A/N: FYI, slight spoilers for Corazon's appearance (since the recent chapter showed what he looked like). Totally not what I expected (though at least this way I can use something other than just his name to describe him).
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Trafalgar woke abruptly, breathing in harsh gasps of air as his heart beat rapidly. He was disoriented, and confused. Something was wrong, but the dark haired man had no idea what. Just that something was not as it should be. Blinking blearily, Trafalgar saw a face peering down at him, wearing an out of character expression of concern.
Doflamingo.
Doflamingo being concerned about anything was very strange. Let alone being worried about a single person. And that made Trafalgar stare, befuddled. What was going on? And for that matter, what had happened to get the older man to act in such a way? There was still something wrong that Trafalgar couldn't quite put his finger on, but that could always be figured out later, after he found out why Doflamingo was looking at him the way he was. Trafalgar thought he had just fallen asleep. There wasn't anything odd about that.
Trafalgar's obvious confusion prompted Doflamingo to be the first to speak, "Fufufufu. I guess that drug Caesar developed was too strong."
"Caesar?" The dark haired man was really put off now. He didn't recall seeing that creep of a scientist lately, but perhaps he was wrong. It could explain why he felt so oddly out of sorts, not being able to clearly remember much of anything right now.
Doflamingo shook his head, as if noticing the younger man's continued bafflement, "I didn't realize that it had been slipped in with the medicine without my knowledge. Are you all right?"
Trafalgar was still struggling through life and death experiences that he had just been through. Or had he? The fighting, the running, the...Trafalgar frowned. There was something else, like another person he should be remembering. Someone important. But it wasn't Doflamingo. The dark haired man wasn't sure who. His mind was hazy, and it left him unhappy and confused. Not to mention he had woken up on a bed, and Doflamingo had just now slipped onto the same bed to hold him in a crushing hug, "What happened before?" Trafalgar wriggled within the larger man's grasp, "And why the hell are you being so clingy? It...it isn't like you." It wasn't, and the wrong feeling Trafalgar had returned stronger than before.
Doflamingo quietly held Trafalgar, inwardly disliking the fact that he could not trap the dark haired man's mind in Law's body. And Doflamingo knew that there wasn't much he could do to keep Trafalgar trapped in the dream right now for very long. It was frustrating, that he was running out of options. Doflamingo closed his eyes, his brow furrowing. What was that? He could hear...and sense something, from the land of the living where his sleeping body was...
Doflamingo's eyes snapped open in shock. Shit. He hadn't been paying close enough attention.
"Doflamingo?"
Doflamingo felt a crawling sensation of something approaching the house where his body was.
"What is it?"
Doflamingo ground his teeth in frustration, barely hearing Trafalgar's queries. No. Dammit. How the hell had that man found him so quickly?
"Hey!"
Doflamingo heard Trafalgar's voice fading as he woke himself up to deal with his new trouble in the land of the living. It just figured that something had shown up to interrupt him. Again. Doflamingo opened his eyes, and held himself perfectly still when he caught sight of just who was standing in the bedroom with him.
Marco and Hawkins.
Funny, he hadn't expected to see them so soon. At least not for several years. How aggravating. Doflamingo chuckled as he sat up slowly, keeping a careful eye out for movement from either of the intruders. He did nothing but grin, as he really had nothing to say to them. Doflamingo did, however, wonder how in the hell they had been able to find him so quickly. Not that it really mattered, he supposed. They were here now, so how they got there was really irrelevant now. When it was clear that neither man was going to speak to him, Doflamingo did, and used a harsh, dangerous tone as he carelessly sprawled on the bed with his back against the nearest wall, "Fufufufu. How in the world did you find this place? I thought it was well hidden." And it had been. No one else had ever come across it in the past when he had had to come and lie low for a time.
"It is well hidden, but Ace saw you leaving the city and followed. Then he called us to come meet him."
Interesting. Doflamingo didn't know that brat could be fast enough to keep up with him. Now that Marco mentioned it, Doflamingo had thought he sensed a presence, but had dismissed it because it had kept its distance. His mistake. The older man knew that he would have to remember that for the future, in case anyone else thought it clever to try and tail him. Doflamingo frowned a bit. Damn. This meant he would have to find a new place for a hideout.
Marco carefully kept his eyes on Doflamingo, but his next question was directed to Hawkins, "Is Law all right?"
