|| Stars, Bonds, Scales, and Tears! ||
Six months. It has been six months since Corazon, Law, and Daisuke left the Donquixote Family to try to find a cure for Law's disease.
In those six months things became pretty routine. Sail to an island, talk to the hospitals there, get kicked out only to have Corazon burn them to the ground after beating up the so-called 'doctors,' camp out in the woods before sailing off to another island to rinse and repeat.
Of course, sometimes the three would have to go shopping on the island they were currently on for mandatory supplies. Which mostly just consisted of Daisuke doing the shopping.
Daisuke knew that Corazon's heart was in the right place, even though they hadn't gotten any closer to saving Law's life, and Law was running out of time.
It was late at night. The forest was quiet, and the sky was so clear you could see the stars. Daisuke sat near the edge of the cliff that was by the group's current campsite.
When Corazon came back, he saw the fire had died out and was now a pile of dead kindle. He then saw Daisuke's figure, who's back was facing him.
The tall bird made his way over to where Daisuke was seated, seeing Law asleep in Daisuke's lap. Daisuke had rested his hand over Law's smaller frame, giving the boy support he didn't even knew he needed to sleep.
Daisuke didn't look away from the stars as he acknowledged Corazon's presence. "Cora-san," Daisuke began as Corazon sat down next to the two boys.
Corazon looked to Daisuke as he continued, "How many stars do you think are up there?"
Corazon gave Daisuke a bit of a confused look before following the boy's gaze to the stars. The dark blue sky was littered with them, making it look like a reflection of the heavens.
Corazon flicked the cigarette that hung from his mouth as he leaned back on his arms. "I don't know for sure," he said his deep voice matching the nighttime atmosphere, "but my guess is definitely a lot. Why do you ask?"
Daisuke's lips softly curled into a smile as he looked down at Law's sleeping figure for a brief moment before turning to meet Corazon's eyes.
"Mother-sama used to say that when we pass on, we'll become the stars of the sky so we can look over the people we left behind. And the better a person you were, the brighter a star you'd become."
Corazon gave the boy a sad gaze before he chuckled. "Well, your mother sure was wise," Corazon said as he looked up to the nighttime sky again, "yes, I do agree with that. I suppose you were trying to find her star?"
Daisuke sadly nodded. "Y-Yeah," he yanwed slightly, "I was."
Corazon smiled as he put his hand on Daisuke's shoulder. "I'm sure your parents, and Law's, are some of the brightest stars out there."
Law whimpered quietly at the mention of his parents, even though he was asleep. Hearing his whimper, Daisuke and Corazon both looked to the boy who was still asleep in Daisuke's lap.
Daisuke lightly caressed Law's cheek with his knuckles, making Law fall back into a soundless sleep. "You really think so, Cora-san?"
Corazon nodded. "Of course! They would have to have been amazing people to raise such great kids like you and Law."
Daisuke smiled brightly at Corazon's words. He then yawned again, feeling his eyelids getting heavier. He leaned into Corazon's side, enjoying the fuzzy warmth Corazon's coat brought.
"I know that one day, Cora-san, you'll become the brightest star of them all. So bright, in fact, that you'll be used to guide people home!" Daisuke tiredly chimed as he relaxed into Corazon's side, his hold on Law tightening.
Corazon couldn't help the happy tears that began to form in his eyes. Luckily for him, though, Daisuke was too tired to have noticed.
Within a few moments, Corazon heard the slow, shallow breathing of Daisuke. Looking to his side, he saw that Daisuke had fallen asleep with Law in his arms.
Corazon chuckled as he brushed the tears away with a flick of his thumb. He then carefully laid Daisuke on the ground, Law now on Daisuke's chest. "Goodnight, you two." Corazon said with a smile.
────𖤐────
The next day, Daisuke went into town with Law while Corazon prepared the boat for them to head to the next island, much to Law's displeasure.
Law had his hands in his sweatshirt pocket, looking down on the ground to keep people from noticing the white patches of skin that were coating his face.
"Why couldn't you have just left me with Corazon, Daiko-ya?" Law wondered as he followed closely to Daisuke, only briefly looking up to occasionally meet the older boy's eyes.
"'Cause Cora-san probably would've accidentally knocked you overboard. And you know in a panic he'd jump in after you, and as a Devil Fruit User like myself, he can't swim." Daisuke replied, his answer making a lot of sense to Law.
"I guess, but still," Law continued on, still showing his discomfort of being around many other people during such a prime stage in his disease, "I don't feel comfortable being here."
Daisuke let out a chuckle. "We're only here to pick up one thing, Kid," Daisuke hummed as Law watched his pale blue eyes scan the many shops of the town, looking for something specific. "Once we get it, we'll go."
Hearing the eager tone in his voice, Law seemed to put the pieces together. "Did you smoke the rest of your cigarettes again last night?"
Daisuke let out a nervous chuckle, his eyes speeding up as they scanned around. "Heh heh... no... I uh... actually smoked them all a few nights ago..." he stuttered over himself.
Law smugly smiled at Daisuke's stutter. "If you say so, Daiko-ya."
