Doflamingo x Reader

Part 16

Law froze. What were you apologising for? He should be the one apologising to you for making you worry so much. You took his hand in yours and brought them to your lips as your maternal instincts kicked in.

"I won't die, Y/N-ya...not yet," he spoke and he saw how you frowned at his acceptance of death. "I want to watch Luffy....defeat him and if he doesn't I'll die here."

"You have to live Law," you protested. "You must. For Rosi—
"Look at me! I failed to avenge him! I failed to protect you."

"You can't protect me!" You raised your voice, the aura around you growing heavy.

"If I can't then who will! How could you sit by and watch this country fall to pieces because of that man?! How could you stand by and do nothing!"

"To do nothing is often the best course of action", you calmly responded to his cries of anguish. "To do nothing is the hardest job of all. And it takes every ounce of energy that I have."

"Then why do you stay with him and do nothing about Cora's death? Don't you want to avenge him?!" Law wanted answers, tears were threatening to fall from his eyes.

"Law...when the world ripped away everything from me when I was a girl, I had nothing. After everything I've been through with him, he gave me back the dignity I lost. He gave me everything."

"Is that it? You're indebted to him?"

"He has killed for me."

You took a deep breath to calm yourself before speaking once more.

"I understand if you see this to be the most twisted love story you've ever heard but that's the thing Law. It's twisted. It was never easy with him but I made it work because a part of me wanted him...loved him. We almost die—
"Died together." He finished eyes shutting at guilt and frustration,that you, the woman he saw as his mother had been ensnared by Doflamingo. "How could you love him, Y/N-ya?"

The question caught you off guard and to you it felt like a dagger to your chest, and Law knew whatever answer you would give him would frighten him and shatter the image and memories he had of you.

You were good. He knew you were not a monster like Doflamingo was. But as you sadly gazed down at him, he was given another heart wrenching truth.

"We don't get to choose whom we love."

Law saw the anguish and helplessness in your eyes. And now he understood. You never chose to have fallen in love with Doflamingo. Corazon didn't choose to have fallen in love with you.

"In the first flush of a romantic love..." A tear rolled down your cheek, your heart breaking as you let the truth you always wanted to deny, slipped from your lips. A forced smile that was the saddest smile Law had ever seen on you.

"We're all blind. We see only what we want to see."

Cavendish did his best not to eavesdrop in the most intimate conversation between you and Law but he listened. Even he could hear the voice torn by duty, love and the most poignant of all, a wife's fidelity and a mother's mercy.  He didn't know you personally but only as the Queen of Dressrosa who was loved more than feared by its people, and yet that love for their former Queen turned to ashes in your mouth.

"He loved you..." Law muttered, shaking his head. You knew full well who he was talking about, and it tore at your heart even more.

"I-I know, Law. I know."

"The words you said to me before...when I was just ten. I remember them still, back then I never fully understood it but now I do..."

He briefly paused before reciting your very exact words, each word feeling like a thousand arrows to your chest.
"We do what we must for the people we love. You'll learn that when you do love someone, you'll do things for them that you know you shouldn't do. You'll act the fool to make them happy..."Law took your hand in his and held it tight. "...to keep them safe."

"Law—"

"You and Cora-san were the last two people I  truly believed in...truly loved. You can keep telling me to stay away and to stop fighting. But Cora-san would never do that. He'd fight back till his very last breath. He would lie to make sure the people he loved would be safe. Cora-san did that. For me.

For you. Could you look me in the eyes and tell me that Doflamingo would do the same?"

Law looked you in the eyes, his grey orbs full of unwavering conviction. The look in them reminding you of the man who had saved him. Who had died in your arms. Who had died protecting Law.

And when Law said the following words, it was as if you heard Rosinante's voice laced with his own.

"We don't get to choose the people we love but we do have the choice to protect them."