Family

Characters: Law, Heart Pirates. Rating: K. Warnings: None

A well-hidden fact about Law was that he despised being alone. While his life had been far from pleasant, since he turned ten and lost everything, he had always found something to cling to. In the early days, it had been his family, his classmates, and the people at the church. Even if most of them thought he was slightly strange, even back then (frogs were fascinating creatures and he didn't get told off for dissecting them, as long as they were already dead), there was always someone just around the corner.

Perhaps that was why, out of all the pirate crews in the area, he'd homed in on the Donquixote Family. Brutality aside, although that was hardly a detriment to a grieving, insane Law, they were a family. The Blood Law, whilst strictest when Corazon was involved, gave off a sense of safety and a feeling of home, even if Law was hardly in the mental state to appreciate it. They taught him to defend himself, and when that wasn't enough, they would defend him (in hindsight the memory that Doflamingo had repeatedly come to his rescue was a bitter feeling, but Law liked to brush it aside as Doflamingo jealously hoarding his possessions and refusing to let them be damaged by anyone except him). Dysfunctional it might have been, but it had been family and home.

Until Cora-san opened his eyes and saved his life all within six whirlwind months. Despite Law intentionally being the worst, most ungrateful brat he could possibly be, Cora-san had bundled him up and carried him when it was too cold, or his disease was too fierce that day. He'd dragged him to unwilling hospital after hospital, optimistic to a fault that anyone would see past the government lies, and when his hopes were once again smashed, stood up for Law and refused to abandon him.

Law had appreciated that, even if he'd never let it show. But then Cora-san went and lied and died and once again Law was left all alone, only where was there for him to go? The marines and pirates alike were hunting him, and Law had learnt enough from his days in the Donquixote Family to know that finding another crew to shelter in would be incredibly stupid. Doflamingo dealt in information, and was rich enough to be able to pay a lot for the whereabouts of his precious Ope Ope no Mi. No self-respecting pirate would be sane enough to turn down such bribery; he'd be sold out within a week.

Resigning himself to a life alone and on the run, he had smuggled his way to the next island over, hoping to raid supplies and hide away to recover for a few days (Doflamingo wouldn't expect him to hang around, would he? Not with Tsuru around and the false information that he was in marine custody, although Vergo would probably disillusion Doflamingo about that as soon as he next made contact). Meeting a talking polar bear – mink – and two bratty kids had not been part of the plan, and Law was honestly at a loss what to do when all three, in their own ways, decided that he was interesting to be around (Penguin's words) and stuck with him despite all his attempts to shake them off.

Now there were four of them he had to hide from Doflamingo's far-reaching intelligence, and Law should really have protested harder at their tag-along attitudes. Four was four times as hard to hide as one, and none of his companions, save maybe Bepo, would even stand a chance against the infant Dellinger, let alone anyone else in the crew.

"Would he expect you to team up with anyone?" Shachi had asked one day after Law had tried to make them understand why them following him was a bad idea. It had made some sense – Law had always been individualistic and reluctant to rely on others so maybe Doflamingo would only be looking for a child by himself and not a group – and Law's reluctance to be left alone again overrode all his arguments.

Thirteen years later, with Doflamingo finally gone and Cora-san avenged, Law reunited with his family with more delight than he could show. They'd grown, multiplied by five since their beginnings on Swallow Island, but each one of them was his family and he would fight to the death to keep them.

His family were everything to him.

Well it's gone midnight here so I guess this is technically the update for the 25th...

I find the fact that, despite everything, Law's never really been alone for any length of time very interesting. He doesn't give off the impression that he prefers company, granted, but aside from Punk Hazard I don't recall any scenes where he's away from his crew or allies by choice.

Well, happy holidays, everyone! I'll be back on the 26th.

Thanks for reading!
Tsari