Your first mission as a Donquixote member is about to start! But there are some preparations to do first.
"…and this perfect candidate is just next to you, Doffy"
You stare at the screen in disbelief when hearing Monet, feeling the Executive's eyes fixed on you.
"Umh…are you talking about me?"
Monet chuckles when hearing your dumbfounded question and nods.
"Yes. As I've said, you will be perfectly able to understand how the virus works, and since your role will be pretty similar to the one you do in the company I'm sure that you won't have much problem to do it"
Diamante breaks the brief silence that falls next with a hum.
"Well, it's true that (y/n) managed to create the mirrored database in just a day, clearly showing that she can work under pressure"
"And she faced Smoker when he came to visit, not letting him to coax any piece of information of the company out of her", Pica adds, nodding with conviction.
"Behehehe! And since she has just joined us, Croco-boy won't recognize her for sure, neee!"
While the Executives begin to talk, you find yourself getting nervous but also excited for the possibility of going to a real mission. It's true that the you of two months ago would have probably rejected the proposition, wanting to avoid any kind of risky situations, but after listening to Baby 5 and Buffalo's stories about the missions they had done, you couldn't help to feel curious about them. And right now, the more Monet spoke the more you wanted to do it. Besides, you were now a Donquixote member. It was time already to do something for the Company.
However, just when you are about to say Monet that you were totally up for it, the woman speaks again.
"Doffy, you're too quiet. What do you think about this?"
It's at that moment when you realize that Doflamingo hasn't said anything since Monet's proposal, and in fact the man hasn't even moved from his position on the desk.
There is another silence, longer than the previous one, and then Doflamingo speaks.
"What I think is that your proposal has sense, Monet. However, I don't accept it"
You feel your enthusiasm sinking when hearing Doflamingo's cutting tone, but you recover fast enough to intervene.
"W-Wait, why don't you accept it?"
Your question causes Doflamingo to finally face you, and you suppress a gulp when seeing that there isn't any sign of mocking in his features.
"Because even if you undeniably have potential to eventually be able to do this kind of missions, there is no way that you are ready enough for tomorrow"
You can feel yourself getting impatience for Doflamingo's negative, but if you want to have any opportunity to win this argument you definitely couldn't lose your temple, so you make sure to adopt a reasonable tone before talking again.
"Look, maybe you're right when saying that I don't have much experience in this kind of job", you see Doflamingo's expression and you correct yourself, "okay, fine, I don't have the least experience, but according to Monet the only thing I have to do when I got the job-"
"If you get the job"
You bite your tongue not to jump already when hearing Doflamingo's skeptic tone.
"…If I get the job is to sneak in Crocodile's office and plug the USB on his computer. It's not that complicated!"
"Yes, I agree, it's indeed a rather easy mission if you know what you're doing, and if you know how to improvise when something goes wrong"
You frown.
"And you think that I'm not able to do that?"
"With zero experience in this kind of situations? Sorry, dear, but I know you don't know where you're getting yourself into"
When hearing that, your intention of keeping calm is thrown through the window.
"You know, you have said the same than Smoker when he warned about you and this company"
You realize that it hasn't been a too good idea to compare Doflamingo with the inspector when this one grits his teeth and gets up from his chair slowly, straightening up until reaching his full impressive height to force you to raise your head to keep look at him. You can almost feel the dangerous aura that surrounds Doflamingo right now, but you manage to keep your cool and not to avert your eyes from his face.
"You can drop your menacing stance. I know that you are not going to hurt me", you say crossing your arms and raising your chin to look up at Doflamingo defiantly.
"No, of course I won't. But…", Doflamingo's tone becomes warning, "…if you insist in going against my orders, I will lock you in the manor and will leave indications not to let you leave until this matter is solved, so that I can be sure that you aren't going to do anything stupid. And believe it, young lady, I will do it"
When Doflamingo mentions the manor you remember that you haven't told him yet that you wanted to move with him, but definitely this was not the best moment to bring up the subject.
"Doffy, I don't plan to do anything stupid", you try, again, to speak with calm, "I know where I'm getting myself into, and for that reason I promise that I will study the plan that you establish perfectly, and I will follow all your indications you give me and-"
"(y/n), I don't like to have to repeat myself so I will say it just once more time", Doflamingo manages to grow some extra centimeters forcing you to raise even more your head and speaks again, accentuating each word, "you are not doing this mission"
"Okay, and who are you going to send then?", you insist stubbornly, decided not to give up, "Diamante has just said that Viola and Monet can't go, and that you don't have more available members at the moment"
"We can send Baby 5. Crocodile isn't so used to see her as much as the rest of the Family, so with a little of disguise he won't recognize her"
"What the…Baby 5 is exactly my age! Why she can do the mission and I can't?!"
"I don't know, (y/n), maybe because she has been working in the company for almost ten years and she's used to this kind of incidents?"
"Oh, so does that mean that I'm going to have to wait ten years until you allow me to do a worthy job? And that in the meantime I'm just going to be checking your damn database over and over again?!"
"If that what it takes so that you are prepared yes, that's exactly what you'll do"
While Doflamingo and you keep arguing with more and more sarcastic responses Diamante and Pica begin to look at the ground clearly wanting to be out there, Monet just checks her nails absently and Trebol stares at you two alternatively in his usual good mood, as if he was just enjoying a tennis match, his snot hanging to one side to the other with every movement of his head.
Fortunately, not even another has minute passed when the door of the office opens and Viola enters with a satisfied smile that soon disappears when seeing Doflamingo and you throwing daggers at each other.
"Umh…have I just interrupted a lovers' quarrel?"
"Yes"
Doflamingo and you stop talking at the same time and turn surprised to look at Pica, Diamante and Trebol when they answer Viola without letting you say anything.
