him to read it while they spoke. "What would you like to be forgiven, for?"
"I don't think we have a lot of time to do that," Sanji said, looking over the note. 'I'm with Shanks,' it said. He looked at Sabo with surprise, and said, "My situation is a big topic at the house. No wonder Law had taken off. I can see why he felt suffocated. He couldn't be himself."
"Sometimes, it's the weight of the façade that can make us all do and think terrible things," Sabo said, gesturing at him to hand him the note. As he spoke, he wrote on it. "But in the end, we all answer individually to God. What is it that you'd like to lessen the weight of?"
"I have this real bad sex addiction," Sanji said to him, grinning. "I'm addicted to men. And women. It's a terrible habit. If I don't have a man in my bed, I'm chasing after a woman. Young, old, it doesn't matter. They all have pleasing holes to fill."
Sabo turned bright red and looked at him with consternation, pencil veering off the paper. He pushed the note back to him. 'They're on their way. Via locomotive. 2 days.'
"That's, uh, not…not a common problem, I, uh…"
"I used to service men. I grew to enjoy it because it was useless to fight back. But you know what was interesting? Was how many clergymen were crossing into my room, searching for relief," Sanji said, writing back and handing it through the lattice. "Tell me, priest – you look young, virile and desirable. Do you have urges?"
Sabo wrote furiously, slapping the paper on the lattice for Sanji to read. 'They will storm the house on the eve of their arrival. Prepare.'
"I'm afraid that men such as yourself have only one solution," Sabo said, clearing his throat as Sanji acknowledged the note. He folded it back and slipped it into his sleeve, saying, "You'll need to castrate yourself. With a butter knife. With no alcohol."
"I suppose I can…I don't mind being the receiver. Having a man heaving over me is one of the most fantastic places to be."
"That's enough confessing! I'll have to find advice from another on how to break the devil from your soul!" he said, gesturing with a middle finger at the door. Sanji saluted him and walked off, and Sabo tried to put himself back in order again. He straightened in his chair and stood, making sure he was composed and ready to hear Law's confession. He had heard that they were pretty intense, and Father Gardner had left an expressive note that the man was not allowed to 'confess' as others were.
Sanji sat back down on the bench were Doflamingo was sitting, looking through the pile of papers Sabo had given him. He looked pretty pissed off, and he would growl ever so often, so Sanji slide a couple of paces away from him until he wasn't next to the guy. He watched Monet bow her head and pray in front of a statue with many candles lit around it, then looked up and admired the stained glass windows that allowed the mid morning sun in. Pink and Bellamy were sitting in a bench behind them, and Rosinante was still in the office with the other guards.
Suddenly, Doflamingo clenched the papers he had in one hand, a stunned expression on his face. Sanji looked at him cautiously, unsure of what made those veins bulge the way that they were. His skin reddened with fury, and his lips tightened with a very angry frown. Sanji didn't know what he'd found, but it made the man seethe with such emotion that the two behind him noticed and looked at him with caution as well.
"Bellamy."
The man hurried over to him, looking at him with such consternation that Sanji wished he could see what had been said to put Doflamingo into such a state. He opened up the paper he'd crushed within one hand, and gave it to him.
"Verify this. Immediately. Don't say anything to anybody regarding it. I trust only you."
"Oh, sir, yes, sir, immediately," Bellamy said quickly, walking off. Sanji watched him go, and watched the man pause in mid step as he read the paper. When he looked up, he looked as pale as a ghost. His features were stunned, and his mouth fell open. But he folded up the paper and took a running step until he was gone.
Monet looked back at Doflamingo with a puzzled expression, stilling once she realized how furious the man was. Sanji watched him as well, then inched a little further away because that dangerous aura was getting more intense. She rose from her knees, smoothing the folds of her skirt with an anxious movement, and Pink slithered away from the row to stand at a safe distance.
But Doflamingo controlled whatever temperament took hold of him, exhaling heavily. His skin was slick with sweat, and his teeth were bared. His massive fists shook until, finally, he lowered them to his sides. He looked up at the statue Monet stood in front of, almost as if he were going to say something.
By the time Sanji was able to return to his seat, Doflamingo looked as he normally did, but the smile was flat.
"What made you become religious in this line of work?" Sanji asked curiously, clutching the seat with both hands. "I've got to ask."
"That's a very personal question from someone that's only a guest in the house."
