It had only been a week since Law had taken Summer to the cemetery with him, but in that time, a partial weight seemed to have lifted from his shoulders. All that anxiety he'd been feeling beforehand had washed away. Though, he did begin to feel a bit foolish anyways.
She'd been so understanding and patient, never complaining that he was so closed off and secluded when it came to his personal life and his past. She'd never demanded. Never accused. Only waited for when he was comfortable to bring it up himself. How refreshing of a concept. Why had he feared anything different? Law had known Summer for years, and this outcome really came as no surprise to him.
Law caught himself standing there in the middle of his living room, staring off into space with a small smile as he thought about it all. How he got so lucky as to find a woman like her…He shook his head. For the life of him, he'd never understand how things had worked out as they had for him.
Realizing that he was still in search of one of his shoes, Law looked around for the second one. Even as he looked around for the missing article, thoughts of the blonde woman kept threatening to distract him some more. Once again, even while retrieving the shoe he'd finally found underneath the coffee table, he felt the smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Once he'd put both of his shoes on, Law grabbed the motorcycle keys from the bowl by the door and stepped out from his apartment. The morning air was cool against his face. The summer season was beginning to pass over into autumn, with shorter days and chillier weather. Zipping up the jacket a little bit more, he moved off towards the parking lot where his motorcycle would be.
The cemetery was quiet and empty as usual, just how Law liked it to be. On occasion, an older couple would be kneeling in front of a few graves on the very edge of the cemetery grounds, but they usually paid him no mind and went along with their business in peace, as Law did to them. And, on even rarer occasions, the groundskeepers would be digging out a fresh plot for when someone who'd recently passed would be interned there. Seeing as this cemetery was one of the older ones in the area, this didn't happen often.
Law drank in the familiar feeling of peace and tranquility that this place afforded him. Somehow, it didn't seem quite so depressing to come here now.
Law coasted to a stop in front of the curb he always did when coming here, kicking the stand up to lean the bike against it. The engine was cut short with a flick of his wrist, and he stuffed the keys back into his jacket pocket. In doing so, he felt his phone vibrate. Quickly unstrapping his helmet, he saw that Summer was calling him.
It took only a moment to completely take off the helmet, before he answered the call. "Hello?"
"Hey, are you at home right now?"
Law frowned slightly, stuffing his helmet into the satchel at the back of his bike. "No, I'm at the cemetery. Why?"
There was a pause, before she spoke in surprise again. "Oh, shoot! I didn't even look at the time. I'm so sorry, I'll let you go then."
"Don't worry about it, it's no problem. What did you need?" Grabbing the flowers from their usual spot, Law headed off towards the three graves of his deceased family. Summer sighed on the other end, and he could only imagine her looking a little flustered.
"Well, now that I know I'm interrupting something important, I feel silly even calling. But I was wondering if you've seen my wallet lying around your apartment? I can't seem to find it anywhere…"
The bartender thought back to that morning, trying to recall if he'd happened upon the item. Law's drifting eyes found the three headstones he knew so well, as well as a small, insignificant box lying atop one of their plaques. He frowned, absentmindedly answering her question. "No, I haven't, sorry."
"That's alright, I'll keep looking around here. Just let me know if you do find it, please!" She replied cheerfully. Law partially ignored it for the moment, coming upon his family's graves. Staring at the out of place box that sat at the foot of his mother's headstone, Law inspected it critically.
The outside was nondescript, wrapped in a pale yellow paper and tied together with a white bow. There was no card or name written on it anywhere, no indication as to who it was for.
"…Law? You there?" Summer asked again.
Snapping out of his stupor, Law shook his head, sitting in front of the headstones slowly. "Uh, yeah…sorry." Setting aside the flowers, he leaned forward to pick up the box. It was light, and whatever was inside knocked against the box that held it. Curious, he raised a brow. "Hey, um, did you leave a box at the cemetery for any reason?"
"A box?"
"Yeah, it's small, wrapped in yellow."
Summer paused, confusion evident even if he couldn't see her face. "No? I haven't been there since you took me."
"Huh." Law turned the box every which way, but couldn't figure out what it was or where it had come from. "That's weird."