"More like a lovers' quarrel it's just that I proposed (y/n) for her first mission and guess what Doffy has said"
This time, you two turn to look towards the screen when Monet says that so casually.
"Oh, here we go again", Viola sighs with patience and approaches you two, "don't worry, (y/n): we all have suffered Doffy acting like an overprotective father in our first mission. I but that he has threatened you to lock you up in the manor, right?"
Your eyes open wide before staring at Doflamingo, who suddenly looks just a little uncomfortable.
"I see that my guess is correct", Viola says before turning at Doflamingo, "what is it? Do you think she is not prepared?"
Doflamingo snorts.
"Do you think she is? She has just been with us two months-"
"Two months and half"
Doflamingo half-closes his eyes at you for your unnecessary annotation, but you just make sure to hold his gaze until the man turns to look at Viola again and continues talking as if you hadn't intervened at all.
"As I was saying, after just two months of being here there is no way that she is ready yet"
You are about to speak again but Viola raises her hand delicately towards you, indicating you to remain silent for now.
"Okay, Doffy, I understand that you are worried about her, but what if I tell you that I've managed to delay the Smoker's reunion with Crocodile?"
You feel your heart skip a beat when Viola's comment causes Doflamingo to look at her with interest.
"What do you mean?", Doflamingo asks, and Viola proceeds to explain herself.
Apparently, the moment the woman had learnt about the reunion she had used all her resources to provide fake new leads regarding a rather big case on which Smoker had been working during the last months. The new provided information had caused Smoker to change his priorities and consequently the man had decided that Crocodile's reunion could wait until he finished investigating the matter.
"…and with all this 'new information', I estimate that Smoker will be unable to meet Crocodile until a week passes at least, which means that (y/n) has that time to train for the mission. If she works hard, that time is enough so that she learns all the basic about self-defense and about Monet's virus, and therefore…", Viola settles an arm on Doflamingo's shoulder, "you have no reason to say no"
"And if I have an extra week, I will be able to create a virus way more robust and potent that will reduce the possibilities of something going wrong", Monet adds with a convinced tone.
A new silence falls in the room, and during that time you can't help to hold your breath with expectation. Then, after some extremely long seconds, Doflamingo finally looks at you. He stares you for a moment, exhales a deep sigh, and finally speaks.
"If in five days I see that you aren't prepared, I won't let you go"
You are about to shout a loud 'YES!' but obviously you refrain yourself from doing so, because even if Doflamingo had eventually agreed to Viola's argument it was evident that he wasn't pleased in the least with the current turn of events, so you decided to nod effusively as an answer not wanting to push your luck by showing how happy you were.
At the end it's decided that the next day you will begin your self-defense training, so Doflamingo asks everyone (you included) to abandon the office to speak with the members of the Donquixote Family that were going to be in charge of the training.
You come back to work but you are almost unable to concentrate during the remaining hours, since your thoughts can't stop wandering about your first mission and after the training that you were going to do during the next five days.
When it's time to go home, you stop in front of Doflamingo's office, hesitating. Since you had got together it had become an habit to always go visit him to say goodbye. The times when Doflamingo had also finished he accompanied you home in his limousine, and the times when he was still busy he remained in the company while telling Lao G to bring you home. However, after your fight in the office, you didn't know if it was a good idea to speak to him. Maybe it was better if you just went on your own and-
-and at that moment the door of the office opens and Doflamingo appears in front of you, as serious as before.
"Have you suddenly forgotten how to knock?", the man says with a hint of sarcasm, leaning his forearm over the door frame.
You suppress the urge of answering in the same way and adopt a neutral tone.
"I was going to go home. Have you finished?"
Doflamingo looks at you in silence for a moment before nodding.
"Give me five minutes"
He doesn't close the door but he doesn't invite you inside either, so you eventually decide to enter his office though remaining just at the door. During the next five minutes Doflamingo revises his papers in silence, as if you weren't there, so you simply lean against the wall while observing the diplomas and photos that covered the office's walls to kill time.
When Doflamingo finishes he doesn't say anything either. He stands up, puts his coat on and opens the door of the office, allowing you to leave first as always. Doflamingo and you say goodbye to all the Family members you pass by until reaching the elevator. You had never hated so much that the damn company had more than fifty floors until then, because the tension that was surrendering you two while riding down the elevator was rather nerve-wrecking.
The awkwardness was far from being gone, and when you both step inside the limousine and Doflamingo tells Lao G the direction of your apartment that tension kept floating between you two, even thicker than before.
During the entire trip Doflamingo and you just remain sitting in the back of the limousine in silence. You cast some side-glances at Doflamingo but the man seemed lost in his thoughts, his elbow leaning over the car window and his other hand tapping rhythmically over the leather seats, so you decide that maybe it was clever to abandon all chances to initiate a conversation.
After five horribly long more minutes, the limousine finally stops in front of your apartment, and when you hear Lao G say his characteristic 'We have arrived, Miss (y/n)' you feel yourself tensing even more if possible.
You thank the old man while smiling nervously before gulping. Damn, before in Doflamingo's office you hadn't had the least problem in confronting him, but now you have no clue about how to proceed after the fight.
However, you were pretty sure that leaving the car without saying anything to Doflamingo wasn't the best choice, but kissing him as if nothing had happened could be too risky, so after considering your options you decide to go for something in the middle and place your hand over the one Doflamingo has leant over the seats.
"See you tomorrow, Doffy", you simply say, pressing softly Doflamingo's hand before turning towards the door of the car.
