Chapter Text
The Hearts and Straw Hats stayed in Flevance for another three weeks, giving Law time to regain lost strength and make peace with his past.
The morning after Doflamingo had been taken away for—hopefully—the final time, Law woke up to an insistent knocking at his door. He groaned and lifted his head from where it had been resting on Luffy’s shoulder to glare at the door. Luffy muttered sleepily but didn’t otherwise stir.
“What?” Law snapped when it became clear the knocking wasn’t going to abate. His fingers itched for Kikoku to slice up whoever was on the other side of the door.
After a moment, the door creaked open and Bepo stuck his head into Law’s room with an apologetic look. Law felt some of his irritation fall away at the sight of the Mink. He couldn’t stay mad at Bepo—and that, his sleepy brain recognized belatedly, is probably why he was sent for whatever this was about. Anyone else would have been cut into pieces by now.
“Ah, sorry Captain,” Bepo muttered, averting his eyes when he noticed Law and Luffy curled up in Law’s bed. “D-doctor Chopper wants to see you in the infirmary.”
Law blinked, his half-asleep brain taking a beat longer than usual to register the words. “Now?”
When Bepo nodded, Law sighed and pushed himself upright. (Another likely reason Bepo had been sent: if Law tried to argue with getting checked out, the Mink would fret, and Law didn’t have it in him to deal with that.) The arm Luffy had wrapped around Law’s shoulders stretched in response to Law’s movement, and Law spared an amused huff for that before he gently pulled Luffy’s arm off him. Luffy’s arm recoiled into place, but it didn’t wake the younger captain. Law snorted before scrubbing a tired hand through his hair. He turned back to Bepo, who was purposefully looking at the wall.
“Why now?”
“He said he wanted to do it before breakfast,” Bepo replied. He cleared his throat. “And, uh, the sun’s been up for a few hours, Captain.”
Law’s eyes widened in surprise—it was rare that he slept so long—before he glanced at the porthole. It was covered by the shirt Luffy had been wearing the day before, as though he’d tossed it carelessly only for it to land on the window and thus darken Law’s bedroom. Of course.
Law made to roll out of bed but had to pause at the edge of his bed when pain from his chest jolted through him. And that would be why Chopper wanted to check on him, his doctor brain helpfully pointed out.
“Captain?” Bepo asked, stepping into the room in concern just as Luffy sat up and said sleepily, “Torao?”
Law, eyes screwed shut, absently waved at them while he rode out the wave of pain. Once the pain receded, he opened his eyes and took a shuddering breath. He started when he felt hands rest lightly on his shoulders, and he glanced back to see Luffy kneeling behind him with a concerned expression.
“I’m fine,” Law said, gently shaking Luffy’s hands off as he pushed himself to his feet. He made his way to the porthole and pulled Luffy’s shirt off, tossing it backward at the younger captain. Luffy sputtered in protest as the shirt found its mark. Law ignored him as he stared at the sunlight streaming through the window. Despite being unconscious for three days, his body wasn’t satisfied. Law had always been a shit patient, never resting for as long as he would make sure his nakama would, but it seemed his body was finally rebelling against his poor recuperative habits.
Bepo cleared his throat, and Law glanced back at the door, where his navigator stood awkwardly.
“Oh, bear!” Luffy greeted cheerfully, apparently just noticing Bepo’s presence. “What are you doing here?”
“Getting the captain,” Bepo said, looking pointedly in Law’s direction. “Doctor Chopper wants to check on him.”
Luffy perked up at his doctor’s name before turning to Law. “You shouldn’t keep Chopper waiting, Torao.” He grinned and jumped easily out of the bed. “I’ll go with you.”
“You don’t need to—” Law started before deciding there was no point in protesting. Instead, he just sighed and nodded. “Fine.”
Beaming, Luffy slid his hand into Law’s and pulled him toward the door. Bepo stepped aside for them to pass through the doorway, and Law noticed the Mink covering a smile with a paw. His cheeks warmed.
“Shut it,” he muttered low enough so only his navigator could hear.
“I didn’t say anything,” Bepo replied, though his eyes were shining. He shut Law’s door and fell in step behind them.
Law opened his mouth to retort, but he was quickly distracted when he realized Luffy had no idea where he was going. He tugged on Luffy’s hand and directed him on the right path to the infirmary. When they walked in, they found Chopper, Shachi, and Penguin waiting.
“There you are, Torao!” Chopper said with a wide smile. “I wanted to get a look at your injuries and change your bandages.”
Law considered reminding the reindeer that, as a doctor, he was perfectly capable of changing his own bandages, but when he took in the eager look on the younger doctor’s face, he shoved that aside and simply nodded. He took a seat on the examination table while Luffy let go of his hand and moved to the other side of the table.
“What took so long, Bepo?” Shachi asked in the background. “You were gone forever.”
“I’m sorry,” Bepo replied automatically before sparing a glance at Law. “Captain was, uh, still asleep.”
“Oh, really?” Penguin asked, raising a suggestive eyebrow in his captain’s direction.
“If you like your dick where it is,” Law replied without looking at his oldest friends as he allowed Chopper to unwrap his bandages and start examining the puncture wounds in his chest, “then I suggest keeping your comments to yourself.”
“So mean, Captain,” Shachi muttered dramatically while Luffy snickered from Law’s other side.
Law let his eyes wander around the infirmary as Chopper worked, absently answering the little doctor’s questions about his pain and fatigue levels, and he stiffened when he noticed a small, familiar cube sitting on the counter.
“Is that…?” Law started, trailing off.
The others turned to follow Law’s gaze. Luffy stretched his arm across the room and grabbed the cube, bringing it over and depositing it in Law’s hand.
“Doflamingo’s heart,” Bepo confirmed.