Daisuke's cheeks went pink for a moment before his eyes settled on something.
He paused, watching a vendor of some kind hand a woman a sheet of paper. The woman's eyes widened before she bounded off, tearing a piece of the paper off and handing it over to someone.
Law watched in confusion as Daisuke's eyes lit up. "They sell Vivre Cards here? That's..." he paused, a smile growing across his face, "That's so ace!"
Law tilted his head, still very confused. "What's a Vivre Card? What was so special about that sheet of paper?" Law wondered, confusion etched across his features.
Daisuke's smile simply widened as he pulled Law over to the vendor, not answering any of Law's questions.
Once the two got to the vendor, Law hid himself behind Daisuke. He wasn't a particularly shy person, but with his disease at such a visible state he couldn't help his anxiety.
The vendor was a large man with dark hair, eyes, and skin. He had a scar that ran across his cheek to the end of his jaw. "Yo-ho! Welcome! I guess I know why you're here, aye? To make a Vivre Card?" His voice was deep, but very vibrant and cheerful.
He hadn't taken notice of Law yet, as his eyes seemed locked with Daisuke's deep, sapphire-blue pair. Daisuke gave a nod, making the vendor smile brightly.
"Excellent! I suppose you know how this works, but do you need a rundown young man?" The vendor asked Daisuke.
"Nope," Daisuke replied in a cheerful tone that was almost on par with the vendor's, "I'm familiar with how this works."
The vendor's smile never faded as he grabbed an odd-looking tool that gave Law a sick feeling in his stomach. Although, Daisuke's aura never dulled as he willing held out his hand to the vendor.
Law watched with fearful, widened eyes as the vendor clutched the bladed part of the silver tool around the end of one of Daisuke's fingers. Within a second, the tool made a "click" sound before the vendor pulled it away.
Law felt his eyes relax as he noticed that all the tool did was clip of Daisuke's middle fingernail. There was a bit of blood on the end, but Daisuke's fingernails weren't the longest because of his... line of work.
The vendor didn't seem startled by the blood either, probably because Daisuke wasn't the first customer to have the vendor's tool take off a bit too much fingernail.
Then, after taking the nail out of the tool, the vendor went to work. It was a quick process, and when he was done, he handed a similar sheet of paper to Daisuke that he handed to the woman just moments prior.
"There you go, young man! That'll be 115 Berí!" Daisuke effortlessly paid the vendor his Berríes. With a smile from both, the vendor waved Daisuke goodbye as Daisuke took Law's hand and walked off.
"What was that for? What even is that thing?" Law asked once he and Daisuke got to a secluded area. Hopefully Daisuke would answer his questions this time.
"That was the process it takes to make a Vivre Card," Daisuke explained, tearing off a corner from the sheet like the woman had done, "this is a Vivre Card."
He held the corner up before giving it to Law. He was a bit hesitant, but he let Daisuke place the corner in his palms. "What is a Vivre Card? And what's the purpose of this?"
Daisuke simply smiled, folding the rest of the sheet in his pale hands before shoving it into the back pocket of his jeans. "That card will make it so that no matter where we are in the world, you'll always be able to find me."
Law gave Daisuke a look of disbelief. "Daiko-ya, this is a piece of paper. Not a compass."
Daisuke chuckled, "You trust me don't you, Kid? Just hold on to that. It'll come in handy in the future. Promise."
Law locked his silver eyes with Daisuke's deep blue before sighing and putting the piece of paper Daisuke gave him into the pocket of his sweatshirt. "Okay, Daiko-ya, I'll hold on to your magic comapss paper."
Daisuke laughed. "Ha-ha! That's brill! Anyway, let's pick me up some smokes and head back to Cora-san before he sets the boat on fire."
Realising that they left Corazon, the klutziest man in the world, to set up their wooden boat for travel made Law's breath hitch in his throat. "R-Right... we should hurry up." Law agreed.
Daisuke smiled as he pat Law on the head, the two now making the search for some pocky.
────𖤐────
It was a nighttime once again, this time the sky was completely cloudless. Yet the stars couldn't be seen. The moon was at its peak, casting the world into a blue glow. Corazon was still awake, he had been for the past few hours.
The group's camp rested on what appeared to be the edge of a forest, aided by a cliffside that overlooked the sea, where Corazon was seated.
Corazon leaned his head back, chugging the contents of the alcohol bottle in his hand down his throat. Some of the yellowish liquid trailed down the sides of his chin, cascading down his neck and onto his pale green shirt.
He watched as the many maps he owned drifted a top of the sea, bouncing along with the waves. This island, like all the others, treated Law like a rabid, diseased animal rather than a sick, dying child.
"What am I doing...?" He groaned to himself, lowering his head down in shame. "I've been repeatedly making the kid from the tragic town relive the tragedy, and he hasn't gotten any better. And I've dragged Daiko into this mess... am I doing it for 'D.'?"
He briefly shook his head. "No, I don't care about that anymore," he huffed as he stood up, angrily throwing the glass bottle on the rocky ground.
Of course, it shattered, but the sound didn't seem to have disturbed the sleeping boys.
