Chapter Text
Law was blissfully minding his business this Friday evening. He had been exceptionally busy this week because work was utter hell.
A drink would cure his mind, so he thought.
The last thing Law expected while walking back to his empty apartment, half tipsy, was the scene unfolding in the alleyway just before the entrance. It was dark, eerily so, but with the streetlight that happened to be above him Law could easily make out the glint of an instrument and two silhouettes.
The man that was holding it was tall, so damn tall, and with the play of the shadows he looked menacing. Law noticed, faintly, that the tool in his gloved hand was a gun. Now Law’s no expert, but he’s seen enough movies to know that it had a silencer on the end, the barrel pointed at a man’s head who was cowering on the ground.
And he did not look amused. The one begging for his life was shaking and crying, and when the gun clacked, Law didn’t stick around to witness anymore. His heart was pounding when he ran into the entrance, hands clammy.
The alcohol that was lacing his veins ebbed into something akin to adrenaline. The feeling only spiking when he heard the door behind him open just as he was making it to the stairway- and damnit why the hell hasn’t the property manager gotten the elevator fixed. Law knows he’s panicking. For all intent and purposes, he does not look behind him even though he hears the clack of shoes following in his footsteps.
Law makes it to his floor, fumbling around in his pocket for his keys and praying to some god up above to not let him get caught. Just as the stairway door is opening, Law is closing his, not making any sudden movements. Law doesn’t even turn his lights on lest someone is watching outside- which they will be. Law knows. Nobody makes a damn scene like that without making sure they’re heavily guarded or some shit.
Law can feel his heart pounding in his chest at the footsteps growing closer, and closer, pausing. Law holds his breath. Doesn’t shift. His fingers curl into a tight ball, and for one quick second a thought crosses that he wouldn’t mind meeting his family again. Albeit under shitty circumstances like this, but he needs something to ground him because those footsteps aren’t making anymore moves.
It’s like whoever is on the other side of the door already knows it’s Law they’re looking for, but that couldn’t be right. Law knows that even in his haste to get away he wasn’t stomping or screaming, Law has always been a quiet person.
And just when it feels like Law might start doubting himself on that, the footsteps retreat. Law waits, listening to them disappear, the stairwell door closing echoes down the hallway, and he waits some more because one can never be too careful.
Law may have gotten away but that’s not to say the person who was outside will easily let him go. They know which level he lives on, possibly know what he looks like. This is a fucking disaster. The end of the week shaping up into something much worse than Law could have expected.
All Law wanted was a damn drink and look at the mess he might have gotten himself into. With a deep breath and turning up the brightness on his phone instead of his flashlight- yeah, Law’s paranoid now, so what- he makes his way into his bedroom.
After stripping himself of all his clothes and getting into more comfortable ones, Law sends a quick text to the one and only person he knows will never make a big deal out of anything-
Law // 11:37 pm: Luffy, I’m fucked
●
Law expected time to pass, for whoever it was to let it blow over, but that same night when he was tossing and turning, Law heard a banging on his floor- on his door.
As much as he wanted to, Law couldn’t avoid it. Well, he could have, but what if they kicked his door in? Law can do many things, but pretending to asleep is not one of them, especially when he knows why they would be breaking in.
Law clutches the collar on his sleep shirt when he walks tentatively out of his bedroom. Law fucked up. He shouldn’t answer the door. His feet pause on their path to it. He should stay put, that’s the best decision, right? Law’s hands are shaking, knees almost buckling. Fuck he’s afraid.
The last time Law was afraid like this was when he was a child. But when the handle to his door starts wiggling that gets Law back in gear. It’d be worse if they opened it now and saw him just standing in the middle of his living room looking scared.
Law takes a deep breath, the movement on the handle ceases when he unlocks it, opening the door wide enough so that they can see his face. It was dark outside so maybe they might not know it was him, especially given the lack of light in the hallway. Law silently thanks the property manager for being a lazy shit.
“Yes?” Law asks tentatively. He knows it looks like he was sleeping anyways given the bags under his eyes, so for once that works in his favor.
Law blinks in surprise when his door is pushed open, knocking him back in a daze, holding his breath when the light is cut on.
There are three men in front of him. One with messy blonde hair that falls into his eyes, the second with thick sideburns and black shades on- and yeah, Law fucked up. The third man is smiling cruelly, hands casually stuffed in his pockets, those same hands that were curled around his gun not even- wait, what time was it?
“This is who you saw?” Those reflective shades of his take Law in, and despite his fear Law can’t help but shiver at the timbre of his voice.
“That’s him.” The blonde lilts.
Without wasting another second the guy clad in those obsidian glasses snatches Law’s arm up, tugging him forward. Law stumbles, breath catching in his throat.
“W- where do you think you’re taking me?” Law gasps, trying to yank his arm out of the grasp.
Law’s well aware of each man towering above him. They could beat him into submission without raising a hand. Law almost whimpers when fingers curl tighter into his arm, the sight of that sinister grin coming into view when a gloved finger lifts his chin.
“You’re coming with us dove.”
●
Law assumes he’s going to be murdered.
Law hadn’t meant to witness the scene, that’s what he told them. At first. Soon after realizing they weren’t going to accept his answer, he kept his mouth shut. It was for the best, Law told himself, if they were going to kill him then it would matter what excuse he came up with.
Even though it wasn’t an excuse, which is what pisses him off the most.
After being dragged out of his apartment in nothing but his pajamas, bare feet and all, Law was taken to some unknown place that must have been their base or some shit. Law wishes he paid enough attention to those action movies Kid and Luffy rave about.