"Someone might have brought it for another person, but left it in the wrong place? I can't imagine there being any other reason." She figured offhandedly. Law hesitated, feeling the sudden urge to look around him. Just as when he'd entered the cemetery, there was no one there. The emptiness that had been comfortable before now felt still and thick. Something wasn't quite right here.
"…" Law swallowed thickly, an uneasy sensation crawling up his spine as he turned back to the gravestones. "Yeah, maybe." He eventually said.
"Well, I'll let you go. I've got to try to find my wallet anyways." Summer concluded. Law nodded in response.
"Alright." As an afterthought, he added, "Be safe."
"You too."
He hung up the line and stuffed his phone away again. Eyeing the little box the entire time, Law went about switching out the old flowers that were wilting with the fresh ones he'd bought that morning. Strangely, the headstones were devoid of the usual fallen leaves from the trees overhead. As if someone had already come by and brushed them off.
Narrowing his eyes, Law brought the box back into his line of sight, that tightness in his chest growing a small degree. He didn't like this one bit. Not at all. Things were too…laid out…too precise.
With another glance behind him for good measure, he untied one side of the bow, watching as the white ribbon unfurled and fell to the grass silently. He tore at the yellow paper, stuffing the ripped pieces into his pocket as well so as not to leave a mess. It contained a plain white box, the top held closed with two pieces of tape on the side. It took a few times picking at the tape before they gave way, but after a matter of a few seconds, he had the box open. He stared down at the contents.
A phone sitting on some foam padding. Besides that, there was nothing else that he could see.
That chill began to grown colder, going so far as to make a shudder run up his back. Turning on the screen revealed no clues either, but Law had a fair idea of what this was leading up to. There was no password protection, and no apps installed on it at all save for the usual factory issue ones that came with every basic smartphone. There weren't pictures. No videos. No music or anything else. It was otherwise empty, until he looked at the contacts.
There was a single contact saved under a blank name. The number wasn't one that he recognized either. The number had an area code unfamiliar to him, and nothing about the phone itself gave any indication as to who it belonged to.
Law was filled with an unprecedented spike of adrenaline and fear as his thumb hovered over the call button. He had no doubt in his mind that this package hadn't been set on this grave by mistake. There was no way this was an accident of any kind. This had been intentional. This was a message.
And apparently, he was meant to call this number. Every instinct in his body told him to throw the phone into the line of trees and drive like hell away from this place, but he also knew the man he was dealing with, the way things worked. Ignoring the plan that had been laid out for him wouldn't go without consequences.
Nothing went without consequences, after all.
So, swallowing the last bit of his sense and pushing away the panic that threatened to overtake him, Law pressed call and brought the phone to his ear.
The standard ringing tone began to play, emphasized by the long moments of silence in between. It rang and rang, over and over. Law almost believed whoever was meant to pick up the phone had decided not to. Again, it rang and rang. If it hadn't been for the fact that his blood was frozen in his veins, Law would have hung up already.
And before he had the change to think any further or change his mind about all of this, the other line picked up. Law straightened in surprise and suspense, listening as the silence between him and whoever was on the other end stretched long and thick.
He swore the other person could hear his heart beating in his chest with every shaky breath he tried to hold back so they wouldn't know how much this was affecting him. The pregnant pause grew and grew, until finally the silence was broken by a voice. A frighteningly familiar voice that left him gripping the phone a little tighter.
"It's been awhile, Law."
Law closed his eyes, the dread that had filled his being since seeing the little box sweltering and crashing down on him as the reality of his past mistakes all came rushing back. All came back to bite him in the ass. He'd been right. All this time, he'd been right. That was all but clear now.
"Vergo." Law replied bitterly, covering his eyes with his free hand. He'd been feeling fine until now, but the fear began to make him feel sick to his stomach.
"I think you mean Vergo-san. Were the first dozen beatings not enough to teach you at least that?" Came the man's emotionless reply.
Law said nothing, ignoring the painful memories that threatened to spill over. Vergo didn't seem to be expecting a reply. Rather, he simply continued talking as if he had never brought it up at all.
"It was surprisingly easy to track you down, all things considered. I'd have thought you'd be a little more proactive and actually leave the city to try running away from us."
The younger man could do little else than listen to the man's words. He couldn't quite figure out if actually speaking to him would even be beneficial to him in the end, or if he'd somehow get Law to say more than he intended. That was always how it was back then. Vergo had an uncanny ability to make people talk.