Hawkins had knelt down next to the slumbering dark haired man on the ground, "He is fine. Just sleeping for the moment." Hawkins half turned to face Doflamingo, "He has done something to him, but since we interrupted him, Law should be all right."
Doflamingo turned his head to stare at Hawkins. He had not recalled doing anything to Law while he had been sleeping and harassing Trafalgar. Had he really affected Law when he had interacted with Trafalgar in the dreams? Doflamingo's head turned sharply at movement and barely had enough time to dodge away from Marco's blue flames. Doflamingo grinned. That was fast. He hadn't expected a fight so soon, "Fool. Your flames can temporarily slow me down, but it won't do any permanent damage." Doflamingo landed back on the bed, his grin wider, "You're wasting your time!"
"Marco, move."
Doflamingo frowned at Hawkins' words, but he grit his teeth as he saw Marco move out of the way and the long haired bastard throwing something through the air at him. Doflamingo started to move out of the way, but was unable to avoid Hawkins' spell card from striking him and the older man cursed as he realized that the damn spell was sapping his strength and energy. Doflamingo made a swift decision then and there. He knew that no harm would come to Law, and since he did not want to end up in prison for a few decades, he decided to retreat, as loathe as he was to do it. Doflamingo knew that the he would cross paths again with Marco at some point, but right now, with Hawkins around, the older man knew he was at a disadvantage. He would be hard pressed to defeat either of them if he wasn't up to full strength.
Doflamingo grinned patronizingly at the two men before him, "You know that I won't stop. I don't see why you still bother." With that, Doflamingo threw himself backwards and crashed through the window. He stumbled upright, merely gritting his teeth as he was clipped by Marco's flames. It gave him an irritating tingle, but other than that, it did no damage. Doflamingo's grin stretched as he ran into the surrounding forest. It seemed that he would have to lie low for much longer than he had originally intended to. Marco, it seemed, was more serious about trying to corner and stop him more than he had in previous years. Doflamingo hummed to himself as he ran. If nothing else, it was different, and that was something he needed as of late.
Having the same thing happen over and over grew dull as the years passed. Something new, however little, was far more welcome than Doflamingo would have ever thought possible. He knew he would have completely scoffed at the very idea a long time ago, but now...
Doflamingo slowed, and grinned as a thought occurred to him. He still had some time left to do something about Trafalgar.
-x
Marco turned away from the window to kneel next to Law, before he glanced over at Hawkins, who was studying the broken window, "Will that spell of yours have long-term effects on Doflamingo?"
Hawkins gave a faint shrug without turning away from the window, "It depends on if you can find him before the spell wears off. It should slow him down, but not for long."
"Then it isn't much use going after him right now, is what you are saying."
"Correct. Your time would be better used to find a way to make sure that Law is not arrested for what the one who possessed him did while in control of his body."
Marco glanced back down at Law, "I suppose you are right. I wonder if Pops could help..."
Law turned over in his sleep and mumbled something.
"In any case, let's get him out of here." Marco commented as he lifted Law up and draped one of his arms over his shoulder, "...Will Doflamingo come after him again?"
Hawkins sorted through a few cards, apparently consulting them, "No...he won't. But in the future...that is not set in stone...there are too many variations to say for sure."
Marco half carried Law toward the bedroom door, "Then it is going to start again?" The short haired blond was not encouraged by Hawkins' response.
"For the time being, it is an endless cycle. Some have broken free, but for others, it is still unending. It is hard to say when it will end."
-x
Trafalgar felt lost, until he felt someone touch his arm. It drew him out of the haze he had been in. The dark haired man opened his eyes slowly, and stared up at Kidd, who was leaning over him and wearing a rather upset expression. "Eustass-ya...what?" What was wrong? What had happened to make the redhead so upset? He had just laid down to take a rest. After all, Trafalgar had needed to think over what Corazon had said...
Kidd helped the other man sit up, "We're in a dream, Trafalgar. That son of a bitch dragged me into it when I was trying to wake you up."
A dream...? Trafalgar blinked. Did that mean whatever had happened between falling asleep and waking up in a dream now mean that...? "Are you saying...that Doflamingo brought us both into a dream?" That didn't make any sense, but since Doflamingo had been doing it to him for awhile now...
"That's right, I did, and you aren't leaving until I am through with the both of you."
Doflamingo's voice woke Trafalgar up the rest of the way, and even if it was just a dream, everything became clear. Trafalgar remembered everything. The dark haired man held out an arm to prevent Kidd from starting toward Doflamingo when the older man began to stroll toward them. Trafalgar narrowed his eyes, "What did you do? Why couldn't I remember anything?"