Law couldn’t tear his eyes from the steadily beating organ in his palm. His fingers wrapped gently around it. He’d pulled Doflamingo’s heart from his chest to prevent him from trying something underhanded despite going down to Law’s attack, but after he’d passed out, he’d lost track of it.
“You didn’t give it to the Marines,” Law noted, still looking at the heart.
“After they let that feathered bastard go twice? There was no way in hell they were getting it,” Penguin growled.
Law looked up in surprise at the vehemence in his friend’s voice. Penguin flushed when he realized everyone was looking at him. He shrugged uncomfortably. “It’s just…”
“It’s insurance in case he ever gets out again,” Shachi said, tone more even but no less forceful than Penguin’s. “We won’t let him hurt you again, Captain.”
A lump formed in Law’s throat, and he just nodded as he looked back down at the heart. He felt Luffy’s hand squeeze his shoulder. He was so fucking lucky to have these people in his life. He was quiet as Chopper put salve on his wounds and began wrapping his chest with clean bandages. As the reindeer worked, Law held the heart back out to Bepo, who made a questioning sound as he took it.
“Put it in the safe,” he said.
“Aye aye, Captain.”
“Your wounds are healing nicely, Torao,” Chopper said as he finished working. “I’d suggest you stay in bed for a few more days, but,” he added as he noticed Law’s expression, “I know you won’t, so just take it easy, okay?” He glanced over Law’s shoulder at Luffy and pointed a hoof in an effort to appear stern. “And be careful with him, Luffy! Doctor’s orders.”
Law’s eyes snapped up with a warning look for Shachi and Penguin, who, as expected, had taken the little doctor’s words as innuendo. Penguin’s eyes widened and he held up his hands defensively while Shachi grimaced and crossed his legs. Law snorted, satisfied he could still terrify his friends.
“Shishishi, fine fine,” Luffy replied, unaware of the silent conversation going on between the Hearts. He leapfrogged the table to stand in front of Law, a wide smile on his face.
He held out a hand, and Law, feeling warmth spread through his chest, took it.
Caesar watched the guard drop to the floor, unconscious, then reached down to pull his keyring from his belt. He then opened the door to the brig, eyes coming to rest on his target. Across the room, Doflamingo looked up when the door opened, light from the hallway spilling into the dark prison. He grinned when he saw Caesar.
“Caesar. It’s good to see you.”
“Joker,” Caesar greeted, making his way over to the cell holding his benefactor. Doflamingo looked the worse for wear as he was wrapped in Seastone restraints—except for the cast on his leg. “I took care of the Marine dogs upstairs. Pull a little oxygen from the air, and suddenly they’re no trouble at all, shurorororo,” he laughed.
“Excellent,” Doflamingo complimented, and Caesar couldn’t help but preen. “Now, keys.”
“Of course, of course.” Caesar lifted the keyring to show Doflamingo they were on the same page. “Say, Joker,” he went on as he picked up a key and put it in the lock to Doflamingo’s cell. He was careful not to touch the metal of the door because it was Seastone. When he tried to turn it, it did not budge. He made a frustrated sound and pulled the key out to try another.
“What is it?” Doflamingo asked somewhat impatiently as he watched Caesar fumble with the key ring to choose another key to try.
“Are you going to try to get Trafalgar back to continue our research?” Caesar asked, trying another key and groaning as it didn’t turn. Their last encounter had gone poorly for Joker, after all.
“Not immediately,” Doflamingo replied. “We have enough samples to hold us over until we reach our destination.”
“Our destination?” Caesar looked up from the key he was trying on the door.
Doflamingo’s grin sharpened in a way that gave Caesar chills. “Law wasn’t the only survivor of Flevance.”
“What?” the scientist squawked in surprise.
“The Flevan Royal Family deserted the country before the quarantine,” Doflamingo explained, satisfaction oozing from him. “I was able to determine their location while we were in the palace and made contact.” His grin showcased his canines as he added, “As expected, they’re very interested in the potential of adding to their already immense fortune.”
“Amazing,” Caesar said, turning back to the lock, his mind turning over this new information. The key he was holding didn’t work so he moved on to the next one. “Where are they?”
Doflamingo made a dismissive sound, as though such matters were beneath his concern. “There’s a log pose.”
Caesar looked up at that. “I see.” He stopped trying to unlock the door and pocketed the keyring.
Doflamingo frowned. “Caesar?”
But the clown had already started for the door. “Thank you for the information, Joker. As always, it was a pleasure doing business with you.”
“What do you think you’re doing, Caesar?” Doflamingo demanded.
Caesar turned to look back at his former patron. “My new benefactors will be most interested to hear this news.”
“New benefactors?”
“The ones who helped me escape from Big Mom, of course,” Caesar replied. “Germa. Take care in Impel Down, Joker,” he added with a little wave as he walked through the brig door, shutting it on Doflamingo’s enraged roars. He dropped the keyring onto the unconscious guard’s chest before heading back toward the deck. He pulled a Den Den Mushi from his pocket and dialed a familiar number.
When the call connected, he grinned. “I have good news.”
The White City was quiet as she watched The Polar Tang and Thousand Sunny sail away from her shores. The quiet she felt now, though, was not haunted but tranquil. Her last surviving son had taken her under his protection, raising his banner to the highest point of the city to serve as warning to any who would dare disturb the quiet.
More than that, he’d placed a memorial at her heart, a large stone structure inscribed with a scathing indictment of those whose greed led to the fall of her children. Her son had engraved the monument not only in the languages of the North Blue and the Grand Line but also Flevance to give the victims voice once more. Above the inscriptions was carved a bird in flight carrying a poppy, a universal symbol of remembrance.
The White City watched her last son sail into the horizon and felt peace at last.