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Law screams silently from inside his treasure box as he hears several shots ring out into Rosinante's chest.
"You are completely and utterly useless, Corazon!"
Doflamingo yells as he pulls the trigger.
Rosinante smiles, knowing even though he's dying, there's a good chance Law will escape. As long as he stays conscious long enough to eclipse him in silence, hidden with cover from the incoming snowstorm. Then he could die happy, having set him free.
It wasn't a perfect plan, hell, a perfect plan would end with him and the boy escaping alive together where they could move on with their lives. But Rosinante was far from flawless, he was always clumsy, soft hearted and nowhere near as conniving as his older brother.
This one sacrifice would have to do, if it meant getting the upper hand over Doflamingo one single time.
What he doesn't count on is Doffy being so enraged, so vengeful and having so little disregard for his blood brother that he kicks his whole body as hard as he can and sends the tower of crates behind him crashing down as Corazon careens into it.
Rosinante's huge frame accidentally knocks over the box law is in and the boy tumbles out, terror widens his eyes.
"Shit–!" Rosinante grits out, raising his head just enough to see Law be exposed and his calm spell be broken. If only he could move his body, maybe he could run away one last time, but his spine is bent awkwardly on a wooden slab and his limbs are unresponsive.
Doflamingo smiles.
"Looks like I won't have to kill you after all, my dear little brother."
All Rosinante knows is his limp, haggard body is being dragged somewhere. He's fading in and out of consciousness, staring at the bloody trail of snow being left behind him and the sounds of Law struggling somewhere above him. Being held up high in Doffy's grasp, he would guess.
Through the cold and wounds making his limbs start to go numb, all he can think about is how it wasn't enough.
I failed. I failed, I failed, I failed, I failed…!
They're dragged all the way back to Doflamingo's ship, and the next sensation is Rosinante's back hitting a metal table and a stark, bright light above him. It's blinding. He closes his eyes, giving up on seeing through it and his breaths get shallower.
Faintly, he still registers voices.
"He's going to die, please let us go, let me find him help…! If h-he doesn't get treatment soon, he'll…"
He didn't want Law to have to watch him die. Fuck.
A beat of silence goes by, only the boy's uneven sobs fill the medical room.
"Well. Go on Law. You have the fruit of the best surgeon in the world. Operate on him."
Law looks up at Doffy terrified, tears clogging his vision again making it even more difficult to see. "Please… please I'm not a doctor, he needs real help– I can't–"
"You need all the practice you can get Law if you're going to be good enough for me one day!" Doflamingo insists, a strong hand on his shoulder, practically crushing his clavicle in his grip as Law tries to stifle his sobs. "Either you operate on him, or Corazon dies. Your choice."
Rosinante pulls against the thick strings tying his wrists down, but it's in vain. He's helpless to fight against his older brother, head so light from blood loss he can't think straight. He doesn't even know what he could say if he found the strength to talk. Tell Law it's okay, to just let him die? Then where would that leave him? All alone in Doflamingo's clutches? He had to stay alive, to save Law, to get him out of Doffy's influence. But it was a whole lot more complicated now.
All Rosinante can do is grimace. He's fading in and out of reality again, haunted by Law's crying and whimpering with the occasional harsh commentary from Doflamingo.
This goes on for what feels like an eternity until he realizes Law had gone quiet, he hears him say something– something to Doflamingo about metal and disinfectant. His voice is angry through the tears.
Then he feels small, shaking fingers against his bare chest. When did they unbutton his hole ridden shirt? The smell of rubbing alcohol wafts around him, and he flinches when a wet rag wipes over open tears and his cuts burn. Head thrown to the side and teeth clenched.
If he wasn't in terrible pain, enough sense left to formulate a proper thought, he would be beyond ashamed in himself. He couldn’t even make a solid escape plan to save him, Law should have been set free. Yet here he was, subjected to seeing him half dead and vulnerable to whatever Doflamingo whispered in his ear.
"Do… Do you have morphine? Numbing agent? Anything?"
He hears Law ask, vocal cords rough from screaming.
Doffy's evil laugh chuckles out above them. "You better hurry. He's losing a lot of blood."
There's more frustrated sobs and antagonizing chuckling. His head feels like its spinning, he's never felt so horrible in his life, like such a failure.
Then suddenly, a sharp pain rips through his abs, right in one of the bullet holes. Like he's being stabbed, his flesh being ripped wider and muscle and tendons being stirred up, scrapped against with metal instruments as the doctor in training tries to extract the lead from his body. It's in there so deep, and the boy doesn't know the anatomy well enough to not make mistakes.
Rosinante bites out a harsh grunt as agony spikes him again, the only thing that might be worse were the boy's gentle whispers under his breath as he prodded his wounds deeper.
I'm so sorry Cora, I'm sorry it hurts, I'm trying my best. Please… hang in there.
It's torture, he can't stop himself from leaking sounds and more blood and shaking. Wide, trapped hands clutching the edges of the table where he was tied and convulsing when the attempts only got worse. No, oh god no, the only thing worse than dying quietly at Law's side was him actively killing him. He wants to beg him to stop, that it was useless, that all hope was gone for him. But he couldn't do that, not when Law was desperately trying to save the last person he had come to care about.
I'm sorry, Law. Rosinante thinks through tears and pained snarls. I'm sorry I only added to your growing pile of loss in the most horrendous way possible!
There's another pause and Rosi can almost catch his breath, it's hard to when there's so little blood working in his veins, definitely not enough oxygen being circulated around his body no matter how much air he tries sucking into his tar-ridden lungs.
Something is dripping on him, wetting him with something else besides sweat and blood. Though he doesn't recognize it as Law's tears, he knows the boy is right there. Then he bites straight through his bottom lip while muffling another guttural wail as he twists the long, metal surgical tweeters in him once more.
He can also feel Doffy's overwhelming presence bearing down on them. There's a foreign sensation– tiny stings and weaving all over his body… inside his organs. It had to be his ability.
Wait. He wasn't just spectating his slow and painful death? He did say he wasn't going to kill him but… what reason did Doflamingo have to stitch him back together? If this was really a test, simply practice for Law, he wouldn't be helping. Why did his brother want him alive? What use did he have for him? Doflamingo wouldn't want him unless he could still take advantage of him, one way or another.
Rosinante grinds his teeth until he tastes fresh iron. He can't stop another keen. It's fucking excruciating, and Trafalgar wouldn't stop.
Doflamingo leans over Law's short stature while he's working, sweat starting to form at his temples and breathing shallowly through his open mouth. He can only imagine the kid is amidst a panic attack. His chest pounding hard, hands ridge and whole frame shaking.
"He can take it Law, We've been through torture much worse than this, him and I."
