From Torture to Torture, Chapter Twenty-One
I was trapped. I was completely trapped. There was no way I could get out of this situation. My body was against the couch, Law's arms preventing me from fleeing. His body was getting dangerously close to mine and his face was starting to get more and more defined. And I wasn't sure what I wanted in that moment. A part of me yearned to flee as far as I could, but another one was frozen in place, completely immobilized. I was confused as to what I desired, and Law didn't help me by putting me in this situation.
My brain stopped working when our lips almost brushed against each other. His grey eyes stared down at me, watching my every movement. By now, I was pretty sure my blood pumped only in my end, making my body as white as a sheet. I closed my eyes like a coward. I didn't want him guessing my thoughts. For him to know how lost I was. Terrified, even.
I waited a few seconds. My heart beating fast, my mouth dry. But nothing happened. On the contrary, his warmth surrounding me was disappearing slowly, until I only felt cold. Confused, I opened my eyes and saw Law got up and stared down at me, a mocking smirk on his lips. "It's so easy to tease you."
At first, I looked at him, my eyes wide opened, my mouth in the same state. Then, I saw red. He did all that, just to laugh at me?! And I, like an idiot, believe it and thought maybe I had a chance! I got up all of a sudden and surprised him. He didn't have any time to react when I hit him in the ribs. He winced, hurt. "What the hell are you doing?" Angry, I tried to hit him again. This time, he anticipated it and stopped me by blocking my wrist with his fingers. I wasn't done yet and tried with my other fist. It suffered the same fate as the first one. "Calm down!" He said, his voice growing louder. I vividly shook my head to at the same time answer him and try to get free. "No! You're an idiot! A big moron who only deserve a smack! You never think about what I could be feeling?!"
I felt tears threatening to flow. It made me even more furious. I didn't want to shed a single tear for someone like him! But above all, I didn't want him to see me break down like this. "And I'm an idiot.." I whispered. I stopped trying to get free and just let my body go soft. My head fell on my chest and I tried as much as I could to stop the tears from falling. My shaky breathing resonated in the room. Law slowly let go of my wrists and my arms heavily fell down my sides.
"You're wrong. I often think about what you're feeling…" His voice was only a whisper, I wasn't even sure I heard him right. I didn't have time to verify it since the phone started to ring. Without a single word, he turned around and took the object to answer. I quickly dried my tears and took a minute to just breath. I did get a bit too angry and snapped. Because of the emotion, I suppose. And he must have a pretty good idea what my feelings were for him now…
I ran a trembling hand through my hair and sighed, sad. My eyes fell back on Law, still on the phone. And I remembered that I heard my own not too long ago.
I went, my mood not improving, towards the kitchen table and took the device in my hands. I opened it and looked through my text messages. The new one was at the top. Upon reading it, my body froze. "Law…" I said, my voice wavering. He turned my way, the house phone still on his ear. When he saw my panicked expression, he said something to the person on the other side of the line and hung up. He got closer and I gave him my cellphone, suddenly loosing my voice. I saw his eyes follow the message on the screen. The more he read, the more his eyes got dark.
"How did he get my number…" I managed to say. He put the device back on the table. "When you went to his mansion, he took your phone to call me." It would explain why Law came that day. He must have told him something to convince him to do so. "What am I supposed to answer?" Law thought for a few seconds, then slowly, a smile drew itself on his lips. "What do you think? You accept, of course."
My eyes doubled in size. "What? You're crazy! After what you just told me, I can't possibly-" I was cut off by my phone vibrating. This time, it was a call. Without thinking, Law pressed the answer button and put the device on his ear. "Hello?"
I wanted to scream. What the hell is he doing, that imbecile! It's MY phone! Panicked, I took it from his hands. It was at that moment that he realized what he'd just done and whispered "oops". I gave him a nasty stare.
"Hello?" "Uh, Cerys?" It was Nami. "Is it just me, or did I hear a man's voice just now?" "Ha, it was my brother-in-law! Hahaha!" I nervously laughed and prayed she would just swallow my lie. I didn't know if she did, but she didn't insist. "You coming? Everyone's here except you!"
It took me a few seconds to comprehend what she was saying to me. We agreed to go to Nami's place before going out in town to go trick or treating (Luffy's request). Once again, I panicked, but for another reason. "I completely forgot! Wait up, I'll be there in a sec!"
On that note, I hung up and hurried to take my bag, under the eyes of an intrigued Law.
xXxXxXxXxXx
"Luffy, wait for us!" No way were we gonna be able to calm down the brunet who was running around, houses to houses, like a mad man. Usopp tried his best to follow him, to no avail. Zoro and Sanji were fighting up ahead. Like always, actually. Which left us, Nami and myself, behind them, following from a distance. Since I arrived at her house, the red hair never stopped glaring at me, searching for something. She tried her best to uncover my secret. Too uncomfortable to answer her silent questions, I carefully evaded her gaze by photographing our surroundings. At least, like that, I could escape her persistent eyes.