Corazon's shoulders began shaking along with the rest of his body. "I have... I have been feeling sorry for him. Law!" He cried out to no one in particular as he turned around, stumbling slightly as he walked over to where Daisuke and Law were.
Law laid on the ground in a simple yellow sweatshirt and a black pair shorts, the tan sheet that was once covering his body was only covering his legs.
His arms were out in sort of a t-shaped posed, and Daisuke was with him, in his dragon form, sleeping in a crescent shape where his pure white, scaled, reptilian head was angled at Law's side.
The two had fallen asleep a while ago, Law doing so before Daisuke. Corazon noticed how their breathing was slow and even, almost at a matching pace. Daisuke's scale-covered body seemed to be reflecting the moon's light, but in a calming way.
"I'm sure you don't want this idiot who just keeps hurting you to say something like this, but," Corazon dropped to his knees as he pulled the beige sheet over Law's sleeping figure.
He put his hand to Law's cheek as he continued, unaware of the shifting presence of the Dragon-Human. "You're still a rude little boy, and hearing you say "I'll die soon" is... heartbreaking..."
Daisuke's larger head subconsciously pushed up against Law's side, and in response, the boy shifted in his sleep to better face the reptile form Daisuke was currently in.
"You... stabbed me... that day but... it didn't hurt at all!" At this point, Corazon had begun crying. He made no attempt to wipe his tears away, or even try to stop them in the first place. "I knew that you were the one in pain! You poor thing! Law!"
Corazon's voice cracked as two teardrops fell from his eyes, landing on Law's hat. Corazon then stood up, his voice still quivering with whimpers as he slowly walked away.
But, what he didn't notice, was that Law was awake the whole time. Eyes wide as he heard everything.
Corazon tripped, falling on his back but he didn't move from his spot. At that time, however, Law started to tear up at what he heard. He shut his eyes tight, trying to stop the waterworks but it was to no avail.
A smirk edged its way onto Daisuke's reptilian features. He opened one of his eyes, the brilliant green hue of the orb landing on Law.
Daisuke watched him whimper quietly, tears streaming down his face for a few moments before pushing his snout against Law's chest as if silently telling the boy that everything was okay.
Of course, Daisuke showed no signs of actually being awake. Instead, he made his actions seem like a reaction to hearing Law cry. Law didn't seem to care as he clung to Daisuke, trying to fall back asleep but effectively failing.
Daisuke chuckled to himself, going unnoticed by Law. See Kid? Not so bad once you get to know him.
────𖤐────
The next morning, Daisuke was woken up by the chirping of seagulls and the sounds of Law making breakfast.
He let out a yawn, catching Law's attention as Daisuke stretched out his large, white scaled wings.
"Morning, Daiko-ya," Law greeted softly as he looked over his shoulder at Daisuke before looking back at the hanging pot that hovered over a small flame, "breakfast's almost ready."
Daisuke perked up at the sound of that, his feeler-like ears perking up like a dog's. He then turned back to his human form, letting out a big stretch with his arms.
Several joints popped at his action, but he seemed so used to it by now that he didn't notice. He then stood up, making his way over to Law whilst brushing the dirt from the ground off his sweatshirt.
"Last night was rough, huh? Get any sleep?" Daisuke asked as he stood by Law. Law nodded, his attention mostly on the pot in front of him. "Oh, that's good, at least. Cora-san sure seemed upset 'bout somethin'."
Law paused at Daisuke's words, his cheeks turning red as he got the implication that Daisuke heard what Corazon said last night as well.
Seeing the boy's now red cheeks and his stiffened form, Daisuke let out a laugh. A genuine one that Law didn't think he'd ever really heard from him before.
His laugh is... cute...
Hearing that thought in his mind made his cheeks darken to a colour he didn't even think was possible. Don't let him see this, please don't let him see this!
"Why don't you go wake up Cora-san?" Daisuke mused after he stopped laughing, gesturing to the sleeping bird who was laying against a rock, sleeping peacefully under the sun. "You seem to be pretty much done with breakfast."
Law gave a nod as he walked away from the hanging pot, the ladle still in his hand as he made his way over to Corazon. Once his back was turned to Daisuke, and he knew Daisuke's attention was now on the pot, he let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding as the colour subsided from his cheeks.
What the hell was that? Law shook the thought away, not wanting to dwell to much into it. "Cora-san," he called out to Corazon, stepping in front of the sleeping bird, "oi, Cora-san!"
Corazon's amber-coloured eyes slowly opened as he lifted his head up to see Law, Daisuke's figure behind him. "Breakfast is ready."
Corazon suddenly sat up, his eyes going wide and his jaw dropping. "What's with that face?!" Law barked, making Daisuke look over his shoulder to see Law pointing the ladle at Corazon.
"You just called me Cora-san..." Corazon trailed, still surprised as he pointed to himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the smile on Daisuke's face before he went back to looking at the fire under the pot. "Shut up and eat breakfast!" Law snapped, raising his voice to hide the embarrassment he felt.
Corazon's shocked expression dropped as it then formed into a large, genuine, closed-eyed smile.