Doflamingo grinned, if a little ruefully, "I guess you remember already then?" He stopped a few feet away. "That's a shame. Here I was hoping that I had finally gotten through to you."
"Yes, I remember." Trafalgar said calmly. "And you didn't answer my question. What did you do to me?"
Doflamingo flexed a hand, wearing a disinterested expression as he shifted from one foot to another, "Since it didn't work as well as I thought it would, I don't feel the need to explain it to you."
"Leave Trafalgar the fuck alone." Kidd growled dangerously as he started to shove Trafalgar's outstretched hand out of the way.
Doflamingo grinned mockingly at Kidd, "Why should I? The sex is quite nice. It's too bad he hasn't grown weary of you yet. It would make my life a lot easier."
Kidd bristled as he increased his efforts to get past Trafalgar and to Doflamingo as he seethed at the older man, "You son of a bitch!"
Trafalgar gripped Kidd's nearest arm, "Stop, Eustass-ya." He glanced up at the redhead, "Remember what we heard earlier?" From Corazon was left unsaid, because Trafalgar felt that he did not have to let Doflamingo know. "Besides, we're stuck until Doflamingo-ya lets us leave." And Trafalgar knew just what would let the older man let them leave. It was a gamble, but if nothing else, it would not be what Doflamingo would have expected from him.
The dark haired man's words toned down Kidd's anger, though he still appeared to be unhappy to find out that Doflamingo had been having sex with Trafalgar in his dreams. Even if he had had a sneaking suspicion that had been confirmed by Trafalgar shying from his touch. It didn't change the fact that it upset him that Doflamingo dared to touch his lover in the first place when Trafalgar was clearly not interested in him in that way any longer.
Doflamingo had obviously been prepared for a fight, so it was understandable that he was taken aback when Trafalgar walked right up to him. His expression was clear. He was taken aback, and from the frown that crossed his lips, was expecting a trick of some kind. Therefore, Doflamingo had not been at all prepared to hear what came from Trafalgar as he came to a halt before him.
Trafalgar took a deep breath, before he briefly glanced up at the older man, and spoke simply, "I'm sorry."
Both Kidd and Doflamingo looked completely surprised at the dark haired man's words.
Trafalgar avoided meeting Doflamingo's shaded gaze as he continued, and brought up what he thought he wouldn't. He felt he needed to tell the truth, if only to try and get Doflamingo to let him be, "I spoke to Corazon. He told me what had happened. I was wrong about why it had happened. I'm sorry...I never tried to talk to you about it...before I left." Trafalgar looked away. He hated that he had been wrong, and didn't want to think about how it made the other man feel, when he had been the one who had been mistaken the whole time. "You were only trying to protect me and the others." Trafalgar hesitated for a moment, before he stepped closer and reached up to tug Doflamingo's arm until the other leaned over. Trafalgar hesitated once more now that Doflamingo's face was closer, the older man now wearing a perplexed expression. The dark haired man shook his head minutely before he leaned up on his toes to leave a brief kiss on Doflamingo's cheek, before speaking softly, "I already made my choice a long time ago." Trafalgar turned away and walked back over to Kidd. The dark haired man wrapped an arm around the redhead's right arm, and held on tightly as he glanced back at Doflamingo, "You already knew that I could have never stayed with you and the others, even if I had known the truth. It doesn't change anything between us. What happened in the past still happened, no matter the reasons behind it."
Doflamingo was silent as he brushed his fingertips lightly along the cheek Trafalgar had kissed, before he let his hand dropped to his side and smiled bitterly. Doflamingo turned away after giving a nod, which was Kidd and Trafalgar's signal that they could leave. The older man did look over his shoulder to watch them go, before he closed his eyes. When Doflamingo opened them, he was awake, and lying in the middle of the forest he had run in to. The only consolation was that Marco and Hawkins were nowhere in sight. But that was unimportant right now, as something else bothered him right now. What Trafalgar had said...he had said that he had talked to Corazon...
Doflamingo stared up at the trees and the dark night sky that he could make from between the leaves. If that were true, then...why?
Why had Corazon never come to speak to him?
The older man let out a sigh. Not that his brother ever said anything to him in the first place, unless he felt strongly enough about something or another that he deemed it necessary to use his voice to give his opinion.