You are about to abandon the vehicle but that just ends in an attempt when Doflamingo grabs your arm, drags you towards his lap in a rather brusque movement, and captures your lips in a violent kiss that removes all the air of your lungs. The kiss catches you so out of guard that you aren't even able to return it before Doflamingo lets your mouth go.
"Definitely, you are the most stubborn woman that I've ever met"
Doflamingo still sounded irritated, but you could also detect a hint of admiration in his voice that makes you feel rather proud. Well, you would have guessed that your first fight was going to be resolved in that way, but like hell if you were going to complain.
"Really? More stubborn than Viola, Monet, Baby 5 or Sugar?"
Doflamingo hums to himself, as if thinking.
"Well, maybe not more than them, but considering that you have just barely entered the Family is quite impressive that you have reached their level of insubordination"
You smile and enclose your arms around his neck, this time not bothering to hide the fact that you have liked the comment.
"What, would you prefer a more submissive girlfriend that obeyed you without protesting?"
Doflamingo chuckles briefly, his hands moving up and down your sides causing you light goosebumps.
"No. I've always thought that temperamental women are sexier and infinitely more interesting. However…", Doflamingo grabs suddenly your chin, the gesture firmer than usual, "…that doesn't mean that I approve your involvement in this mission. And I was serious when saying that if I don't see a clear improvement in four days, you won't participate"
You are about to nod when you notice a little inconsistency in his words.
"Hey, before in the company you said five days!"
"Yes, but that was before you had the nerve of ignoring me during the whole trip"
Your mouth opens wide.
"What?! You have been ignoring me too, so that's just an excuse to give me less time!"
"Oh, (y/n), you hurt me with your accusations", Doflamingo's smirk turn devilish, "but since you have insisted so much that you are prepared, that means that one single day won't make much of a difference, don't you think? Or maybe are you afraid because you are weaker than you've made us believe?"
You half-close your eyes at Doflamingo when hearing his more than obvious provocation. Since the last events involving you two had taken place under the sheets (and under the shower and over a desk that same afternoon, to be more specific) you had momentarily forgotten that even if Doflamingo was a really attentive boyfriend and a fantastic lover, he could be one hell of a bastard too.
However, you couldn't deny that that facet was one of the things that made him so interesting, so even if right now you really wanted to strangle him you decided to play his game. After all you had begun all this by going against Doflamingo's orders, so it was evident that even if he had eventually agreed, there was going to be a price to pay.
"Very well. Four days. And in that time…", you get yourself free from Doflamingo's grip with a shake of your head and approach your lips to his ear, "…I will show you what a strong woman you have as a girlfriend"
You finish your sentence grabbing Doflamingo's face and kissing him the hardest you could. Doflamingo grunts against your mouth before his arms entangle around you, one circling your waist and the other traveling up your back to grab your nape with a firm grip that stops you from controlling the heated kiss as much as you wanted.
You kiss passionately for a complete minute without stopping until you are forced to push him back to almost gasp for air, and you are a satisfied when seeing that, at least this time, Doflamingo looked just a little breathless.
"Now for real, see you tomorrow, Doffy"
Doflamingo laughs in his characteristic way while you climb down his lap and finally open the door of the limousine. Lao G says 'G-oodbye' to you (causing you to blush intensely because you had completely forgotten that the old man was still there) and when you are in the street Doflamingo lowers the window of your side to say one last thing to you.
"Rest well, young lady. Since you are so eager to begin to prove your value, the Family will be expecting you at 5 a.m. and not a minute later"
You don't know how but you manage to keep your face imperturbable when hearing that absolutely insane hour.
"Let's meet at 4.30 then. I have much to learn after all", you say instead with a daring smile, and even if you know that you are going to regret it tomorrow you are happy when seeing a surprised expression appear briefly in Doflamingo's factions before the man bursts out laughing.
"Stubborn woman", is the last thing Doflamingo says while licking his lips in that sexy way of his before Lao G starts the car and the vehicle disappears down the streets.
Once you are alone and are sure that Doflamingo can't see you anymore, you exhale a deep sigh and rub your temples with both hands.
"Well, (y/n)… another fine mess you've gotten yourself into"
When your alarm clock sounds the next morning at 3.45 a.m., you are about to kick yourself for being such an idiot and having suggested to go to the company even earlier than you should. However, you suppress your self-harming instincts and stand up. You are so sleepy that you have to wash your face with cold water several times until you feel finally awake.
Since you weren't a fan of doing sport, last afternoon you had to rapidly go to buy some sport clothes and a pair of trainers, so you dress yourself with those before slowly going down the stairs towards the kitchen not to wake Rebecca up, who was still sleeping.
Your breakfast this morning is more consistent than the ones you use to have because you deduce that the day was going to be tough. After that, you finally leave the apartment and discover that Doflamingo's limousine is parked just there.
At that moment Lao G steps out the vehicle and opens the door of the back seats.
"G-ood morning-G, Miss (y/n). Please, G-et inside. We have much to do today"
After recovering from the surprise, since you weren't expecting to be picked up, you nod with a smile and enter the car.
"Miss (y/n), do you know anythin-G about these days' trainin-G?", the old man inquires while starting the car.
"No. Yesterday I was just told that I was going to learn some self-defense basics"
Lao G hums to himself before opening the glove compartment. He extracts a paper from it that then he hands you over his shoulder.
"In that case it will be G-ood that you read this. This is the schedule that the Youn-G Master has prepared for you"
You take the paper, read it, and get incredible pale while gulping, feeling yourself beginning to sweat.
"S-So this is the schedule for the four days"
You are surprised when hearing Lao G chuckle with amusement.
"No, Miss (y/n). This is the schedule for today"
You wait for Lao G to say that it's a joke.
The old man doesn't do anything like that.