Rosinante dizzily remembers being beaten with sticks and pipes, hanging from his wrists and flames licking at his body as a small child. A divine punching bag for all of humanity's sins. Yes, he has experienced pain probably equal to this, maybe more.
It didn't make it any less unpleasant.
"Give me some ROOM!" Law's high pitch scream echos, snapping at him and a strange noise rings out after.
An aura surrounds all of them and briefly the two still on their feet pause while Rosinante continues to shiver on the table. Wondering hazily what had happened to make them go silent.
Law suddenly has knowledge that's unfamiliar to him. He removes the tools he was using, instead placing a hand over Rosinante by instinct. Then there's a pulse and when he turns his palm over he's holding a round's worth of bullets in his hand. Metal still hot from being cozy, deep inside Rosinante's flesh not a second ago.
The room fades away, and the boy stutters. Unable to explain what happened.
Doflamingo laughs, "Very good Lawsy, very good."
Doffy's strings do the work inside to stitch Corazon back together. Then he leaves Law to close the gashes and holes on the surface. Rosinante's sutures heal crooked and messy, but they heal.
When Rosinante wakes up, they're no longer on his ship. They are in the castle he built on his turf a long time ago. Something he insisted on having as he started his wicked reign on Spider Miles.
He turned the Industrial waste processing plant and port town into a gold mine of factories under his control. For now he was sitting pretty on the cash that came in, and once he had as much as he wanted he would move onto bigger things, Dressrosa no doubt. That was the furthest thing from Rosinante's mind.
He sits strapped to a loose guest chair in his throne room, the afternoon sun streaming in from the windows hurts his eyes, as much as the twenty-four seven smog surrounding the island will allow.
He knows his memory has holes in it, vague reconciliation of resting in bed as a fever racked his body and Law's worried voice hovering over him. For a day or two, he was willing to believe that maybe this had ended up being a fever dream. That somehow, someone had saved them and everything would be okay once he recovered.
The thought was swiftly wiped away as he watched Doflamingo stroll out from one of the doorways either side of the throne, Law in tow, cursing and grimacing as he held him by an arm.
"Look at what a fine job you did keeping my worthless, piece of shit brother alive Law! You must care about him a lot." He throws the boy on the ground in front of Rosinante and places a foot square on his back. "Let's see if he feels the same."
Rosinante's hazy eyes snap open and Law squeaks in pain. The younger brother glares at Doffy as he grinds his heel into his back.
"Fourteen years I went without hearing a word from you Corazon. I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, that you came back to be family. The precious little brother I always remembered. Instead you had to screw everything up. We could have been happy, the three of us, but you had to drag poor little Lawsy down with you."
Rosinante didn't answer him. He didn't have anything to say to a demon like him. He didn't all the time he's been here and he doesn't now. Not even foul words of hatred, because in the end he was still his brother, and it hurt him more than made him angry to see what he had become. How could nothing of their kind parents have been passed onto him. Doffy didn't have a shred of remorse, no humanity.
His eyes widen when Law spits out a bark on his behalf from his place on the floor. "You were never going to keep me or Cora around, the plan was to always let us die!"
Rosinante's expression shifts from a glare to straight horror as he watches Doflamingo raise his foot and kick Law clean across the room into the nearest wall. His poor little body ragdolling as it collides and he falls down into a heap with bits of drywall following him.
Doflamingo stomps over, adding more insults before he continues to kick Law into the wall. One pitiful grunt and yell leaving the boy after another.
Rosinante looks away, he can't watch as he abuses him. Helpless to stop it. He knows it's only to get a reaction out of him, to punish Corazon for even thinking of betraying Doffy let alone almost smuggling Law away with him. It hurts, but saying something would only make things less ideal.
"See that, Law? He doesn't even care enough to look at you. Your suffering is nothing to him, you better scream louder."
Doflamingo knocks his speckled hat off when he grabs him by the back of the scalp, gripping hard in his short raven hair and pulling him over to look in his younger brother's direction.
Trafalgar falls victim to his bait. His feisty expression breaks just a bit when he sees Rosi is turned away. Instead of another angry pained grunt, his next noise comes out more as a sad sob being tugged harshly.
He can see the teeth clenching frown stretch tighter across Corazon's face, the selfish attempt to not witness him. He knows it's because it's hard to watch, but it still makes Law feel more alone for a second.
Doffy isn't satisfied with that though, he wasn't going to play this little game of chicken with his brother. He knows Law means more to him than any little bastard he's kicked off their team. Mercilessly, he twists the boy's arm up behind his back until there's a snap and Law lets out a blood curdling scream.
Rosinante shoots his eyes back, tears threatening to spill over as he shouts in his deep, terrified voice without thinking.
"DON'T TOUCH HIM!"
Doflamingo pauses and looks up, a heartless smirk grows big across his features. His hand lets go of the kid, dropping him face down on the floor where he whimpered and cried. It was too late, it looked like his shoulder was broken. Law grasped at it weakly, uselessly.
The older brother strolls over to Rosinante, eyes locked again as he bared his teeth at him desperately. Doffy lifts one long leg, placed up on his shoulder and pushes him back.
Rosinante tips backwards with the chair he's strapped tight to. A loud thud echoes through the room as the backrest hits the ground hard and he groans, pain shooting up his barely healed torso.
Doffy stands over him, staring down through his sunglasses.
"Now you speak. Years and years of quiet and all it takes is one little, dying brat."
Rosinante gulps, but there's no reason to fake civility now. "You would have never liked what I had to say anyway."
The elder brother laughs, "Maybe so! But I suppose none of that matters now. Silent or not, I'm going to make you regret ever disobeying me." He leaves Rosi's sight momentarily then appears over him again with Law in hand, still crying and squirming. Doffy's foot lands hard on his shoulder and he presses Corazon down with his full weight, earning another harsh grimace and grunt.
"You'll get the honor of watching first hand how I beat this brat into submission until he's fit to replace such a worthless brother. When I'm done with him, there will only be that sour, ruthless child left who wants to kill as many people as possible. Just as he came to us."
Doflamingo leaves him there on the ground as he turns away and takes the boy with him, back into the adjacent hallway that he appeared from earlier.
"STOP! LEAVE HIM OUT OF THIS! DOFLAMINGO!"
Rosinante screamed from where he was trapped. Pulling on the layers of strings that kept him tied there until it began cutting his wrists.
The chance for Law to not be involved in Doffy's terror was far, far long gone.
Their first dinner back together as a family was an tense and somber one. The two prisoners were sat opposite sides of the table. Law's head down with a bruise right under his eye, competing with the white patch of his disease. He slowly forked at boiled vegetables, mushing them more than eatting them, but some did go in his mouth.