Sanji let it go with a shrug, watching as Sabo emerged with a troubled look to his face and Law smirking, fiddling with his jacket; damn that jacket, Sanji hated that jacket because it hid those amazingly long legs of his and he could not see his ass, and he looked over at the statue with a caught expression because maybe he shouldn't be oogling another man so obviously in a house of worship.
"I hope I was able to help," Sabo said thinly. He looked traumatized, reaching up to wipe sweat from his scarred face with a bright white handkerchief. "Are they done going through the office, sir?"
"They're still there."
"I truly apologize. We all worship our God here, this should be a sanctuary free from worldly bonds."
"It appears betrayal can happen anywhere."
"I'm sure Father Gardner meant to keep the journal in order to better serve the Donquixote family – there are many of you devoted to this house, with rather…unusual views."
Doflamingo looked at him. "But in the end, we're not gods. Just children serving the hand of a god. As much as our opinion reflects the teachings in the book, shouldn't we all be allowed to have differing opinions?"
"Er…yes. Yes, you're correct."
Doflamingo rose at that point, Rosinante and the others emerging from the office.
"I can tell that you will not be suitable. Make sure you're replaced the next time we come back," Doflamingo said to Sabo, who looked confused.
He moved to say something else, but Rosinante had that gun barrel under his chin, and he didn't even see the man have it in his hands until it was too late. He eked out a small sound of surprise and shock, hands up in surrender.
"Not in the house," Doflamingo warned him. "Wait until he leaves it."
"You can't kill a priest," Law said impatiently, shoving his hands into his pockets while Sanji looked scared, unsure if he should interfere. "What the fuck are you doing?"
"Father Gardner understood that no matter whose opinions were brought to light here under this roof, what matters is mine. While I follow my devotion soundly, I ask only for a few changes that benefit me and the family."
"You're a fucking dictator who warps that precious book of yours into reflecting your own will onto people that don't have the balls to tell you 'no'."
"And he's only agreeing because he's obviously intimidated by me. Therefore, if I have a problem or if I am feeling lost, he cannot help me, because he will take an easier path and give me only what he thinks I need to hear. I am asking for direction and guidance, not for a path of least resistance that'll only lead me to my own undoing."
"You're a ten foot tall monster! Of course he would be!"
"You don't have to be fucking rude."
Rosinante sighed as they argued, and signed uselessly, 'Do you want me to, or not?'
He looked at Sabo, who nervously looked at him. Since he didn't get a response from his brother – whose back was turned anyway - Rosinante then made the motion of slitting his throat, then lowered the gun, turning to walk away. Sanji watched with unease as Sabo relaxed, looking terrified that he'd just escaped death. Sanji gave him a helpless shrug and walked after the others as Doflamingo continued to argue about his will being more than fitting to match that of the book he followed.
: :
After they left the church, Doflamingo looked at his younger brother, taking in his gentle features – the straight nose, the narrow eyes, the thick wavy hair that brought out their shape. He was paler than him, slighter, just a few inches shorter – but he'd always been capable of handling his own and went along with whatever his brother deemed was right. Except when it came to his son.
Doflamingo could not understand why Rosinante was so attached to Law. When he declared that he was taking him one day, Doflamingo had told him that humans could not be kept as a pet, and ordered that he put the small glaring human back. But the man put effort into raising him, and Doflamingo went with it because Rosinante never asked him for anything. That boy had such a bad temperament, so unlike Rosinante's, that Doflamingo was tempted to take him out back and shoot him for all the things that he did. All his threats went ignored, and Rosinante made excuses for every little thing. Law had hated him ever since they met, and while Doflamingo knew why, he just thought Law would forget about it and just accept the family as his.
There were times when Law could get along with him, taking his advice and demonstrating his loyalty, but it was no secret that he despised Doflamingo. As he grew older, the fights had intensified, and it was no surprise when Law finally struck out – Doflamingo had been concerned at first, but as days switched to weeks, weeks to years, he accepted that the man was gone. But the one thing that truly stood out was that, while Rosinante had been depressed, he was not discouraged. There was something in Rosinante's personality that suggested that he knew more about Law's disappearance than he was letting on – when Law's name began appearing in the newspaper, Rosinante hadn't behaved in a surprised, relieved manner. He looked dejected, instead. And that was the first time Doflamingo had felt a sliver of suspicion.