And at that moment, you realize that you are more screwed up than you thought.
Saying that the day was 'tiring' would be an understatement. Actually, what it came to your mind when trying to describe the day that you had faced was more along the lines of 'Fucking Blazing Hell', and right now, while lying on your bed with all the muscles of your body (and all the muscles that you didn't even know you had) crying in pain with every little movement you did, you were seriously wondering if insisting so much in participate in the mission had been such a good idea.
You sigh with effort (because yeah, even sighing did hurt) and try to reach a more comfortable position, just to discover that it had been a really bad idea to move, and that it was better to remain in that position for a little while, like forever.
Damn, when you heard the Family speak about self-defense you had naively thought, as any other normal person would have thought, that you would be learning some tactics that helped to react when someone attacked you.
Well…you couldn't have been more wrong, because when you entered the impressive private gym that was inside the company and Lao G began to perform his techniques, you did learn then that what the Donquixote Family understood by 'self-defense' could be defined as: 'attack the contrary the fastest and hardest you can before he/she can even think about attacking you'.
Consequently, what you thought it was going to be a rather intense class ended being an almost inhuman training, at least for a person like you whose main exercise during the last years had exclusively consisted of going on foot to not-very-far-away places, so after observing with a dumbfounded expression the movements that Lao G asked you to imitate, you honestly felt like abandoning the gym at that same moment.
However, you pushed aside your first impulse of running away while crying inconsolably after discovering that a 70 old man was more agile than you and decided to give your best. Also, the fear of not being able to improve fast enough made you ignore the absolutely ridiculous names of the attacks that Lao G was teaching you, to the point that you ended shouting into the air 'Poor Circulation Impact!' and 'Chrysanthemum Chestnut Strained Back!' at the top of your lungs without laughing any single time. After all, you didn't have any breath to waste.
You spent the morning training with Lao G almost non-stop. After that, you made a pause to have lunch (it was the first time that you practically devoured a healthy lunch voluntarily and without protesting) and then the second part of the training continued under Gladius' supervision.
You innocently thought that this training would be better, since you didn't have to move that much, but when Gladius handled an apparently light pistol to you and you almost let it fall to the floor because it was heavier than you expected, you discovered that, again, you had been mistaken. In fact, at first the weapon training was even worse than the one you spent with Lao G, because you were already feeling extremely tired and the recoil of the weapon every time you shot just helped to put more pressure in your upper body.
Fortunately, after you practically emptied a dozen of loaders without being able to hit a single target, Gladius took pity of you and decided that in the little time you had, you would better learn to use simpler (although more dangerous) weapons such as grenades and bombs. At least, in this first case you had just to work on improving your aiming without fearing that your shoulder broke every time you pulled the trigger, and the second case it was more like a theoretical class to learn how to create a bomb with apparent inoffensive objects.
After this second class you thought that the day was over, but when seeing the schedule you realized that you still had to spend a couple of more hours with Monet, since the woman was already working on the computer virus and you had to perfectly know how it worked.
Finally, after your reunion with Monet you went home, and the moment you stepped inside the apartment all the tiredness and the muscular pain that you had managed to push aside to keep going with the training hit you at full force. The only thing that prevented you from collapsing was that Rebecca was just there and caught you before leaving your forehead printed into the floor. She helped you reach your bedroom and you had been there since she left you there, twenty minutes or so ago.
Well, the only thing good about the infernal day has been that Doflamingo had been out in a reunion all day and he hadn't seen the sate you were in right now, although you were pretty sure that the Family would inform him about your first day. Shit, you just hoped that Lao G didn't tell him about your almost non-existent agility, and that Gladius didn't comment that you had been about to detonate all the glazed windows of the floor when letting escape a grenade that, miraculously, Gladius had managed to recover and redirect just in time while you shouted hysterical apologies.
You sigh again with your eyes closed, feeling that you were going to fall asleep with your clothes still on, but at that moment you hear the door of the entrance and you open your eyes again. You can Rebecca talking to someone but you were unable to identify the voices because they were talking to low.
You are about to ask Rebecca from your bedroom who had just come but you don't need to so because at that moment the door of your room opens allowing you to see Rebecca and two people that you definitely weren't expecting.
"C-Corazon? Law?", you exclaim with your eyes open wide when seeing the two men behind Rebecca, "what are you doing here?", you understand suddenly and turn to look at Rebecca with your eyes half-closed, "you have called them, right?"
"Look, (y/n), I know how little you like to go to the doctor but you can barely stand!", Rebecca exclaims, crossing her arms with a concerned expression that causes your frown to disappear.
"Actually she has just called Law but I was with him and wanted to see how you were", Corazon says with a light apologetic tone that causes you to smile immediately, wondering for thousandth time how a man of his size could be so damn cute.
"Do you allow us then to enter, (y/n)-ya?", Law says with his usual polite tone, "I wouldn't like to be denounced for examining a patient without her permission"
You begin to laugh when hearing the doctor's comment and nod from the bed. Corazon enters after Law and he has barely passed the door when suddenly the man falls into the floor with a shriek, causing the things that were over your nightstand and over your desk to tremble.
"Oh my god, are you okay?!", you exclaim. Your body moves for instinct to try to help the fallen man and that causes you to whine because of the sudden movement.
"For goodness sake, Cora-san, watch out!", Law exclaims while helping the 1,93 meters man to stand up with Rebecca's help, "I'm here to examine (y/n)-ya, not you!"
"Sorry, I-I don't know with what I've tripped", the man says when he is on his feet again.