Rosinante's mind was the furthest place away from eatting, he felt sick. And it wasn't from his fever that had passed.
Doflamingo walks over to Rosinante. Hovering over him with his tall, overbearing presence.
"Corazon. You haven't eaten your food. Not a bite for a few days now. I know you're hungry."
Rosi was anything but, how could he have an appetite when he was living a nightmare. Watching people he cared about suffer in cruel and unusual ways alongside him was nostalgic for the most unbearable reasons.
Doffy straightens up, looking at the other end of the table. "Law."
Rosinante's eyes snap up to attention, scared for the next words, but they were merciful this time.
"Tell Corazon to eat his dinner."
Law's eyes were dark, gray irises sharp with hatred and bloodlust much like when they had first met. But they softened, if only slightly, when he shifted his focus to Corazon instead.
"...Please eat something, Cora-san."
Rosinante's heart wrenched, he tried not to show it, but he closes his eyes for just a moment and his eyebrows crease a tiny bit more in pain. And his brother smiles. Knowing without a doubt that the boy was his kryptonite.
Corazon eats half of his plate until he can't stomach anymore.
They fell into a predictable routine.
Most days consisted of Law being ordered to study and usually nothing but. He was left mostly unsupervised with the strict promise that their captor had eyes everywhere. So the boy stayed at his desk, using the books and resources the man had gathered for him while away on their traitorous vacation.
Doflamingo went about his usual business, managing his money making empire, lots of phone calls and lounging around while Corazon often sat captive at his side. Constantly worried and bored to death. A pack of cigarettes just out of his reach from his bound hands to torture him. If he so much as even drifted asleep he woke up to painful reminder that he wasn't allowed an easy way out of this.
It was mind-numbing. But it was the most peace he'd get while here.
When Doflamingo was sick of him, he would perform parasite string and Rosinante became an automated house servant against his will. Doffy didn't even have to pay much attention to control him, it was like his actions were preselected and all he could do was go. Made to clean the empty castle from top to bottom until his bones ached. But there were other more complicated tasked built into his regime that surprised him at first.
Not only did his body mindlessly scrub floors, he also did the laundry, cooked the meals, and even brought himself to the bathroom whether he need to use it or not. He wasn't allowed to do anything on his own and it all flowed like clockwork. It felt a bit more like prison that way, having no freewill to choose when he even got to piss. But that was preferable to any other options that crossed his mind.
Even more curiously, a single day didn't go by where he didn't see Law.
Everyday at noon on the dot, he would go to the kitchen, make lunch, assemble a small portion on a tray and take it to him. Trafalgar was always brooding and scribbling away in his books until he caught sight of him, then a relieved little smile broke out on his tired face. Of course, Rosi was thankful for any calm moment he had with him, even the first few weeks where he sat with his arm in a sling.
But Rosi found it all very strange that this was the way Doflamingo had chosen their day to go. Making him an errand boy was one thing, but he knew well that his powers couldn't stop him from speaking. And it wasn't just that he dropped off lunch and went on his way, there was always a secondary task that kept him there so Law could enjoy his company while he ate. Leisurely folding clothes, thinly veiled sweeping within range of Law's desk or the likes. Then after twenty minutes he took the tray away and whisked himself away to do more manual labor.
It was almost like Doffy wanted them to talk.
Doflamingo didn't do things absent-mindedly. There was a reason why he let them see another so often and Rosinante was well aware. He was taunting them, using their friendly relationship against eachother to keep Law motivated, to hurt Corazon's pride or both. And he couldn’t do a thing about it, because every time the boy saw his face, he instantly renewed with hope and fondness and they all knew Rosinante didn't have it in him to give Law the cold shoulder. Not anymore. He couldn’t toss him out the window and hope he wouldn't come back. No, they were far too deep in this together.
This was the routine most days.
On every other day, Doflamingo would satisfy his vengeful urges by abusing one of them. And he always made sure the other captive was present to watch. There was never a day Law and Rosi were apart. Rosinante had lost track of how many weeks it had been already, but his brother kept their fear of him fresh in their minds. The torment was never spaced out far enough for their bruises or scrapes to heal before receiving new ones. But maybe the few days rest was to let them build up hope again before tearing it down, brutally.
Like everything else, their punishments came like clockwork. Though Doflamingo got a little more creative with how to humiliate them so they never were quite on gaurd for what was coming next.
It was all too regular, everything planned. Every day Rosi looked for a deviation or opportunity to break from his cycle and yet nothing came.
One advantage of the parasite string is that Doflamingo could go about his own business without actually keeping his eyes glued to him. It was like keeping an invisible leash on Corazon, no actual control over his own body. The schedule was strict, nothing had changed and he continued.
It was becoming scary in its own regard how used to it Rosinante had become.
Another day passed and he expected it to be the same.
When noon came, he made the little tray of food and walked up the stairs to the familiar study room Law had been assigned to. He feels a small pang of happiness knowing he would get to see him. He couldn’t help it.
"Hi Law, are you ready for your break–?" He smiles, but when he strolls into the office and places his lunch down, no one was inside. "Law?"
He looks around as his enslaved body continues on without hesitation, taking the broom in his other hand and beginning to sweep. Oh. He must have gone to the bathroom. Rosi finds himself a little disappointed but he tries not to mope… he would always see him at dinner, even if Doffy will be there as well.
Still. He feels a gloom set over him, this was the only point in his day where he felt even a little bit of comfort.
Before this had happened, he was used to not speaking to Doflamingo, spending long amounts of time with him and following orders. But at least he had been allowed to slip away in the past, entertain himself with the newspaper, smoke.
There was none of that now, and he gradually felt like he was going brain dead from it. Day after day of nothing but watching, held hostage in his own body, then strapped down to his bed to sleep.
He's zoned out, silently hoping Law would be back before he missed him, but the hallways are quiet.
His hands put the broom down at one point and switched to a duster. Around in a circle he went again and he briefly wonders if he could take a nap while on autopilot like this.
Rosi blinks, refocusing as he stops at the table. It's the desk with all the boy's supplies on it, but mostly books and his journal which he was touching for some reason.
Fingers start filing through the notebook that he's seen Law work in everyday. Hand flips the cover open to run the duster up the seam, brushing the eraser bit from the creases before turning over to the next.
It catches his attention as the pages look strange, expecting to see what would be akin to homework. But the writing is thick, sloppy and angrily scrawled, so he reads it.
The first pages are filled to the brim with the same words over and over. Definitely some kind of venting on Law's part.
Phrases any typical angsty teen would write.
I hate you. I'll kill you. Die Die Die.
Rosi just sighs gently. If he was his age and in his situation, he probably would be doing something similar. It hurts his heart seeing the physical manifestation of his suffering carved restlessly into the paper.