The feeling was ugly. He tried to forget it. But the more he thought about it, the more things came to mind that he hadn't looked at, before. Doflamingo did not want to be suspicious of his own brother, but it was there. Father Gardner's journal had just given him reason to investigate, and it was killing him inside, because he knew it in his heart to be true.
To this day, Doflamingo could not understand why his brother still chose others over him.
"I apologize for this morning," he said to him, Rosinante looking up at him with a frown. All of them were descending the stairs down to street level, where the carriages waited. "My behavior was absolutely out of line. But I did nothing improper. I was truly interested in Blackleg's tales of adventure. I'd always wanted to visit the area myself, someday. Unfortunately, Law's reaction was unexpected. It appears his temper is still just as short as mine."
Rosinante shrugged, looking ahead of them as Sanji said something to Law that had him chuckling. Both men looked at each other with every feeling they had, and it was obvious that Law had forgiven Sanji for everything. Much like how Rosinante himself did. He felt sad for that fact. Had he demonstrated that forgiveness was easy to give because one was weak?
'It was very suggestive,' he signed in response. 'Especially with him in your clothes, with his background in seducing men. Atrocious, really.'
"I understood later that it looked more than what it was. But I never touched that man. How could anyone think I could? He didn't have any nightclothes, and the clothes he wore were uncomfortable to sleep in, he claimed. When Law found him in my bed, I was sleeping in the alcove, where you used to sleep. In the middle of the night, Blackleg awoke me with his night terrors. He said he has them frequently. I gave him something to ease that discomfort. Law didn't even give me a chance to explain before he attacked in a fit of rage. I responded because he'd already incensed me with suggestive accusations, and kept me up all night, lingering at the door."
'He's very protective of the man. It'll be his down fall.'
"Don't we all do every protective thing we can to watch out for the ones we love, Rosi? Why are you so set against that man, when he clearly makes Law very happy? I thought you'd said so yourself, whatever makes him happy, makes you happy."
Rosinante set his lips for a moment, then signed, 'Not when it can kill him.'
Doflamingo laughed loudly. "That man will find another way to have himself killed! It won't be because of one person! You'll just have to accept that he is part of Law's life, right now."
'How is it you do?'
"The way I see it, Rosi, is that it's an advantage, for me. Blackleg is a Strawhat, and he harbors resentment to me. Which, in a way, I feel responsible for, like I do with all the children I've misplaced because of my actions – but also, the Vinsmokes are a very powerful family in the northern border, and while I haven't been able to reach them as I'd wanted, having their son in my reach will give me negotiation benefit. These Strawhat Bandits are also interesting, and I'm sure that they'd do whatever is in their power to take him back – having them come onto my turf will give me an advantage over them.
"Once I'm rid of them, I'll work on expanding north. I'm sure the Vinsmokes will talk to me then, making me go all that way."
'What's the point in negotiations with a trapper family?' Rosinante signed impatiently, pausing on a step. 'Dirty scoundrals, creeping in the woods to kill animals for their pelts. It's cruel.'
"Ah, yes, you're an avid animal lover, you'd find that offensive. It's not only their hunting that provides them with wealth, it's the knowledge they hold of the various contacts along the northern border with hostiles and other countries – they're an information network. One that is bigger and broader than mine. With that network in my grasp, I can expand my empire, Rosi."
'Makes sense, I guess. But if they're not bothering on retrieving him, then he's a worthless son.'
"I wasn't the one behind the 'Alive' bounty, Rosi. What would I care about a whore? There's no value to it."
Rosinante nodded with some understanding.
"Listen – when our parents forced us to this country as immigrants, in search of the gold rush dream, you can't forget how angry I was having to leave everything I knew and love behind. We were on our own. That imbecile father of ours did everything he could to try and survive, and what happened to mother? She died from a fucking pneumonia, and she didn't have to! He did it! That cun – asshole stripped us of our noble background just to have us die in the dirt in some unnamed town in an unknown territory, and left us to rot! When I killed him, I saved us both from sure death – I built everything in my empire to keep both of us well off and safe, and you know what gets to me?"
'What?' Rosinante signed uncomfortably, avoiding his eyes.
"That after everything I've done, it's still not. Good. Enough."
Rosinante looked at him, frozen stiff. Doflamingo looked at him closely, revealing nothing in his expression at that moment.
"Are you done staring into each other's eyes?" Law asked impatiently.