"I think it's been my fault", you say with an apologetic tone, "my slippers are always in the middle, sorry"
"Don't apologize, (y/n)-ya, it's also his fault: he never looks where he steps", Law says while approaching your bed, "my poor cat always runs away when she sees Cora-san because he has been about to squash her a hundredth of times at least"
You have to suppress the urge to laugh again when seeing the pouting face that Corazon makes when hearing Law's reproach.
"Alright then", Law sits in the border of the bed and fixes his grey eyes on you, turning his professional mode on, "where does it hurt?"
You huff.
"Where doesn't it hurt", you correct with a tiny voice, "even my eyelashes feel stiff"
Law offers you an understanding look before moving his hand towards you, causing you to involuntarily flinch even before he is able to do anything.
"Relax", he says with a reassuring smile, "just want to see how bad it is"
You bite your bottom lip not to let out a pained whine while Law grabs one of your arms and begins to softly press the muscle, doing the same after that with your other arm. He orders you to incorporate and you manage to adopt a sitting position labouredly between whines. Law proceeds to touch your shoulders and your back, pressing in certain areas and asking if it hurts. You answer negatively every time. It didn't hurt when he touched or pressed: it just hurt when you tried to move.
"Okay, you're just in pain because you aren't used to do much exercise, but you should feel better tomorrow if you rest"
"Just 'better'?", you say weakly, causing Law to let out a small chuckle.
"Well, it's probably that tomorrow you can feel some stiffness. If you want though, I can prescribe you some cold gel that will help your muscles to relax, and also it will relieve the pain"
You are about to nod effusively but you remember just in time not to do so, so you content yourself with offering Law a grateful look and thanking him with such enthusiasm that the man ends blushing lightly.
"Okay, I'll go to the pharmacy to buy this right now", Rebecca says after Law gives her a piece of paper with the name of the gel.
"Thanks, Becca", you say, causing the girl to wink at you with a smile before turning towards Corazon and Law.
"By the way, do you want to stay for dinner?", Rebecca realizes that Corazon and Law are going to begin to make excuses not to stay and speaks again, "okay, it's not a question: you are going to stay for dinner, as a thank you for having come in such a rush to help (y/n), so I need one of you to accompany me to carry the bags since I have to make a stop on the supermarket"
Before Corazon and Law can say anything Rebecca begins to point at the two men alternatively with fast movements while muttering to herself 'Eeny, meeny, miny, moe…', until she finally stops in Law.
"Okay, doctor, you've been chosen! Come on: we have not much time until the supermarket closes"
Without waiting for an answer, Rebecca grabs one of Law's wrists and drags the surprised doctor out of the room without apparent effort, leaving Corazon and you behind with your mouth opened in disbelief.
"Wow", Corazon exclaims honestly impressed, "that girl has born to command"
You laugh when hearing Corazon's comment before nodding.
"Yes, she has a talent to order around and still be absolutely charming"
Corazon chuckles before taking the seat that Law was previously occupying in your bed, and you can't help to find super funny that if this situation had taken place two months ago, you would have been about to suffer a heart attack for being alone with Corazon in your bedroom.
"So you are training for your first mission", Corazon offers you a playful smile, "have you practiced then all Lao G's epic attacks? I think the 'Icy Stiff Shoulder' was my favorite"
You return the smile.
"I think I prefer 'Eye-Jab Strain'. Although if I'm totally honest, now I feel as if someone had practiced the 'Immortal Warrior's Joint Pain' on me"
Corazon bursts out laughing when hearing the last name.
"Oh, yes, I have forgotten that one"
Corazon remains silent for a moment, his expression suddenly turning thoughtful.
"What are you thinking?", you can't help to ask, causing Corazon to wake up and look at you again.
"Nothing. It's just that sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had accepted Doffy's proposal of joining him"
Your eyes open wide when hearing the man's answer. It had never crossed your mind that Corazon could have doubts about that matter. After all, you remember that he had looked really sure when rejecting Doflamingo's proposal.
"And why don't you do it?", you ask.
Corazon scratches the back of his head before answering.
"Because I'm not like Doffy, and I don't think I'd be able to do what it takes to be in his company. For example, if at some point I had to help destroy some other's business to beneficiate the company…", Corazon shows the hint of a sad smile, "…I don't know if I'd be able to do it. I think I'm too softhearted for the business world, the same way that my father wa-"
"No", you speak before ever thinking, causing Corazon to look at you surprised, "you aren't like your father. You would never let your children suffer because of you. And regarding you being too softhearted... sometimes I also wonder if I'm suited for this job, and if I'd be able to make the decision of destroying other people's lives on the company's behalf. I guess I won't know until the moment comes, but what I do know for sure is Doffy would never ask us to do something that we can't do"
"Something like an impossible training?"
You laugh when hearing Corazon's ironic comment.
"Yes, but even if I protest, and even if I'm going to have a couple of words with Doffy for wanting to kill me from exhaustion, I know that I will overcome it, because otherwise Doffy wouldn't have asked me to do it. And the same goes for you: you are his little brother, which means that Doffy surely knows you better than anyone else and consequently he knows what you are able or unable to do, so if he asked you to join him it's because he knows you can perfectly be a member of his company no matter how softhearted you are"
Corazon still hesitates and is about to say something but you havenn't finished.
"And I'm also sure that working in the company wouldn't mean to abandon your current job. Doffy knows how important your costume shop is for you, so there's no way he would ask you to renounce to it"
Corazon looks at you, speechless.
"Seriously, am I so easy to read or Doffy, Law and you have some kind of power that allows you to read minds?"
You begin to laugh when realizing that Corazon wasn't entirely joking.
"Maybe both", you say playfully before adopting a hoping tone, "so…will you join Doffy?"
Corazon sighs and bites his bottom red lip hesitantly before speaking.