Doflamingo sighed. He supposed that, after what he had done to his brother, it wasn't all that surprising, even if what he had done had been necessary, and both he and his brother had known it. Doflamingo covered his eyes with the back of one hand, and laughed. The only thing he wanted was to ask Corazon if he had meant what he had said, right before he had shot him, all those long years ago. But it didn't matter right now. The answer wouldn't change what had happened in the dream he had just left.
Trafalgar was out of his reach for good. The dark haired man had made that perfectly clear to him.
Alone.
Doflamingo was going to be alone again.
That's what it was always going to come back to, especially now. Doflamingo didn't even know why it surprised him anymore.
He was going to always be alone, no matter how many people he gathered around him, and it was almost entirely his own fault. He had made a choice after Corazon's death all those long years ago. Had made a deal out of desperation.
It had been a foolish choice, and the deal he had made was one that he never should have agreed upon in the first place.
-x
Trafalgar woke up again, but this time, he knew where he was. He was with Kidd, in the house that they found in the land of the dead.
"You okay?" Kidd was on his side as he faced the other man.
"Yes." Traflagar responded automatically. He smirked at the sight of Kidd trying and failing to not look concerned, and leaned over to peck him on the cheek. The faint blush was worth it, and Trafalgar let out a soft laugh as he got up off the bed and headed out of the room and down the stairs. He knew that Kidd would follow him.
As Trafalgar entered the living room, it hit him. Doflamingo was going to leave him alone now. It was weird to think that the older man would actually do so, but from what Trafalgar had seen, it appeared to be so. With a sigh of relief, the dark haired man sunk down onto the couch, and Kidd joined him soon after. Trafalgar felt satisfied that he had gotten through to Doflamingo as he rested against Kidd. Trafalgar heard Corazon moving in the next room over, and felt that things were finally right. He couldn't help but smile as it sounded like Corazon had fallen off his chair, if the thump and faint curse was anything to go by. Trafalgar made himself comfortable as he called over in the direction of the kitchen, "Are you all right?"
There was a brief silence before a grunt of agreement rose from the man in the kitchen.
Trafalgar shook his head in amusement. He liked that some things didn't change. Right now, the dark haired doctor was pleased that he didn't have to worry aobut being dragged away from this place. To be taken away from Kidd or Corazon. Trafalgar almost felt at peace as he silently linked hands with Kidd. The dark haired man decided then and there that he would stay with the two, for as long as they were able to stay in this weird reality. Trafalgar closed his eyes and smiled a little as Kidd leaned in closer to nuzzle his cheek against the side of his head, and knew that the redhead was content to stay as they were for awhile. Trafalgar didn't realize that Corazon had left the kitchen to stand just inside the living room to check on them. The dark haired man also did not see that the taller man was giving both Trafalgar and Kidd a saddened, yet happy, look.
Corazon turned away, and went back to the kitchen, where he tripped on his way to the chair. It didn't overly bother him as he settled onto the chair after getting back up. Instead, he stared out the nearby window, as if waiting for something to happen. What it was remained a mystery, as he kept it to himself.
-x
One hundred and fifty years later...
The land of the living...
A dark shadow moved from building to building. Sometimes it paused, as if checking to see if something were following it. Sometimes it took a higher route by jumping from building from building, as if this would make whatever the figure believed might be pursuing them to lose sight of them. The only thing that never changed was the person's large frame and never ending grin. As if the man knew something and wasn't going to bother sharing it with the rest of the world.
The quiet figure passed over a streetlight, revealing a pink, feathery coat draped over their shoulder. The figure's grin revealed itself in the light, and the man laughed, as if there was some unseen audience watching him. Perhaps there was, but the man didn't give any other indication of the idea as he continued to soar along.
The man, Doflamingo, turned and leapt down from a building, and kicked off the side of two other buildings to get himself to the ground unscathed. He was in the city outskirts of a place that he had not been to in well over three hundred years. At least, Doflamingo thought that was the correct amount of time. He could have been mistaken since he had been around for so long. Time was harder to keep track of when it began to mean nothing.
Doflamingo walked leisurely around a lake in the dead of night, alone and deep in thought. He had a lot of time to do that. Countless time, as he had come to that realization long ago. The decades that had gone by and the fact that he did not physically age were testament to that.
It was one hundred and fifty years since he had last seen Trafalgar in his dreams. And here Doflamingo was, waiting again. Trafalgar was still in his mind even after all of these years, but since there was no hope of reaching out to him anymore...