More pages have scribbles and rips, then the first coherent thing written is a list.
White Lead Disease, advanced.
Humerus Fracture, recovering.
Eight Contusions, mild to severe.
Insomnia, Anxiety Induced, moderate.
He closes his eyes with a deep breath trying to keep his temper under control as frustration boiled inside him. When he opens them again, he glances over a secondary list underneath the first before he automatically turns the page.
Six Bullet Wounds, recovering.
Upper Lateral Incisor, missing.
Blood Loss, moderate, recovering.
Fever, severe, recovered.
Limp Left Side, slight.
Four Contusions Visible, more assumed.
Insomnia Assumed, severity unknown.
More Trauma Assumed, severity unknown.
Rosinante feels a pang of sadness inside reading what was obviously his status and that it was important to Law to keep track of it even when he couldn't tend to him.
There are more actual notes further in, he recognizes it's mostly about his disease. The most important thing to focus on seeing as he was getting weaker each passing day, death date quickly approaching. Calculations and chemicals, both natural and manufactured. Questions to himself and techniques scribbled down then crossed out as he seemed to rule them out as possible solutions. He's relieved to see more extreme items like amputation and radiation are striked through.
More medical jargon he doesn't understand flies by. Then amidst all the professional notes comes a page formatted differently. It's scarce, seemingly done that way on purpose. The blonde's first thought is that it looks like poetry.
You deserve to be in the ground. Far underneath the dirt. Screaming and burning and twisting in Hell. It's not enough to see you rot, not enough to leave an empty shell.
Get away from us. I'll do something I won't regret. I'm willing to weigh the odds and take a bet that your bones can break just like mine and his, something far deeper than skin.
I'm cursed. Everyone I come in contact with ends up worse. Can I make another person die just from feeling this same kind of pain and hurt?
I will find a way to.
Rosinante shivers. It was dark, but what else did he expect. This was probably the only emotional outlet the boy had for months, months he realizes only after catching the date written at the top of the page. How has it been that long already without a single opening to escape?
His hands continue turning pages and dusting without his input. He keeps scanning over the entries, something unsettling gnawing at him.
It's more of the usual analysis until he comes to a page with a diagram. The human body, despite the fact that he sees the height key at the side going up to nine feet tall. Not too unusual at first, until he starts actually reading it. A cold, nervous sweat percolates on the back of his neck.
There's detailed instructions on how he would dismember a man, piece by piece. Starting with the places he would make the initial incisions, the process of clipping each layer of the epidermis back, seperating the muscles and tendons into groups before snipping away and removing the ones around the joints. The tool he would use to chisel cartilage from the bone. Even the multiple clusters in his wrists and down to smallest knuckles on every finger.
Without fingers, he can't control Cora-san.
Is dutifully noted on a line all by itself, and Rosinante holds his breath. Eyes widen as he can't pull away and he can't turn the page back to triple check he read that right.
More notes on human biology, more heavy handed writing, more diagrams.
He feels nauseous.
One more page of poetry catches his eyes, as much as he wants to stop reading. It's handwriting is softer than the rest.
One day we'll wake up, I'll wipe off your make up and I'll be satisfied when you don't bleed anymore. You'll be the place I call home.
I hope you'll stay, even when I bury him far, far away. I'll see that cute gap toothed smile through a cloud of fog. You'll give it to me, even after I show you what I've done.
I want to fall with you, into the blood and the fire. Infection inspired. I can't cure it.
When I'm with you, I feel lighter, it will be worth it.
His heart is pounding out of his chest, drifting into a state of shock as his hands close the book and the other methodically cleans along the rest of the table.
Rosi screams when he sees Law appear behind him in the doorway.
"O-oh! You startled me." He tries to laugh off, swallowing silently as he makes himself focus on the boy in front of him and not what he just read. "I brought you lunch. Are you okay? Stomach upset?"
"Sort of. The treatment I'm giving myself makes me have to use the bathroom more often is all." Trafalgar smiles a bit to reassure him. Then his eyes land on his journal and he glances back up. "What are you doing?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. Seems like more chores." Rosi tries to say lightly, in a joking way. But it was written all over the boy's face that he hated that he didn't have control of himself. So he quickly changes the subject.
"Your skin is healing!" Despite his concern, he gives Law a genuine smile, truly happy that he seemed to be fighting his disease successfully. At least one thing was going right.
Law gives a little nod, touching his own arm. "I was able to make a heavy metal toxicity medication that's taking it out of my body… slowly but surely."
It tortures Law, how easy it had been to make an antidote, if only they were given resources.
Rosinante grins even more. He wanted to support him through this, he wanted to help, but for now he was so proud of him for being strong.
"That's amazing, Law. You're doing incredible things already, and with your powers I know you're going to be a wonderful doctor and help people everywhere one day."
The boy tilts his head down, hiding under his hat, but his voice gives away that he's flustered by the comment. "Thanks, Cora-san…"
Rosi wished he could do something as simple as hug him, pat his hat playfully or he would even settle for giving him a high five. Any physical reassurance that wasn't Doffy's fists against him. But instead he gathers the cleaning supplies in one hand and the food tray in the other.
"Looks like I have to get going–" He sighs.
"Can't you stay a bit longer? Please?" Law asks in a hurt voice, already knowing the answer.
The tone of it kills Rosinante, but he puts on a brave face. "You know I would if I could! I'll see you really soon for dinner. Quick grab your lunch before I accidentally toss it out."
Law reaches up and grabs the sandwich from the tray he usually has the chance to empty before his guardian is roboted away.
Rosi tries to give him the warmest expression he could before his legs walk him back down the stairs and redirect him to scrubbing floor tiles.
Rosinante is lamenting how much he could go for a cigarette as he stares out the window in the bathroom. Sore hands moving a brush between the wall tiles one at a time as he has done for… too long now.
It's been too many days to count, he wasn't given the privilege of keeping a calendar and honestly, he didn't want to ask Law the date. It only added insult to injury, a depressing reminder that nothing had changed.
And he knows they've been enduring it for an extended amount of time, because Law had grown taller. A little broader. Less spotty. It was gradual but Rosi realized it when Law stood up from his desk and was noticeable closer to his face– not by a lot, he suspected he would always be a couple of feet taller than him. But he was beginning to look less like a child.
Rosinante sighs, feeling especially depressed and tortures himself with hypotheticals because that's all the freedom he was allowed. Endless time to think and wallow in shame.
He wondered if Law's birthday had passed in their time here. Did he know when his birthday was? He must of, they just never celebrated it because up until now it was a reminder that he was one year closer to succumbing to his disease.