Doflamingo glared off in his direction, then flipped him off. But he looked back at Rosinante with a frown. "Still, I should not have reacted the way I had this morning. I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm glad that nothing serious happened, Rosi. I was out of control, I wasn't thinking – please forgive me."
Rosinante watched as Sanji nudged Law with an elbow, walking in step with him, and Law nudged him back, hands in his jacket pockets and a smile on his face.
'I forgive you,' he signed, but his heart wasn't in it. He felt cold, shivering briefly despite the overly warm weather.
Doflamingo hugged him tightly, and Rosinante felt extreme discomfort in it, the strength of his brother's arms around his shoulders, his face against his hair, breathing him in. For a long moment, Doflamingo just held him, and it lasted longer then necessary. Unsure of what caused such distress, Rosinante patted his back.
"I love you, Rosi. Only you truly understand who I am and the efforts I place in keeping myself in control. Without you, I don't know who I'd be. But you've made me see that I can do it on my own – you're so fiercely independent, no matter what I ask of you. I supposed I needed that to be who I am, today."
Rosinante didn't feel any guilt, but he did feel sad that Doflamingo thought of him this way. He scrunched his face as his brother kissed his cheek, uncomfortably close to his mouth, smearing the red paint. So he reached up and wiped the stain from his brother's lips.
"I'm so glad you're getting along," Monet said with relief, passing by them.
: :
After they arrived home, as Doflamingo was called into his office for a visit with some concerned men from the railroads – tracks had been laid further west, but there were some hostiles in the area that caused damage to their steam engines, which caused a delay in their goods transportation to the Marines. With that, the Marine admirals he regularly had contact with were suddenly removed from their stations and there was damage caused to two weapons factories in the south, which were caused by rivals. His operations were also slowed at the edge of the city because of a Marine inspection on whether or not he was following codes regarding labor and city regulations.
Sanji was sent to the basement with Jora, Dellinger and Lao G, where they gave him a tour of wine cellars, storage spaces, and a small area where they tortured and maimed their enemies. He suspected they were only trying to scare him, but as he stood in that room with a thoughtful expression, he tried to picture Law in the center of it, doing whatever it was he did to make a man talk to Doflamingo.
It was a chilling picture, he had to admit. He'd seen the man kill others – shooting, stabbing, drowning – he did take pleasure in it, but because those people had hurt them. And sometimes, when a person had been particularly awful, Law took his time with it. Sanji saw the satisfied grin, the pleased gleam in his grey eyes when a man regretted his actions on his deathbed, but afterward, he would just utter an insult and return to him with a relieved expression, and that was all that mattered.
The people murdered by this family were always rivals or associates that crossed them – broken soldiers of war that had been caught and carried behind enemy lines. Law would torture them just so they could obtain more information that Doflamingo wanted, and he would kill them to send a message to the heads of the other families. Then the last straw had happened, and Rosinante sent him away.
The memories still bothered Law – Sanji would wake up and find the other man covered with sweat and a disturbed expression, but he'd never explain them. Sanji wondered what sorts of things happened in his life to cause it – he wondered if it were guilt, stress, other things that he never spoke about. He reminded himself to ask Law the next time he had a chance.
When they returned back to the main floor, there was a servant that asked for their assistance. They left the house hastily, and one of Rosinante's servants, Okojo, gestured at him to follow him.
Okojo had black hair similar to Penguin's, was tall and slender, and had tattoos of the heart symbol on the palms of his hands. When he spoke, he had a lisp and a soft voice, and Sanji liked hearing it. He wore a striped baseball hat with an 'O' in the center, and took too big of steps, often tripping like his boss.
"Here," he said, pointing Sanji up a stairway. Sanji started ascending, and when he did, Okojo followed and tripped up the last few, so Sanji waited for him to get up and lead the way again. Rosinante's room was located on the other side of the mansion, and he was changing out of his church wear and into something a little more casual, while Law sat on nearby couch with a heavy book in his hands. He'd changed, too, wearing a simple cotton shirt tucked into striped trousers and his boots, and Sanji about salivated because he knew he wasn't going to be looking anywhere else.
"I saw your workspace," Sanji said to him, taking the chance to drape himself over his lap since Rosinante was occupied. He pushed the book to the floor. "I think they tried to threaten me."
"They let you go?" Law asked, puzzled.
Sanji frowned at him suspiciously. "Why are you surprised that they did? A lot of the staff took off in a hurry before I came up here."