"I'll think about it", he smiles, "he doesn't know this but when he asked me to join him twenty years ago, I was about to accept his offer. At the end I didn't, since I had already found the perfect building for my shop and several doubts were still rounding my head at the time, but now that we are in the same city and that I have you to push away my doubts, maybe the answer will be different"
You smile widely when hearing Corazon's comment.
"Great! But then that means that you would be moving with Doffy too"
You don't realize your mistake until Corazon's brown eyes open wide.
"Too?", he repeats, and when you blush his eyes open even wider, "w-w-wait, you are going to move with Doffy?!"
"Ssshh!", you say stupidly, as if Doflamingo could hear you just for mentioning the subject, "y-yes, that is the idea, but I haven't told Doffy yet, so-"
"CONGRATULATIONS, (y/n)!", you let out a pained gasp when Corazon hugs you using a little too much force, "o-oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I'm so happy that things go so good between you two!"
When Rebecca and Law arrive around fifteen minutes later, Corazon was still overly enthusiastic so you also tell Law about your intention of moving with Doflamingo. You ask the two men not to say anything, since you didn't plan to tell Doflamingo about this until this mission ended.
After you make good use of the cold gel that Rebecca has bought (thankfully the girl had bought two gels because you almost finish with the first one) you carefully join the rest in the first floor, the process of going down the stairs being a little tedious because of the stiffness in your legs.
As you were expecting, you are obliged to remain sitting in the sofa while Rebecca, Corazon and Law prepare dinner. Initially Rebecca had planned to prepare sandwiches for everyone but since Law hated bread and Corazon wasn't a particular fan of it either she decided to eventually prepare onigiris, a rather big salad that included and grilled fish.
Surprisingly, even if Corazon could be really clumsy he was rather skillful in the kitchen, and you couldn't help to notice that when Rebecca lent him an apron that had previously belonged to her father, Law became impossibly red when seeing Corazon wearing it. You were really tempted to tease the doctor by saying him is he had a naked-apron kink but you decided not to. After all the man had examined you without letting you pay for his treatment so it would be cruel to tease him for it now. You better wait for another occasion.
After an hour of being resting the gel has already made some effect on you and you feel better, so you get up from the sofa with the intention of helping the rest. However, just at that moment your mobile begins to sound with the tone you had assigned to a certain someone, causing you to sit down again to attend the call.
"H-Hey, Doffy", you answer with nervousness because even if you obviously wanted to speak with Doflamingo, you also feared that the man had received not precisely good reports of your training that day and was calling to tell you that you weren't doing the mission.
However, Doflamingo surprises you by laughing.
"My dear (y/n), don't tell me that you have come back to be that scaredy-cat that trembled the moment I spoke to her"
His familiar teasing manages to make your nervousness fade a little, allowing you to answer in the same teasing vibe.
"Don't worry, I haven't. But I remind you that you fell for that scaredy-cat"
"Fu fu fu~. Touché. So how has your first day been?"
You gulp, nervousness coming back to you, but you decide to go for it and say the complete truth.
"Weeeell, if you wanted to convince me not to participate in the mission you almost fulfill your goal: Lao G has taught me that I am light years away of beating him in a fight, Gladius has the patient of a saint because I almost blow him with bombs a couple of times, and Monet…well, with Monet everything has gone pretty well. I just hope to be able to move for tomorrow and everything will be perfect"
There is such a silence at the other side of the line that for a moment you think that the connection has failed.
"Doffy? You still there?", you ask with a cautious voice.
"Y-Yes, I'm here"
Your eyes almost abandon your orbits when hearing Doflamingo stuttering in the first word. Okay, it has been a reaaally light stutter but until now you hadn't ever dreamt that 'Doflamingo' and' 'stuttering' could be together in the same sentence.
"Okay, who are you what you've done with my boyfriend? He isn't the kind of man that would ever be left at a loss of words"
Doflamingo bursts out laughing.
"You're right, I'm not that kind of man, but I can't help to feel amazed by your ability of surprising me. I was pretty sure that you weren't going to lie to me but I didn't expect that you were so sincere about your day either"
"Oh", you say confused, "well, I thought that Lao G, Gladius and Monet were going to report to you"
"Yes, they have: Lao G has told me that even if your agility has to be a little improved, you have paid extreme attention to his instructions and you have executed all his attacks without even laughing; Gladius has commented that you still have to work on your aiming with grenades but that you already know the basics of making simple bombs; and well, Monet has said that you haven't just understood perfectly how she plans to create the virus but that you have also suggested some useful improvements"
You feel your cheeks reddening in an instant. You hadn't expected that the Family gave such a positive report about you, and you were feeling really grateful to them right now.
"So, even if I would prefer that your first mission was a simpler one, I trust in the Family's judgment, so if in three days they tell me that you are prepared, I guess I'll have to let you do it"
Doflamingo sounds rather annoyed while talking and you can't help to feel a little guilty because you were the cause of it.
"Thanks, Doffy", you say sincerely, causing the man to grunt gruffly.
"Don't thank me yet. Maybe in these three days you don't meet our expectations and at the end you don't go"
You sigh and smile with patience.
"And I guess that in that case you will be rather happy"
"Well, at least I would feel more at ease knowing that my girlfriend isn't going to play the role of secretary for that bastard"
Something in Doflamingo's tone makes your mouth hang opened.
"Wait… don't tell me that you are jealous"
There is a rather eloquent silence before Doflamingo speaks with an even more annoyed tone than before.
"My dear (y/n), in case you haven't realized yet, I'm a little… possessive, and when I think about you working closely with that man…", Doflamingo exhales a deep sigh, as if he had needed to calm himself a little before talking next, "…well, let's say that it makes me feel a little uneasy"
It takes you some seconds to recover from your astonishment before being able to talk.