He had really wanted to do something special for Law once he was cured. He thought maybe they would stay together for a bit since they had become traitors of both Doflamingo and the Marines. Then the opportunity would arise to ask Law more about himself, help him figure out a new life for himself and… Well. Just make sure he would be happy before Rosinante figured out what to do with himself.
Because let's face it. Even if he couldn't fight against Doflamingo as a Marine, he would have found some other way to do it. Whether he joined a rival pirate gang or secret revolutionary army or what, his bloodline was a shackle on him. He would feel guilty for the rest of his life if he didn't spend it trying to undo the evil his brother brought into the world.
And eventually, Doflamingo would kill him, in every ending. Because he just wasn't adequate enough to stop him.
All of this, all of this torture and failure and suffering was just a detour from that fate.
He feels so agonized. Why was this happening. He would have happily traded his life now if it meant Law didn't have to go through this with him.
Suddenly his hands stop.
It takes Rosinante a moment to come back to reality, but he's fully awake when his fists unclench and the brush and cleaning bottle fall with a loud clatter into the tub.
His body jerks up, he's abandoning his cleaning duty limbo and he's pacing down the hallway to the throne room. His expression widens.
This was different. A variation in the routine. His chest fills with nervous butterflies and a little bit of hope. This might be his chance, if there was maybe an outside threat or distraction, there would be an opportunity. Equally there could be something much, much worse waiting for him.
And of course, there was.
Rosinante comes to a screeching halt in front of the throne. His body waits.
There's cursing getting louder, struggling distinctly in Law's voice and angry replies back in his brother's. That wasn't good. This was horrifying actually.
Soon the tall menacing blonde is walking through the door he has so many times before with the thrashing Trafalgar in hand.
"You're probably wondering why I got you here, this isn't our usual schedule."
He throws Law on the floor, already battered and coughing from a lost fight. The boy tries to pick himself up as blood drips down his nose onto the carpet.
"Your precious boy here thinks he can get brave!"
A vein pops in his forehead as Doffy shows that he cut his hand off, but it's not bleeding– the cut is perfectly sliced like a machine, a glossy window over both sides of his severed wrist showing the meat and capillaries still pumping as if nothing had happened.
Rosi stares at the severed limb in horror, he has flashbacks to that terrifying page in Law's book about dismemberment. But this was weird in a different way. He watches as Doffy flexes his hand independently despite no longer being connected to his body. This must be the work of the Op-op fruit. Did it hurt? What was Law planning to do? Had it been an accidental discovery when he had thought he was striking his brother with full intent to mane him?
Doflamingo reattaches his hand to his body and it snaps back on with ease like a magnet. He can hear Law suck his teeth at him.
"I don't need two hands to kill you Law, but I don't feel like wasting anymore of my energy on you."
The eldest Donquixote takes a seat in his throne. The parasite string in Rosinante's neck shimmers as Doffy rotates his loose hand, fingers flexing as he stretches it.
"My dear little brother Corazon will take the lead this time."
Rosinante's eyes widen and all hope sinks from his body. There was nothing he could do to stop this besides look at the boy desperately and shout orders.
"Law, You have to move! Run! Cut me if you have to!"
Rosi demands and Law seems receptive for a minute. He lifts his head, calls a room and seems like he was actually going to defend himself against him. Good. The blonde accepted it, he rather have his limbs cut off and made a fool of himself then have to torment the teen. Especially if they were to be reconnected so easily, it would be a small sacrifice. It's not like he had control of them anyway for the past year. Years? He might as well have no limbs at this point, it felt the same.
This hope was very brief though as Law got to his feet and readied himself, then hesitated. And he never attacked back.
Rosi easily grabbed him with his long limbs, shaking fist in shirt and pulled him into a gut punch that made Law heave and him cringe. This wasn't the first time he laid his knuckles into a child. This wasn't even the first time he had hit Law in an attempt to scare him away. But it had never been with his full strength. And he continues to frown when he sees the same realization come to the younger's face with a hint of surprise and fear.
Rosinante's strength wasn't something to sneeze at. He was probably as strong as his brother, he just lacked the bloodlust and conviction to be as brutal as him.
This was maybe worse than any punishment he could take himself. He beat him until Law was shaking, wailing after each punch and out of breath. He could only watch and feel shame and regret.
Rosi grips Law by the back of his head, fingers fisting his hair and makes him hold Law in front of Doflamingo.
"Here are your options, Law! You can continue to resist me and Corazon can dish out your punishment from now on. Or, you can be a good little boy and do everything exactly how I say. Your choice."
Rosi shutters, but he can't break free. Left to witness his own body betray him.
The boy can't help but start to cry. He could handle the physical punishment, he knew he could, but mentally he didn't think he could look Rosinante in the eyes and watch him suffer.
"I'll be good…" Law sobs out. "Please don't make Cora-san do this."
Rosinante grinds his teeth.
Doffy was only keeping him around to pressure Law, use his fond view of him against the boy. It made him sick. This isn't how things were supposed to be.
Law was growing into a fine young man, the white lead completely out of his system and in return, puberty had made his height sprout an extra two feet and more to come. Though he knew he would never reach the staggering heights of the giants either side of him.
Doflamingo dresses Law in a navy feathered coat.
This was one of the stipulations that came along with Doffy's demand of "being good" in exchange for Rosinante never having to abuse Law against his will again.
Their own separate punishments still came and went, so Law felt beyond frustrated that he seemed to give up even more of his free will only for things to stay virtually the same.
Only now, Doffy put a smaller, more heart shaped seat next to his altar for Law to sit in sometimes. And Law behaved.
Today was one of those days where he told him to sit and watch. His need for revenge never being quelled and Rosinante would soon be summoned to his beating session. On cue, his zombie legs brought him in and Cora looked dead inside.
Law had already decided that he wouldn't be watching this.
"Doflamingo." The teen says as he rises from his chair.
Doffy looks back questionably over his shoulder and Rosi's soulless pupils slowly glance up as if just registering Law was there.
Law continues, "Let me serve his punishment today."
Doffy raises a brow with interest and Rosi tunes back in with creased brows, wondering where this was going.
"...Oh?" Doffy says.
The teen keeps a hard expression until his captor finally takes a step back and orders his brother to take a seat in his usual, ordinary chair.
"This better be good." Doflamingo agrees as he takes a seat back in his throne and lets Law take his place infront of his brother.
Rosinante meets his gaze. What were you up to kid? This couldn't be an escape attempt could it, in full view of their enslaver in the middle of the afternoon?
There must be something more he wasn't understanding, perhaps the automation was finally affecting his brain–
Law climbs onto his lap and without warning and starts ripping the buttons of his shirt open. Hands quick to run over the older man who had become like a guardian to Law and violates him.