"Because of that stupid 'inappropriate behavior' thing he was trying to enforce. Sanji, I apologize for last night. It was terrible of me to do," Law said, opening the buttons of his shirt with one hand, the other pulling his collar open wide. Sanji immediately liked the direction he was taking, grinning. "I hated myself for letting my anger take over. I apologize, Sanji, please forgive me."
"You know I do," Sanji reassured him, reaching up to caress his face.
"This morning, too, was unforgivable. I lost it. I couldn't stand it. But…I trust you. I need to better control myself and my emotions when it comes to you. I react only on primal action, and I have to let go of my Neanderthal self. You are capable of great things, and I have seen them. I trust you."
"That makes me really happy," Sanji told him, smiling up at him. "We'll make it through this. It's going well, so far. With all that commotion happening outside, it sounds like his empire is starting to crumble at the edges."
"Maybe. If they're all leaving for battle, it's a good sign. I hope they're not going back to kill the priest. Why would it take all the guards to do so?"
"I heard nothing, really. Just that business that Doffy locked himself in his office, for."
"Ah, yes, they're shutting down all his factories. Rivals. I wonder if it truly is, though," Law said, opening his shirt wide and then palming his stomach, running his fingers over the visible lines of muscle. "I didn't realize how much I missed your clothes until you started wearing this trash. I can't see that ass of yours, and it's driving me mad."
"Go lower."
Law made to say something, but Rosinante slapped him hard across the back of his head, and then picked up one end of the couch with them still on it, dumping them to the floor.
"After church?" Puffin screeched in translation. "What is wrong with you?"
After making sure they sat across from each other on different sides of the room, Rosinante lit up a cigarette and then motioned for Jean and Seal to leave. They were clearly on a mission, and Okojo held up Rosinante's jacket so he could pull it back on. Puffin closed all the windows and locked them, then pushed shelves and couches up against them.
"Are we expecting visitors?" Law asked curiously.
'With everyone leaving so suddenly, yes. Preparing for attack. It might be an ambush,' Rosinante signed. 'It happens. Ah.'
He turned to Okojo, and signed hastily, the man running from the room. After they heard him trip out in the hall, Rosinante turned to them. 'That's the clumsiest man I've ever met.'
"That's hilarious, coming from you. What should we do?"
'Defend yourselves.'
"You don't think it's a specific set of rivals, do you?"
Rosinante shook his head. 'Too soon. The trains don't arrive that fast, and not until the medical facility is cleared out. More than likely, it's just rivals. We have an attack ever so often.'
When Okojo returned, he was carrying Law's rifle. All of them ducked and scrambled behind furniture for cover as Okojo tripped, the rifle bouncing off the floor. Once nothing happened, all of them relaxed, Okojo breathing out a sigh of relief.
'Baby brought it back because she recognized the seal,' Rosinante signed from behind a couch.
"For once, she did something right," Law said cheerfully, picking it up and examining it for a few moments. It was still fully loaded, and it seemed to warm in his hands. His fingers curled around it with much appreciation, and he rested his forehead against the barrel, utterly relieved to have it back in his possession. Sanji scowled at him from across the room.
"Appreciate your mistress outside of your wife's line of vision, please!"
"Shh…we haven't spoken in days…"
"Give me something to throw at him, please."
"Over a gun?" Puffin asked, hands on his hips.
Sanji looked at him, wondering if that was his opinion or Rosinante's, as the taller blond had his assault rifle in one hand, the other occupied with his cigarette.
Baby 5 kicked the door in, carrying a tray of snacks and drinks, cigarette dangling from her mouth. "You bastards, we're preparing for an attack. Doflamingo is still in talks with his contacts regarding his factories, so you need to handle it, number 2. He sent everyone to the battle line, so you watch the inside."
"Monet and Bellamy?"
"Bellamy is off on a secret mission, Trebol is assisting Doffy, and I'm stuck here with you pussies because Doffy is 'thirsty'," she mimicked, slamming the tray down on a table nearby. But in moments, she was in Sanji's space, pressing up against him with a love struck expression. "Any special requests for you?"
"Yeah, your ass to stay in the kitchen with that unwelcome opinion," Law said crankily.
Rosinante frowned at him. 'Rude. So sexist.'
Baby turned to glare at Law, who glared back. Moments later she was sniffling against Sanji, so Sanji removed her cigarette from her mouth and soothed her gently.