Movement caught his eye, and Doflamingo left those thoughts behind as he gracefully jumped up onto a bridge that spanned the lake, and crouched down in the shadows to look down with a grin. Below, he could see two people as they walked along the sidewalk below the bridge. They were likely on their way home. Doflamingo's grin stretched. It seemed that this time around, Law's reincarnation was interested in a military man. One who was smoking away at two cigars and speaking stiffly, even as Law laughed and said something in return.
"Come on, Smoker-ya. There's no one around to see us." Law's voice had a playful lilt to it, as if he expected the other man to protest, and he was obviously not disappointed when the white haired man did.
Smoker puffed away at his cigars some more, but grudgingly looked over at Law as he gave his response, "Just because there is no one around doesn't mean we can't wait until we get back home."
Doflamingo could all but imagine the gleam in Law's eyes as the dark haired man's lips stretched into a smirk.
"What, are you embarrassed? You certainly didn't seem that way last night. Did you think that I did not enjoy it as much as I did?" Law ducked Smoker's hand, smile still in place, "Well?"
Smoker looked away, a faint blush rising on his cheeks as he grumbled irritably,"I do not need our relationship getting out right now."
Law leaned up against Smoker, sneakily trailing one hand down to tap the other's nearest hand, "For you to get your promotion? I wouldn't worry about it. They have been practically falling down around you to try and get you to accept it. And you said you would be stationed elsewhere, once you get that promotion." Law glanced up at Smoker, "Am I going to come with you when you move?"
Smoker mumbled something that Doflamingo couldn't make out, but it obviously amused Law more than he already was.
"That's what's got you worried Smoker-ya?"
Doflamingo felt a pang of jealously as he watched the two, especially when Law leaned up against the paler haired man more heavily, and Smoker, in turn, sighed in exasperation and reluctantly linked hands, much to Law's continued amusement. Doflamingo watched them as they resumed walking along and speaking in low tones, until they were in the distance. Doflamingo's grin faded ever so slightly. It wouldn't be hard for him to get this Law into his business in the city he had moved to, but he looked to be well in his 30s, so this time around, it wasn't worth the time or the effort on the older man's part to even try. There could be issues, especially with the fact that Law had been awfully close to the smoking military man, just from that little bit of conversation he had overheard. Doflamingo turned away as he hopped down from the bridge to the sidewalk alongside it, and headed in the opposite direction for his own home in the city. Maybe another time, when he found an incarnation of Law that would be more open to his advances.
After all, Doflamingo literally had all the time in the world.
Doflamingo chuckled to himself, entertained by the thought, though it was mainly from the fact that he had told Trafalgar that he'd only been in possession of this body of his for twenty years. It was actually much closer to hundreds of years. Possibly more. Doflamingo had lost track after a time, since it no longer seemed to matter after so much time had already gone by. It was true that he could never leave the body, however. Doflamingo had not lied about that. What he hadn't mentioned was that he didn't age. Doflamingo was stuck in his body at the same age, ever since the time that he had made a deal. The one he had foolishly made after Corazon's death, because he didn't want Trafalgar to leave him as well. But he had left anyway, soon after Doflamingo had made the deal, and had gone to Kidd.
Doflamingo was quiet as he walked along, and wondered if he would ever get any relief, or if he was cursed to be this way forever. Cursed to see Law or Trafalgar, depending on how many years had gone by. To continually have Trafalgar reject him, no matter how hard he tried to change. No matter what Doflamingo did, Trafalgar seemed to never be in the mood for forgiveness, or to try and talk things through. The issue of Corazon only came up occasionally, and it hurt Doflamingo to make people see a younger version of himself harm his brother, especially now that he knew that Trafalgar would see it.
There would always be consequences. There would always be something to hinder Doflamingo's attempt, which would then force him to live life after life in new cities all over the world.
It was lonely, and Doflamingo was getting tired of it all.
He nearly lost all hope, until after another hundred years passed. It was then that he noticed something out of place.
Something that was different in the never-ending cycle that he had become trapped in.
That small change made all the loneliness and hurt and constant wandering seem closer to an end. Even if he would soon forget about it, Doflamingo knew that there was a change coming.
He knew that change was happening, and after such a long time, the older man welcomed it, whatever it happened to be.
Good or bad, Doflamingo was ready for something to break the cycle that he had found himself ensnared in.
-x
One year later...