"So the problem is that I work with other than you? You must hate Corazon a lot then"
You try to lighten the mood with a joking comment but Doflamingo's tone keeps being as serious as before.
"Corazon has his doctor, so there's no risk of him doing anything stupid as falling in love with you. Crocodile, on the contrary, hasn't anyone as far as I know, and his predilection for his secretaries is quite known"
"Doffy, if everything goes as planned I'm going to work with Crocodile two days at most", you say, exhaling an exasperated laugh, "just two days. Do you really think that that time is enough so that he gets interested in me?"
"Well, considering that I began to be interested in you the first day I met you yes, I do"
The way you blush right now when hearing Doflamingo's totally natural comment has nothing to do with the way you have blushed before when hearing the Family's reports. And damn, you knew that Doflamingo was really annoyed, but you couldn't prevent a gigantic idiotic happy smile from spreading in your face.
"(y/n)! Dinner is ready!"
At that moment Rebecca calls you from the kitchen. You are about to tell Doflamingo that you had to go but the man is faster.
"I've heard it. I should be going too. There are some details of the reunion that we still have to ultimate"
"Okay", you say, "try not to get too bored"
Doflamingo chuckles. At least, he sounded more relaxed now that the subject of Crocodile had been put aside.
"I'll do my best. And you try to rest well. You'll need it if you want to be prepared for tomorrow's schedule"
You are about to whine when hearing his too damn satisfied tone.
"Great", you say instead with a purposely nonchalant tone, "I'm always up for a challenge?"
"Oh?", you shiver, picturing perfectly the devilish grin that Doflamingo had at that moment in his face, "well, in that case maybe I can find some time tonight to modify tomorrow schedule a little so that it is even more interestin-"
"It's a joke, it's a joke, please, don't change it!"
Doflamingo bursts out laughing when hearing your desperate tone and after torturing you a little more he eventually confirms you that he didn't plan to change it. After that, you hang up and finally join Rebecca, Corazon and Law in the table.
The dinner was extremely agreeable, and seeing Law teasing Corazon almost continuously was especially funny. Sadly, you could feel yourself dozing off the moment you finished eating, so Corazon and Law took their leave much sooner than you had liked. However, you didn't have time to protest too much because the moment Rebecca helped you enter your bed, you fell asleep before your head even touch the pillow and the next time you opened your eyes it was already the next morning.
You could still feel a shadow of stiffness invading your whole body but you could move almost perfectly, so your second day of training went way more smoothly than the first one and when you returned home you were as tired as the previous day but the pain was way more bearable.
That routine of training, arriving home exhausted and applying almost a full bottle of cold gel continued during the next two days, and finally the morning of the fifth day Doflamingo called you to his office. Lao G, Gladius and Monet (via video-conference) were already there, and you knew what the result of your training the moment you crossed the door because the irritated aura that surrounded Doflamingo couldn't be more evident.
The man confirmed you what you had already deduced: that the reports have been positive and that you seemed to be more than ready to participate in the mission. You smiled happily at the three Donquixote members and thanked him effusively. You even dared to circle Doflamingo's desk to hug him and deposit a loud kiss in his cheek, and even if the man wasn't precisely happy he didn't reject your enthusiastic show of affection.
Therefore, now that you knew the basics of how to defend yourself, how to use basic bombs and how the virus worked, the only thing that remained to be done was to choose your disguise, and it was evident who Doflamingo was going to call for help.
And now there you are: in Corazon's costume shop with the Donquixote brothers, Law, Bartolomeo, Cavendish, Rebecca and almost the entire Donquixote Family to decide what your new look was going to be.
"Okay then", Corazon takes an enormous book in which almost a thousand of costumes were recorded and settles it over the counter, "the first thing that we should know is how much we should change (y/n). I mean is there a possibility that Crocodile knows who (y/n) is?"
"Well, we don't exactly know how much Crocodile has been keeping track of our activities this last year", Doflamingo says crossing his arms and situating next to his brother, "so in the worst case scenario, he may have found out who (y/n) is already"
"Mmmm…", Rebecca hums to herself while typing rapidly in Corazon's computer, "if I google (y/n)'s name the only results that pop up are her Facebook account and Twitter"
"And if you google Doflamingo's girlfriend?", Law suggests. Rebecca does as the doctor says and clicks her tongue.
"Okay, then there are several more images of the inauguration party and (y/n) appears in most part of them"
"Really?!", you approach Rebecca and your eyes open wide. Until now it hadn't ever occurred you to google your own name, but there you were on the Internet: posing with all the Family and with Doflamingo alone, and you can't help to remember what had happened after the party. You throw a side glance to Doflamingo and blush when seeing that he is smirking at you playfully, as if he was also thinking the same thing.
"Is that really you, (y/n)?", Bartolomeo says impressed, scanning you from head to toe, "wow, didn't know that you could be so hot", Bartolomeo suddenly gets pale and looks at Doflamingo, "I-I'm not flirting with her or anything like that, man, I swear: I-I'm very happy with Cabbage and I like (y/n) a lot but just as a friend and-"
"Fu fu fu~. Relax, kid", Doflamingo says with amusement after hearing the green-haired punk's hurried excuses, "since you two are good friends of (y/n) you don't have to be that afraid of me"
"O-Oh, cool", Bartolomeo says, a little more relaxed but still making sure not to be too close to the man.
"Rebecca, in any of those photo's (y/n)'s name is mentioned?", Viola inquires, leaning over her niece's shoulder.