Corazon is shocked speechless, he doesn't know what's going on, what Law was playing at. Was this all a show? Did he lose his mind? Either way he rapidly becomes incredibly unnerved and it shows on his face as he averts his eyes away from both of them and sharply whispers "What the hell–!?"
Law clamps a hand over his mouth, smudging his makeup when he trails his palm off and hooks his thumb into Rosinante's cheek instead. Being very personal and possessive as he stroked his tongue and his teeth, making him whine in question.
"Don't talk unless I say you can talk."
Rosi looks discouraged, then unbelievably stressed when Law teases him further, opposite hand hovering around his belt. He wasn't invading him yet, but the threat was clearly received and he was suddenly terrified that this wasn't a rescue attempt at all. As his fingers traced the brim of his slacks and circled the metal button protecting his decency, it dawned on him he could have lost Law completely. Dear god, he should have acted sooner, Doflamingo has had too much influence over him in his extended time as a maid.
Law tugs his face back towards him and Rosi avoids his eyes.
Doffy watched with intrigue as Law brings his face close and drags his lips loosely up to trace Corazon's jaw, breath against the shell of his ear and Rosi pulled an expression that could only be described as terrible. Being abused by his older brother was sad, sure, but this looked like it was truly ripping his heart to shreds.
"Do you trust me?" Law murmurs.
His voice his a hoarse whisper. It's dropped from that squeaky, angry whine he had as a child. Now it was deep and even, threatening in a different way than the massive man that he was forced to shadow.
He's been honing his skills several years for this. This was the moment they pushed back.
Law carves his sword into his chest.
Like the day he had stabbed Corazon from behind out of pure spite with the intent to kill him. Only it was not a secret as he displayed the act in full view of his malicious brother.
Rosinante makes a noise in surprise, a croak. His heart was racing and he would have struggled if he could. Maybe the end would come sooner than he thought. But as seconds turned into minutes, he didn't feel the familiar sensation of warm blood flowing down over him and ruining his white slacks.
Law jumps off his lap and strolls back over in front of their captor as if nothing strange had happened.
Doffy has a brow raised all the way to his hairline and the older waits for an explanation.
"You wanted a reaction didn't you?" Law says lowly. "Doing the same thing gets dull. I get creative."
Doflamingo erupts into laughter, a hand slapped to his head in awe as Law stands infront of him. "What a fucked up little shit you are! Subjecting Corazon to that type of torture, you do know he sees you like a pathetic little adopted son? How vile. Even that makes my skin crawl."
Rosinante watches Law's head lower slightly, he can't see it well with his back to him but there's a faint, humiliated blush on his cheek bones right under his dark eyes. He hides it under his hat as Doffy towers over him.
The teen brings a hand out from beneath his feathered cloak and Rosinante gasps seeing what he's presenting him.
"Doflamingo." Law starts. "Let Corazon have free range of the castle, and if he tries to disobey you simply squeeze his heart and it will stop him."
Doffy's smile grows ever more wicked. He takes the offer and looks as the heart pumps anxiously in his hand.
"How does that sound?" Law hisses.
Rosinante smokes a cigarette. It was from the same pack that had been unmoving from the side table in Doffy's office for almost three years now, kept there as a constant temptation he could never reach.
They were so unbelievably stale. But Rosi didn't care. He was considering smoking the whole pack anyway, just to take the edge off. He knows fully well it'll never leave, but this was a step in the right direction.
He walks from his balcony back into his room when he finishes a few, closing the door. He could only stand outside in the smog for so long until it unsettles his stomach. He never known a place with so much air pollution as this tiny island.
He rubs the back of his neck, looking at his bed. This was the first night he'd be allowed to sleep in it without being shackled. His brother must be very confident in himself and the thought that death would stop him from getting Law out of here. It would be so doable, smuggling him on a cargo ship or even finding the nearest marine squad with orders to ship him straight to Sengoku. Then he would stay here to delay Doffy from pursuing him, try to figure out how to save himself, but even if he couldn't, he would be okay with that. Law came first. It was more important to have Law be free than anything.
He contemplates a bit more, he shouldn't rush into this but he also didn't want to miss his chance. Maybe the options that completely disregard his own life were the most likely to get the teen out of here.
Before he could change into something more comfortable to sleep in or get ready for bed, there's a knock at his door, judging from how low on the door it came from it wasn't his brother.
He opens it, despite what had happened, Rosinante was relieved to see Law. The tall blonde moves aside so that he can enter and closes his door behind him.
Rosi casts a calm calm bubble while they talk, not trusting the walls for a second.
"I hope you have a plan." Rosi starts, a bit restlessly.
Law looks down at the floor, then he shuffles a hand into his large, feathered coat again. He pulls out a second heart trapped in his clear cube powers. It's notably bigger than the one he gave Doffy.
"Yours." He holds it out.
Rosinante blinks, then feels more relief than he was expecting to ever feel while imprisoned here. Law had been acting of course– He didn't know he was such a good actor that he had even convinced him there was something genuine in his little show haha...
He sits on the edge of his bed to ease the staggering height difference between them and unbuttons his shirt. The hole in his chest that had closed opens again and Law slides his heart back into his chest.
"I'm working on it… but for now I don't want you to be chained up anymore. It's been too long having to watch you like that…"
Law's eyes go soft and hurt, thumb tracing over the rope burn over his wrists after his hand drops from Rosinante's pec.
He makes a fist, turning his hand over. "You don't have to worry about that, another scar isn't going to matter. But this is good, I couldn't do anything to help you while being controlled every waking moment."
Law holds his hand, smaller fingers wrapped around his bigger digits protectively.
"I did worry. I need you to be okay too Cora-san. I won't stand by and watch him abuse you anymore."
Rosi sighs gently. Finally, finally an opportunity. And it was all thanks to Law's strategy. "Thank you. I'll get us out of here somehow."
He lifts his head, and he's taken back at how close the teen's face is to his own.
Law leans in more and before he knew it he was placing a chaste peck on his lips. Rosinante recoils back, firm hand on his shoulder pushing him to a normal distance.
Rosi takes a pained breath. All relief leaves his body instantly.
"Law I… I wasn't acting out there. Doing something like that makes me uncomfortable." Cora says.
Law freezes, some indescribable emotion briefly flashes over his features. Then it shifts to restrained embarrassment.
Rosi mentally kicks himself, he shouldn't have blurted that out– he just couldn't help it. It was his gut reaction. It was the truth but maybe it could have waited until things weren't so dire and depressing.
This was a horribly fragile situation and he stumbled through it like a bull in a china shop. He's always been clumsy but he should have been just a little more tactful.
Before he can amend it, Law wiggled out of his grasp and backs away. Pupils looking away.