The change was subtle, but finally, Doflamingo knew for sure that it was there. The older man drew closer to the scene that had caught his attention. A house. Most of it was familiar, even though he hadn't seen it for a hundred years after spotting Law with Smoker that one night. The Law that Doflamingo now saw was standing outside, along with Crocodile, and there was someone in the window watching them from the second story of the house. Someone that looked...nearly invisible.
Kidd.
Doflamingo blinked, his grin fading into a thin frown. He was confused. Hadn't this already occurred, all that time ago? Though, he had relieved this particular life before more than once. The one that had happened soon after he had killed his own brother but he had thought, with Trafalgar firmly in the land of the dead, that this particular life would no longer play out...what did it mean?
Doflamingo studied the scene from afar. Nothing was right about what he was seeing. This was not when he would normally start with this particular incarnation. He should have met Law sooner, when he was much younger. What was going on? The older man looked away. It didn't really matter, now that he had come across Law, but...Doflamingo was never ready to deal with this particular life. The idea that he would come across Trafalgar again, whether it was really him or not. That Doflamingo knew he would have to try and decide whether to try and gain his favor this time around, or crush him, before he could be hurt again by Trafalgar's misconceptions...
All because Trafalgar had seen him kill Corazon, and had not known what had prompted it.
Doflamingo froze in place as someone stepped up to stand alongside. The older man started, in shock. He hadn't even sensed anyone approaching him. Doflamingo turned swiftly in case it was an attack, raising one hand as he did, but he halted abruptly as his breath caught in his throat. Doflamingo knew who it was that was standing there, and he had no idea what to think. He had been so quiet, and blended in with the nearby trees' shade with that damn hood of his that Doflamingo almost didn't see him.
Corazon.
Doflamingo held perfectly still as he studied the other man. But...he was dead...so why...? Doflamingo thought it was impossible, what he was seeing, even though Trafalgar had said that he had spoken to him. Therefore, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that Corazon could appear before him as an apparition, but why now, instead of earlier? Doflamingo took in the other man for a moment longer, for once at a loss for words. The younger man looked the same as he had the day Doflamingo had killed him, wearing a darker feathery coat that mirrored his own, and was also sporting the ridiculous lipstick that Doflamingo had decided at once to give him hell for as soon as he had seen it. In as playful a way as he could, since Doflamingo knew that Corazon had had his reasons for wearing it.
"Doflamingo."
His name was stated matter of fact, and in as quiet a tone as Doflamingo had ever heard from his younger brother. Doflamingo stared at Corazon, knowing that this was entirely different from anything he had experienced thus far. He looked at his brother, feeling as if he were in a daze. Suddenly, the same scenery around him no longer mattered. It had been so long since Doflamingo had seen the other man, or had spoken to him. "Corazon...Trafalgar said that he had talked to you from where he was...in the land of the dead."
Corazon moved in close to stand in front of his brother, and reached out a hand to rest on his shoulder. Corazon didn't wait to see if Doflamingo wanted him to or not, "I did. I finally got through to him after all these long years."
"He always thought that I… killed you without reason." Doflamingo murmured, closing his eyes. Perhaps he was dreaming. He had been alone for so long in his own mind, that it wouldn't surprise him if he were hallucinating. And Corazon speaking so much was something of an entirely different matter. But being dead should have given Corazon the ability to do so, Doflamingo supposed, if his brother really wanted to get his point across. A thought occurred to Doflamingo, and he spoke it softly, as if he didn't know if he would receive a response, "Did you mean what you said...before I shot you back then?"
Corazon had frozen in place, hand gripping Doflamingo's shoulder tightly in response. The younger Donquixote brother appeared to remember the incident, as his lips had drawn into a tight frown beneath the dark lipstick curving it into a wide smile.
'Is this really necessary? Why don't we just kill them? I do not want to do this.'
Corazon opens his eyes briefly to look up at Doflamingo, who was in a crouch beside him. He sounds upset, but the younger man knew that it was only a façade. He knows what Doflamingo is capable of. 'You know that...isn't a possibility. This is the only way...to ensure that everyone in the family will be safe.' Even if Corazon does not believe that all of them are worth saving.
'I can't do it.'
The words are said stubbornly, and Corazon is at a loss. It sounds genuine, but then again, he is not sure if Doflamingo is merely putting on a show for their unwanted shadows. Speaking of which...Corazon's gaze drifts past his brother, and spots one of their enemies as they watch from the crowd that had gathered. It had to be this way, and there is no going back. The two of them had made this decision together, and that alone is surprising to both of them. Corazon wanted to protect everyone, including Law.