During a couple of minutes, I was able to avoid talking to my friend. Well, until she initiated a conversation herself. And I couldn't ignore her, right? "The voice that answer me on the phone…" I swallowed with difficulty. Please, don't notice… "It was mister Law's voice, wasn't it? I recognize his voice." There it is. Our secret was out. I already can hear the rumours circulating at school this Monday… They'll think I was taking advantage of him? After all, I'm sure come of them will think I sleep with him to have better grades! I was pretty bad, in his field of study..
"Cerys?" Asked Nami in front of me. I snapped out of it and noticed I stopped walking. I quickly ran back to her and laughed nervously. My hands were trembling. "So?"
"It's not what you think!"
My cry brought attention from people around us. Kids and parents looked at me funny. I did my best to lower my head and hope my neck would hide it. I wanted to be an ostrich so bad right at this moment. You know, putting my head in the sand? Yeah…
"So explain it to me and I'll understand." I sighed. I had no way out of this, did I? So let's get over with and then I'll dig a hole for myself… I proceeded to explain everything to her. She listened to each word without interrupting, just nodding at the appropriate times. Then, I was done and waiting for her reaction. It seemed like an eternity before she spoke again.
"If I understand.. You're his childhood friend since you were 5 years old-" "Friend is a strong word here-" "And you've lived with him since August, because your parents are out of the country for their work?" I nodded and was surprised to see she seemed to take it pretty well.
"You're not shocked by it? Not even a little surprised?" I asked, baffled. She shook her head. "Of course I'm surprised. But this does explain why you were terrified every time I suggested we go to your place." I nodded again and stayed silent. Nami did the same and we observed our friends not too far away. Their cacophony reached us.
"So…" Said my friend, a playful smirk on her lips. "it's him, the guy – or more like the man – you were talking about?" I felt my cheeks burn and I timidly answered positively. She intensely looked my way, her smirk still present. I felt more and more embarrassed. "What?" She laughed. "I want to know everything!" I looked down. "There's nothing much to say, really…" I murmured. "So I can ask you questions then?" She said, impatient. I shrugged. She took my gesture as a yes.
"You've loved him for a long time?" I shook my head. "Are you two going out?" Once again, I answered negatively. She seemed confused. "But he kissed you, right?" We actually kissed two times, but… "It's more complicated than that… And he's an adult. Maybe for him, it didn't mean much…" Or it was to tease me… I felt tears coming back. I pushed them down angrily. No way was I feeling sad about that! "Why are you saying that?" She asked, truly surprised. "Alright, he doesn't have the same mentally as us. But the love we have for someone doesn't get influenced by age." She offered me a warm smile. "I still believe what I said last time. You should ask him how he feel."
xXxXxXxXxXx
"I don't understand why you told me to accept this…" I cursed him. He shut down the engine of the car and rolled his eyes. "I already explained it. It's so you can distract him, and at the same time if I get caught, you'll be a perfect excuse."
I sighed. Last night, Doflamingo send me a text message inviting me to his house the next day (Saturday) to "continue our talk to know each other". Of course, I wanted to refuse. He really gave me the creeps since Law told me his common past with the man. But the so-called black-haired man found that it was a good idea to accept his invitation to put his plan he'd prepared for a couple of months now into action.
For a long time, he wanted to find proof of Doflamingo's guilt in various crimes. Any proof. However, before, he was under surveillance 24/7. He wouldn't have been able to find anything without getting caught. But now, he thought he could find something without the blond knowing. He studied the mansion's map (no idea how he found it) and now knew by heart each room in the grand building. He believed he knew where to find the business man's private chambers, the most likely place where proof would be.
And that's where I came into play. I would "distract" the man (I still was skeptical as to how I could do that exactly) while he got inside unnoticed. And if he got caught, he just had to say he was accompanying me and got lost. Even though I didn't thought Doflamingo would buy such a lie. When I told him that, Law smiled at me while saying that he won't get caught anyway. For a second, an image of Law dressed in all black and hugging the wall like a ninja came to my mind. It took all my self-control not to burst out laughing.
Anyway, we were currently on the street on the right of the mansion, a few meters away from its alley. Law turned off all the lights of the vehicle, which plunged us into darkness. After all, it was past 7pm. It was time to get out of the car so each of us could go into the mansion. Him illegally, myself as a guest. I was as nervous as my first day of school. I was a terrible liar, and Law knew it too well. Why was I his accomplice? I would totally blow up his cover!
"Cerys, calm down…" He said, as if he heard what went through my head. I took a deep breath. One time. Two times. It didn't help at all.