"Right– I'm sorry I'll just– Goodnight, Corazon."
He runs away out the door and closes it behind him before Rosinante could decide what to do.
A new part of Law's routine was shadowing Doflamingo in his business ventures. He kept him close and was often irritating his ear with chatter and demanding suggestions. He wasn't particularly interested in finance and business, so that made sitting with the man he hated and behaving all the harder.
He bounces his leg, looking out the window to boring fog, counting the dips in the ceiling molding, twisting off feathers from his coat. Anything to entertain him while he gave the older Donquixote one word answers.
Eventually Doffy sits back and starts lazily flipping through one of his portfolios.
Law thinks he's finally going to get a break until he speaks up again.
"What did you and Corazon talk about the other night?"
He knew this was coming, Doflamingo kept a careful eye on him and he knew he saw him visit his brother. But they both knew that wasn't strange, seeing as his first priority was trying to make Corazon more comfortable. It was clear Law was thinking about him so he prepared to double down on it to lose suspicion.
"I wanted to check if he had any more wounds, tell him how much I missed seeing him be himself and make sure he was alright." He squints at Doffy with a scowl.
"Mmmhm. I could guess as much." There's a pause. "You expect me to believe that's all?"
Law scoffs, "Yes, because I care about him and just being able to give him a check up is enough to make me happy."
"Yeah? The idea that he could run his hands against you himself didn't spark anything?" He teases harshly with a laugh.
Law tenses up, not expecting to hear something so blunt from him about his own relative.
Doffy continues with a hum. "I know how you feel about him. It's the main reason I keep such a useless man around."
Law sits awkwardly, trying not to show it but it was clear the thought bothered him. That the visual was… tempting.
"Why don't you just have your way with him, he can't say no to either of us. I won't help with such a thing obviously. But that's what you really want isn't it? You're in the perfect position to take, and he can't say no." Doffy grins, planting the seeds of evil in the teen's brain.
Law shrinks even more into his seat, a hand clawing tight into the fabric of his thigh.
"What's stopping you, Lawsy? You have my permission. Think of it as a treat, for being such a good boy recently."
Rosinante isn't expecting another visit from Law so soon, but he's happy to open the door for him. He does what's expected, casting a calm spell and locking the door for maximum privacy.
He notices the unease on his face right away. "Are you okay? What did he do?" Rosinante feels like an asshole for asking the obvious, but he couldn't help it. He wished he could do something, he will soon.
Law's brows crease further, shaking his head.
"I just…" He can't find the words, opting to crawl up on Corazon's bed and collapse instead. Rosinante sits next to him, a comforting hand on his upper back.
"You can stay here as long as you need, I'll take any flack from Doflamingo. You deserve to feel safe."
There's frustration in the blonde's voice. Law shifts again, sitting up.
"I only want to be with you, Cora-san… I just want to… have you kiss me and have you feel the same way. It's all I want." He admits with a borderline tearful voice.
Rosinante is cringing inside. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Why was this happening now!? This was the worst possible time. He didn't have time to navigate the teen's messy feelings while their lives were on the line.
"Can– we talk about this later? I'm here for you okay? I'm not going anywhere and we have to think about more important things–"
"No, Cora-san, I can't take this anymore! I need you now, or I don't know how I'm going to keep going on like this!" There's anger and sass in his voice, demanding. And Rosinante doesn't appreciate it.
He stares at him, brows creased as he says firm and unamused "I'm not doing anything like that, forget it."
Law stares back. They glare at another and its tense. Silent a moment longer until something ticks over.
"Room."
"Law– Don't–"
"Parasite Sutures."
He refused to acknowledge he heard that right. But Rosi can't ignore that something is stabbing him. And the horrible sight of Law flexing his fingers in a familiar fashion to his brother.
Law was controlling him, he couldn't move himself and the terrible pdsd floods his mind. His arm raises up, wide hand touches Law's chest, then moves his hand downward an inch before Rosinante screams at him.
"LAW I said don't!"
His arm stutters and Law's fingers stop as he hangs his head in shame, he bares his teeth, frustrated tears falling.
He lets the room go and Rosinante is released, Law quickly snatches his big hand in his own and presses his palm against his cheek.
"Cora-san please I-I… I don't want to feel Doflamingo's hands on me anymore. I want to feel yours. Please please…"
With swishing, raging hormones crashing inside him along all the mental turmoil, he felt insane. In his heart he knew it wasn't right, there's no way to get Rosinante to love him back the way he desperately craved. But his body was so eager and needy and maybe if he could just take what he wanted once in this forsaken hell, then he would feel better, just for a few minutes.
Law starts sobbing, he was so fucked up. No wonder Cora didn't love him back. "I'm so sorry…!"
Rosinante pulls him into a hug and shushes him. Despite this mess, he kisses his cheek kind and chastefully, protective like a parent.
"It's okay. Everything is fucked up right now, it's hard to cope. You have to be strong. Don't give into him... we need to escape."
He was so disgusted, beyond mourning what the older had done to this boy. How he had twisted him into knots until he got to this point.
"Hang in there a little bit longer, please… I'll make things better soon."
Rosinante couldn't wait for the right opportunity anymore, he decided.
Law returns to Doffy later that evening after clinging to Rosinante and crying into his shoulder for the better part of an hour.
Doflamingo doesn't move his head from his papers but smiles slightly wider. "You have lipstick on your cheek."
Law thought he had composed himself and was ready for anything, but he flushes red embarrassed and quickly wipes his face.
Rosinante was too clumsy, too desperate and too dumb to do anything right.
He thought maybe if he wanted it badly enough, he could make an opportunity. He confronted his brother after being caught in the act, and he knew it was all over from that point.
All Rosinante had was stealth and plans and yet he fucked up before he could even get Law out the door. It didn't even matter what his escape attempt was. He was too hasty. All he wanted was to set him free before Law endured something that would break his mental state completely. He was terrified, sloppy and the right moment couldn't come soon enough before Corazon found himself beaten and riddled with bullets again.
He was good for nothing, and he wasn't even conscious as he bled out on the floor with Doflamingo and Law stood over him.
"This–" Doffy has the fake heart in his hand and crushes it straight through the op-op fruit's bubble, turning it into a mushy pulp. "–Was not the insurance you said it was. I don't like being lied to by some little brat who thinks he's smarter than me. So we're settling this now."
"Let go of me! Let me treat him!" Law insists in a panic.
"Here's the deal, kid. You perform the immortal surgery on me and in exchange, I'll let you keep Corazon."
There's an unmistakable twang of evil in Doflamingo's voice as his real intentions come to a head. And Law knows he shouldn't show his reaction, but he's racked by a full body shiver.