With a heavy feeling of guilt, Corazon gazes up at his brother, and again speaks, more than he has ever said for years in this minute or two he had left with the last of his real family, 'I've always resented you, you know. For what you did. If you can't follow through to protect eveyone, then you're a coward.' Corazon sees Doflamingo as he tenses up, as if he was physically struck by the words, and not the fact that Corazon had finally deigned it necessary to speak. Corazon sees Doflamingo's hand clench around the gun in his hand. Corazon regretfully continues, as he knows that it will send Doflamingo off the deep end, 'You're no brother of mine. You're just a coward who can't protect anyone.'
Corazon shook his head, banishing the long ago memory, "You know I didn't mean it. How could you think that? I was only trying to push you to finish the job, before our enemies decided to take us both down, and then there would be no one left to protect our family from them." Corazon changed topics abruptly, and went to the reason he had shown up, "I'm sorry, but I have to do this. Don't worry, it won't be forever." Corazon held on to Doflamingo's shoulder more tightly, "You've been doing better each time. I hope I'll see you again sooner this time."
Before Doflamingo could question his younger brother about his words, Doflamingo suddenly felt faint, and swayed in place. He felt Corazon hold him up as he whispered something to him, but Doflamingo couldn't hear it.
What the hell?
As soon as the dizzy feeling had left him, Doflamingo found himself alone, and confused. What was he doing, just standing there like a fool? The older man caught sight of Law, Crocodile, and Kidd's ghost, and wondered if Trafalgar was going to be around. Maybe he'd be able to get to the other man's attention this time. Doflamingo moved away to start to plot how he would go about things this time. What he didn't see as he walked away was the spirit of Corazon, who watched him from a distance.
Corazon watched the other man walk away, until he was out of sight. Corazon let out a soft, echoing sigh, before he faded from view. His words went unheard by Doflamingo, because he was out of earshot by the time the darker clothed man spoke.
"I'm sorry, brother, but I'll protect Law from you until you've changed for the better."
-x
Trafalgar paused on his way up the stairs to bed, as he had noted that Corazon looked depressed from where he was lounging, half on and off of the couch in living room, "What's wrong?" The other man had been cheerful earlier in the day, or at least, not as down as he appeared now.
Corazon looked up at the concerned look fixed on him, and offered a ghost of a smile, even if Trafalgar would find it hard to tell with the fixed smiled he had drawn onto his own features, "It's… nothing." It would do him no good to make the dark haired man worry about him. He'd already put Trafalgar through that, after he'd died. Corazon let his smile widen just a fraction, showing teeth, as if the other man might be able to make out the smile from where he was, "I'm just tired."
Trafalgar smiled in return at that, "Even though we're already dead?"
Corazon playfully tossed a pillow at the dark-haired man, "Go to bed. Kidd's waiting up for you, isn't he?" Seeing the slightly harassed look, Corazon peered over his shades at Trafalgar as he added, "And don't be too loud, okay? I do still enjoy sleeping."
Trafalgar made a face, clearly not liking the fact that Corazon was teasing him, and about sex, at that. It was rather bizarre, all things considered, "I'm not the one who screams." The dark haired man offered a faint smile, "Being dead and still keeping a schedule is weird." Trafalgar lost his smile as he studied Corazon silently, "Are you really all right?"
Corazon looked away, his hood and shades masking his expression. He did not want to draw Trafalgar into his problems. "Yes...I was just thinking...about my brother."
"Oh." Trafalgar didn't ask any more, as he still didn't want to broach the topic with Corazon. He would at some point, but the dark haired man still needed some time to sort things out for himself before he was ready to hear the whole story. Trafalgar turned and continued on his way up the stairs. He hesitated again briefly, before inquiring in a soft voice, "Is he…all right?"
"He will be, in time." Corazon watched Trafalgar finish going up the stairs, and into the bedroom. Once the door had closed, Corazon stretched out onto the couch that he was on, and stared up at the ceiling in silence as he slid his glasses off and deposited them on the nearby table. Corazon managed a faint laugh as he crossed his legs, barely preventing himself from falling off the couch as he did so, and mused aloud.
"Time, huh?"
It was a word that he disliked, for obvious reasons.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
A/N: Another FYI. One chapter and an epilogue left for this fanfic.