The man, Doflamingo- which rings several bells- is lounging casually behind his expensive desk. Feet propped up on the wood, his eyes are carefully hidden behind his shades, but Law knows they’re pinned on him and it nerves him. It has hairs rising on the back of his neck.
Law almost witnessed him kill a man, he could do the same to Law, so why was he just sitting there staring at him? The other two men, that basically kidnapped Law, are standing in front of him. The blonde sitting on the edge of the desk, meanwhile the raven is staring down at Law as if he won’t think twice if Doflamingo gives him the word to shoot.
“I’m trying to be reasonable here with you dove,” Doflamingo says for the first time since they’ve arrived. Apparently, his patience is running thin since he’s not letting his men speak anymore.
The leather on his chair creaks under his weight when he leans forward, those gloves lacing his fingers together. Law can’t help but watch them with a wary eye, knowing they were blood soaked.
“I- I told you,” Law mentally berates himself for stuttering, “I was drinking, and it was dark-”
“And you saw, yes?” Doflamingo interrupts, gesturing to the other blonde, “Rosi saw you, isn’t that right Rosi?”
The man being addressed, Rosi, hums delightfully, reaching in his pocket and Law stiffens up, shoulders relaxing when he sees he’s just fishing out a pack of cigarettes. Goddamn he’s on edge.
“As if I could forget a face like that.”
How charming, Law almost spits out.
They’re making it like a game, and Law hates that. He wants to say if they’re going to do something why not just go on and do it. His irritation is bubbling, but Law knows he’d be a fucking idiot to say something like that.
“I even followed him, poor little kitty was scared,” fuck, he knew they were watching, even if he thought he was being careful, “plus he’s the only one in the vicinity that matches the description.”
Somewhere in Law’s mind, he wonders how they were able to get something so quickly with how late of an hour it is. If they got information this quickly then Law really is fucked. These men aren’t playing around, they’re really dangerous and must be powerful enough to have quick connections like that.
A cloud of smoke enters his vision and Law flinches when a finger traces the tattoo on his hand- fuck-
“Death- how fitting, don’t you think so Doffy?”
“One only wonders why he got such a thing tattooed on him for life.”
That digit trails to the upside of his palm before retreating, rudely blowing another cloud of smoke in his direction.
“So, what should we do with the little dove.” Doflamingo doesn’t ask, his fingers are thrumming on the desk and Law tries not to fidget or glance away.
Law is a proud person, he doesn’t cower, and if these men even think for a second Law will show a sign of weakness then they have another thing coming.
“Leave us.”
Both men flick their heads to Doflamingo and Law’s eyes widen because surely he didn’t hear that correctly.
“Doffy-” Rosinante snaps his mouth shut as soon as Doflamingo looks to him, huffing out a cloud of smoke.
Without another word, they leave.
Law listens to those footsteps if only to ground him. Since the silent man is leaving that means Law won’t get killed, he was the one with the gun after all, but there’s no telling what Doflamingo could do to him by his hands alone.
The door is closed softly, but in Law’s mind it might as well have been slammed. His heart is pounding in his chest, harsh beats clattering when Doflamingo rises from his chair. Law hates how tall he is. Even from a good distance away he towers over him, shadow covering Law with each precise step he makes. Law is aware of the state of his clothing, his exposed skin, bare feet. He’s sweating underneath his shirt even if it is thin, adrenaline coursing through his veins.
“It’s just me and you dove.”
Law doesn’t know if Doflamingo meant to sound reassuring or not. The words are laced with obvious comfort, but in Law’s current situation he takes the words as a threat. Law keeps his mouth closed.
“Is that any way to thank your savior?”
Law grits his teeth, staring at his reflection in orange glasses.
“I could have very well have you killed-” Law seizes up, “you’re a fool to think I didn’t notice you myself, all it would have taken is one word and you’d be a puddle of blood on this floor.”
“So what,” Law huffs.
Realizing the bite in his tone, Law purses his lips.
“No need to hold your tongue with me little one,” Doflamingo muses, obviously amused at Law’s halfhearted retort.
Law looks the man up and down, an expanse of legs, wide shoulders, broad chest. If Law wasn’t in danger and this was a casual setting, he’d no doubt try to find a way to bed him. Doflamingo’s exactly his type. Blonde and muscular with the smile of a devil. He wreaks of wealth, if this office is anything to go by, dominance oozing off him. Law can practically taste his sadism.
But seeing as Law’s been put in danger because of said man that’d make him even more stupid if he tried to get himself laid.
“What are you playing at?”
Doflamingo tilts his head to the side as if in confusion, and it would have been believable if not for the slight twist of his lips. He’s already planned out exactly how this is going to go, Law knows that. Doflamingo seems calculated enough to do so.
“You don’t seem scared.” Doflamingo points out, sitting back on his desk, “is that the reason for your tattoos? You don’t fear death?”
“Maybe it is, but I don’t see the point in telling you my life story.”
Doflamingo throws his head back, laughing loudly, and Law stops himself from flinching at the boisterous sound echoing throughout the office.
“I guess not dove,” Doflamingo muses.
When Doflamingo looks down again that smile is still in place. Law freezes as he moves forward, caging Law in, both hands on either side of the chair. Doflamingo’s tall enough to where he’s nowhere near Law’s face, yet with his aura Law feels him all around, and he can’t do anything but stare up at him.
“I rather like you.”
Law’s eyes widen incredulously.
“You haven’t known me long enough to make that type of decision.” What the hell Law, he mentally berates himself. He could have accepted the praise, but of course, he had to go and speak his mind.
“I suppose not.”
A chill runs up Law’s spine when Doflamingo’s covered finger brushes up his arm. The same one that pulled the trigger.
“But I could make good use of you.”