"Then you can run away with him and do whatever your sick little heart desires. How's that for a trade?"
Law's heart is caught up in his throat and he can't swallow it back down. He balls his fists, needing to keep a clear head now more than ever. But he feels it slipping.
"Why would I want that?" He bluffs.
It's such a pitiful bluff. Such a blatant lie that Doflamingo doesn't just chuckle, he laughs long and hard until Law feels his face burning.
So fucking obvious that he would die for Corazon if push came to shove. It was immensely, painfully obvious.
"Don't make me say it again. What is your answer. Yes, or No?" Doffy hisses through his curled up lips. "You did so much just to try and keep him alive… It would be a shame if all that effort went to waste now."
The teenager felt cornered, too much pressure, too many feelings and too little time as his beloved guardian's crimson spread from his body and across the floor under his shoes. He shook with anger and fear and possibility of losing the person he cared about again raked him raw.
He felt so hopeless. Corazon had taken such a big risk for him. He had to save him, somehow.
"Alright. I'll do it."
There's a surprised gasp and the sound of ruffling fabric as Rosinante stirs. He was starting to get real tired of passing out and waking up in unfamiliar situations.
"Cora-san– You're awake already."
He came to much quicker than Trafalgar anticipated judging from the tone he used. It was somehow uneasy and relieved at the same time.
"Don't get up yet."
Rosinante blinks his eyes open slowly, Law's silhouette is close to him. The first thing he asks is, "Are you okay?"
The younger man smiles under his surgical mask, a warmth blooming in him just briefly.
"Yeah, I'm okay. I, um… brought you to the infirmary."
This wasn't a strange or foreign sight to him now, the young doctor in his medical uniform while he tended to him. He had done so for several days when they first were captured. Thank goodness he had grown into a much more capable man in their unfortunate time spent here.
But against Law's better wishes, Rosinante quickly sits up. Because he has the energy to do so and wants to get his bearings.
He startles, laid in the medical cot next to him was a long and tall body draped completely in sheets. He recognizes a couple of still fingers peeking out the side, gaudy rings confirming their owner without a doubt.
But he was motionless. Lifeless.
His eyes widened, "What happened?" He snaps his head to Law, as if he was going to tell him that wasn't him. That perhaps it was somehow a string clone, or a doppelganger. Anything that made sense. Because what his eyes told him was impossible.
The doctor pulls his mask down, giving him a view of his even frown. He wouldn't look the surviving Donquixote brother in the eyes though. Rosinante raises his voice, frantic.
"Law, what happened!?"
His frown stretches further, wobbling, but Trafalgar eventually takes a breath.
"Doflamingo… made a deal with me. While you were unconscious."
His heart sinks, but he was still being unbelievably vague. The young adult clams up again. Rosinante wanted to push, it taking all his strength to not shake the first hand account out of him. He was the only one left alive that knew what happened!
"Law!"
Trafalgar bunches his shoulders, flinching. But manages to spit it out.
"For the immortal surgery… He didn't know the details of how it worked… so he had to trust me to perform it." He continues quietly, Corazon anxiously hanging onto every word. "I never told him that I can use someone else's life instead of my own to do the procedure… And… A-And… I couldn't… get to you in time while working on him… s-so… so I…" His voice cracks tearfully. And Rosinante slowly tries to piece together how we got here. Why Law sounded terrified.
He glances at the lifeless sheet again, looks at the IV in his own arm, how the young adult won't look at him besides the fact that his scrubs were caked in red. Something involving the two of them… and the immortal surgery… had happened.
Then Rosi touches under his open shirt. Inexplicably, all the pain and sores were gone. His scars were still there, soft skin absolutely littered with them. But he shouldn't feel perfect. There was no natural explanation for it.
He replayed his words carefully in his mind again.
Then his jaw dropped.
"You didn't…" Rosinante's voice dies in his throat, barely a whisper gets out. He grips his chest harder as pure shock takes over him. Pale and breathless, he feels a sweat breaking out. No, he didn't… He couldn't have.
Only a monster could have.
"Cora-san…" Law is still covered up to his elbows with blood. His brother's blood. He's a murderer, but the act of what he's done is beyond comprehension. No human should have to digest these circumstances. He didn't want this, Law had operated on him completely against his will. Given him something too grand, irreversible and unwanted. "Cora-san please… I…"
He watches tears well up and fall down the doctor's face. But he's back lit, and Rosinante doesn't know if he's been more scared of a person in his life. Law's front was drowned in shadow, his shoulders shaking, voice desperate. He knows what he's done. And he knows it's against God.
"I had to do it." He chokes out. "Please Cora, I know what it looks like but it was the only way I could save us from him… I had to… kill him. And save you."
There aren't words to describe the feeling flooding Rosinante's chest. It was ice cold, sickening, he wanted to throw up. How could something like this happen?
"Please…." Law hangs his head, practically sobbing now, he knows what he's done is unforgivable. Rooted in the same, moral less evil that Doflamingo had inflicted on them day in and day out. But the worst part of it was that Law wasn't even fazed by the act itself. It was easy to take the elder brother's life and give it to the man he loved. He enjoyed it even, digging through Doffy's body and destroying it. The boy was now horrified that the love of his life would reject him for committing such heinous malpractice. What further atrocities he might have to commit to keep him here. Showing Cora-san the true monster he'd become. Selfishly shaping Corazon into what he wanted so that Law could reap the fruits of his extended life. So he could relish every second of his company the way Doflamingo had enjoyed watching him suffer every day for the past five years. The kind, good natured Rosinante was an object for twisted, ravenous men like Doffy and Law to take advantage of. Law didn't want to let Corazon go, and he had went to extreme lengths to obtain him. Rip him out of the clutches of another murderer so he could keep him all to himself.
And all Law could do was rely on that kind heart and good nature, and ask Corazon to do that only of a saint. Ask him to forgive him.
"Please Cora-san, don't run away from me. I won't hurt you the way he did, I… I love you. Give me the chance to talk to you about this– about everything. Please." Law's sniffling and huffing quietly, rubbing a hand against his face absent-mindedly and smearing the blood against his features.
Rosinante stares at his own hands fisted in the sheets on his lap. He can't look at Law in the eyes. And yet he was… indebted to him. This young man who he was willing to lay his life down for at one point had gone far above anything Cora was capable of. The man who had played Doflamingo's deprived games, learned his sick patterns and knew how to gain his trust enough to beat him. Law had challenged him and took his place.
Corazon, Rosinante, often couldn't find words when faced with people like this. Just as he had been targeted by Doflamingo's blood law, a remnant of familiar bonds, now he sees shackles of love form in Law's eyes. A tether that would not be easily severed after all they had been through.
He finds himself at the center of another sick man's obsession.