"What if I just screw everything up! I'm not a good actress and you know it! If you get caught, who knows what they'll do to you! And if he knows I have something to do with all of this…" I turned to him, completely serious. "Will you let me do my will?" He shook his head while laughing. "Everything's gonna be fine, don't worry."
Mmyeah…
"And if something really does happen, tell yourself you'll be rid of me." He said. I didn't know if he was serious or not. "But that's not what I want!" I couldn't help but say. He raised an eyebrow.
"Listen Law, I know I don't always treat you kindly, but I…" Come one Cerys, you can do it! "I..!" Just a little further! "I… Oh and screw it! If we both make it out alive, I'll tell you! So don't get yourself killed or I'll do it myself!" I said, red as a tomato.
He looked at me with an amused expression and nodded. So I wouldn't ridicule myself even more, I opened the car's door so I could get out. Law spoke up before I did. "Cerys?"
I turned his way and he crushed his lips against mine. It only lasted a second, but I was certain my body would remember it for the rest of my life. "Me too, when we get back home, I'll confess something.." He whispered against my lips.
Too stunned to even formulated a coherent sentence, I could only nod my head before getting out and going toward the little gravel path like a zombie. A couple of seconds passed, then my brain finally registered what happened. I put the tip of my fingers to my lips and smiled like an idiot. He just kissed me! It was the third time…
Suddenly, I slapped my cheeks with the palm of my hands. No time to daydream! I had a mission to accomplish. And I needed to find courage, in order to confess my feelings once we were back home!
xXxXxXxXxXx
Law smiled. Maybe he acted on impulse, but he didn't give a damn. He would finally get some closure on his life. He could put all this behind him and live his life like he wanted to. No one to fear, no one who could control him. His life will be his, and no one else. And he would take this opportunity to tell the woman he loved his true feelings. He couldn't care less what society would say about it. He simply wanted to put himself first for once. Be happy. And he could protect her as well. That's all he was asking for.
With a light heart, he got out of the car. But it was with the mind of a predator that he entered the forest surrounding the building.
Law had many qualities. He was as charismatic as he was dangerous. He was a born tracker since his uncle took him hinting for the first time when he was 12. He knew how to track a prey as well as hiding from it. And Doflamingo was his prey.
He walked in the forest like an expert and finally arrived at its edge, which marked the end of his safe zone. Now he would be exposed and had to be extra vigilant. He waited for the right time before getting out of his hiding place.
xXxXxXxXxXx
Like last time, I knocked on the door and the same butler came to answer. He told me to wait at the entrance and not long after, Doflamingo appeared in the big hall. "Ha! Cerys! I'm glad you came to visit me in my humble home! Don't stay stuck there, come!"
He invited me to follow him and I hesitated for a moment at the door. But I remembered my mission and mustered all the courage I could find. Determined, I followed him. He brought me to a lounge area and invited me to sit down. He offered me a cup of tea. I accepted so he wouldn't insist, but put it down on the nightstand. He sat in front of me and carefully sipped his own drink.
"So, Cerys, how is Law?" I jumped. Why did we have to talk about that specific topic? "H-he's well sir…" Holy crap I was a bad liar.. "Are you sure? I heard he had a few problems, lately." I raised an eyebrow. Why was he telling me that? He stared down at me with his piercing eyes. I started to sweat bullets. "I've heard he did something bad. Something that could put him in prison. Like… breaking into a house, for example!"
My nerves on edge, I barely grabbed the cup of tea with trembling hands and brought it to my lips. Maybe it would calm me down… "And I heard some strange rumours about you too, my dear Cerys!"
My head started to spin. I looked at the pink liquid in my cup and saw the water swirl around. I shook my head to try to return my normal vision. "It seems you help him in his shenanigans! What a naughty girl…"
I had more and more difficulty keeping my eyes open. I felt myself letting go, and I couldn't do anything to prevent it. Losing my strength to support the cup in my hands, it shattered into a million pieces on the floor, its content spilling on the carpet.
"A naughty girl who needs to be punished…"
Those were the last words I heard before succumbing to the darkness.
xXxXxXxXxXx
Law furiously slammed the drawer shut and searched the next one. He easily found Doflamingo's personal room. Too easily, to be honest. He didn't find any resistance, only a few guards patrolling the mansion, which he effortlessly avoided. Even getting here had been a piece of cake. Like he thought, he found the security breach in the big wall surrounding the mansion and he got inside without breaking a sweat. Something was wrong. Doflamingo wasn't usually that neglecting. So there were two options: he had a lot of luck, or… he knew Law would come. And he was waiting for him.
His thoughts went out the window when he found a promising document. Quickly going through it, he discovered a detailed report on his old colleague, Foxy. Too happy to have found something, he didn't notice the shadow sneak behind him. A metal bar cut the air and violently smashed his cheek. Law immediately lost consciousness.