"No", the girl shakes her negatively, "when referring to her they say: 'Doflamingo's girlfriend'"
"Great, that will help", Viola says, "although I'm pretty sure that when the next event takes place there will be more information about her. I guess that for now the media is waiting to confirm that her relationship with Doffy is serious"
"It's logical. After all, the Boss used to be a really hard-boiled man when he was younger", Senor Pink suddenly intervenes while keeping trying bonnets of different color, "especially in his twenties he was well known for his fame with the ladies-"
"Senor Pink…"
Despite Doflamingo's warning tone the only thing Senor Pink does is to remain quiet while keeping inspecting the shop. You turn to look at Doflamingo.
"Oh?", you look at Doflamingo with a raised eyebrow, "so you were the kind of man that brought a different woman to every party"
Doflamingo opens his mouth to reply something but just at that moment Corazon intervenes, causing your boyfriend to seem quite relieved for it. Well, you had to remember to ask Senor Pink for more details when Doflamingo wasn't around.
"Okay, people, let's focus because we have much to do: since we are not sure how much Crocodile knows about (y/n) we have to change her appearance as much as possible. Bartolomeo, you go grab some secretary costumes. Cavendish, bring all the wigs that you consider more appropriate. And the rest of you, inspect the shop sections to bring make-up, contact lens, fake noses and fake teeth. We will need all of that"
"No need to look for teeth. These ones you have over the counter are perfect"
Corazon looks where Doflamingo is pointing and offers his brother a 'Really?' expression before rolling his eyes.
"You're not helping, brother"
"Why not?", you realize at that moment that Doflamingo has just pointed to some fake teeth that belonged to a Halloween monster, since they were sharp, super crooked and some of them were even black, "that way I will be sure that that bastard doesn't look at (y/n) with too good eyes"
You sigh with patience.
"Doffy, I tell you again that the fact that you are interested in me doesn't mean that all men in earth feel the same way. And in the remote case Crocodile could get interested, it will be fine as long as he just looks"
"(y/n) will be right, Doffy", Baby 5 adds while approaching you together with Buffalo, the two of them wearing several fake noses in their hands, "and in case that bastard dared to do more than looking, now (y/n) knows how to defend herself"
"Oh, yes, Youn-G Master, you do not need to worry about that", Lao G comments while trying to stop Sugar from throwing all the masks of the shop to Dellinger, "the last new technique that I taught Miss (y/n) is called 'Malfunctionin-G Crotch' and would cause Sir Crocodile to lose his capacity to procreate"
"Lao G, watch your mouth in front of Sugar", Jora reproaches the old man before approaching you with a gigantic box of make-up in one hand and a chair in the other, "very well, dear, sit down and close your eyes: I'm going to try some make-up on you that will make you look gorgeous"
"W-Wait a moment, Jora", Viola almost runs towards the woman when seeing your panicked expression, "umh…remember to choose a discreet make-up"
"Really?", Jora sounds really disappointed, "but I'm sure that a little of color will be more artistic and interesting"
"Yes, of course, but…", Rebecca joins Viola and Jora to whisper her next words, "…remember that we don't want that Crocodile feels too attracted to (y/n), and with your spectacular style of make-up the man would surely fall in love with her"
"Mmm, you are certainly right", Jora doesn't noticing the conspiratorial look that aunt and niece share, "alright then: I'll go for a boring make-up"
"Behehehe! Ne, ne, (y/n), look at this", suddenly Trebol approaches you with a couple of black and red contact lens, "you can have the eyes of a Ghoul, nee! Try them on, nee, neee!"
"Trebol, you're not helping", Pica exclaims in his usual baritone tone while Diamante exhales an exasperated sigh, offering you several contact lens of more normal colors that cause Trebol to huff in protest while muttering that his choice was cooler.
"Alright, Corazon-san, I have all the wigs that, I think, can suit (y/n) more", Cavendish announces, coming from the back-shop with wigs of different hair type, color and length.
"And I have also grabbed all the secretary costumes", Bartolomeo appears behind Cavendish with at least twenty costumes in his hands.
"Well done, guys", Corazon says with a smile, "Bartolomeo, please, leave the costumes over the counter so that I can see which ones are easier to adjust to (y/n)"
"Wait a moment, little brother", Doflamingo gets closer to the counter (which causes Bartolomeo to immediately step aside) and begins to grab the costumes one by one, beginning to discard them aside, "No. No. This on neither…"
"Oi oi oi, Doffy, what are you doing?!", Corazon hurriedly recovers the costumes that Doflamingo is throwing into the floor without any care, glaring at his older brother.
"I'm just doing a selection"
"A selection? Based on what?"
"Well, I'm not letting (y/n) wearing a too sexy uniform around that bastard"
"Okay, and what exactly is wrong with this uniform?"
"Too much cleavage"
"And this one?"
"Shirt almost transparent"
"And this one?"
"Skirt too provocative"
"…You are going to complain about all the uniforms, right?"
"No, little brother, this one is perfect"
"Doffy, that's a nun's habit!"
"Ups, sorry Cora-senpai. I've grabbed that one without noticing"
"Doflamingo, I've just had an idea: why doesn't (y/n)-ya wear the uniform that you sent to her?"
"…Little brother, I don't like your boyfriend's sense of humor one bit"
You really wanted to join the uniform's conversation, but that task was rather impossible at the moment since Jora was trying to make you up following Viola and Rebecca's indications while Baby 5 tried some fake noses on you and at the same time that Cavendish put some wigs on you.
You suppress a resigned sigh. At the end, it seemed that choosing your disguise was going to be even more complicated than the whole training, or even than the whole mission.
Lao G's attacks are the ones that appear in the episode 710 of the anime, with the exception of 'Malfunctionin-G Crotch'. That one is mine xD
In the next chapter the mission will finally start, and evidently there will be some unexpected complications :P