"Of course, that's assuming you actually ran away." Vergo sighed dramatically, and Law narrowed his eyes. "Joker wants to be lenient with you, give you the benefit of the doubt and call it an…'unauthorized, extended vacation.' He did always like you best, for some reason or another…" Vergo's train of thought veered off for a moment, and after a brief pause, he spoke again.
"Well, no more messing around and no more running away. Time's up, kid. You're needed back at work, Law."
Scowling and clenching his fist, Law could feel his body shaking from both rage and slight fear. No. This was exactly what he'd hoped would never come to pass. This was legitimately his worst fear come to life. Somehow, he was able to suppress the desire to crush the phone in his hand, and bit out a retort. "Like hell. I'm done with Joker's bullshit and lies, I'm done with the drug runs, and I'm done with you, Vergo."
"Ah. Tsk, tsk. That's no way to talk to your superior."
"Fuck you."
"I told Joker you'd be like this. You were always the disobedient type." He recalled, sounded almost happy of the fact. "Though, he expected as much."
"There's nothing you can say that will get me to come crawling back to you." Law spat vehemently. Unconsciously, Law had grabbed the old flowers from the gravestones vases and squeezed them between his fingers. The stems broke and several of the petals that hadn't already fallen off of the dying plants broke in half from the sheer force of his clenched fist.
Vergo chuckled lowly into Law's ear. "Is that right? There's nothing at all that can convince you?"
Despite the anger beginning to rise at simply hearing this man's voice, Law froze again. Underneath the thinly-veiled threat was the lilt of amusement in the man's voice. That cocky smugness that hinted at knowing something Law didn't. He didn't dare say another word.
"Come now, Law. Have you ever known us not to come prepared for anything?" He paused, as if expecting an answer, though none came. "A peak at the bottom of the box in your hands should be sufficient enough to change you mind."
His eyes flicked down to the all but forgotten box that the phone had come in. All he could see at the bottom was the foam padding that kept the phone in place in the box but now, he noticed a thin ribbon that jutted out from the corner of one of the sides. Swallowing in dread, he pulled up on it, lifting the foam out of the way to reveal what the bottom contained.
Pictures. Dozens and dozens of pictures. Each and every one of them featured a signature head of blonde hair.
Law's eyes widened, glancing in terror between one picture, than the next, recognizing some of the places they'd visited together on various dates and outings. There was one of the both of them in front of the large glass walls of the aquarium, with Summer eyeing the fish in wonder. One of her shopping in the market by herself, oblivious to the person snapping her picture. Another captured what appeared to be the both of them in the alley behind The Heart Seat, a small object burning on the ground beside them…
The more he saw, the further he sank into despair, realizing that they knew exactly where the both of them lived, as well as what places they frequented. Law had been expecting that they keep tabs on him personally, but he'd tried being careful about getting Summer dragged into all of his mess. Now, it seemed, his precautions and steps taken to avoid exactly this had done jack shit.
Just as Law lighted upon the picture of him standing in front of Summer's doorway, Vergo's voice broke his distraught concentration.
"The cartel isn't what it used to be. We've had several ongoing problems with competitors and law enforcement alike. Joker hopes that your personal connections may be able to help us regain the power we once had. He knows you still have several influential individuals whom owe you favors, and he'd like you to cash in on those for his benefit. It's all for business."
"He could get anyone to do it. Why me?" Law couldn't help but ask, always having wondered why Joker had such a fascination with him. It didn't make sense, all this time. Maybe he'd finally get an answer.
"Let's just say, the people we hope to persuade aren't the negotiating type. Perhaps if you collect on a few personal favors, we could make some progress. And we are fully aware there are several favors that are owed to you in particular, Law."
Law could do nothing but stare at the face of his lovely girlfriend with defeat, the faraway shot of the pictures still somehow capturing her enrapturing smile.
"Do what Joker says and we'll leave the girl alone. She'll never even have to know what's going on."
Law closed his eyes and sucked in a shaky breath. "And if I refuse?" He ventured to ask. He didn't have to see Vergo to know that the older man was grinning like a wolf on the other end of the line.
"I'm sure I don't have to elaborate. You've already seen what happens."
Law's memory flicked once to the image of another child, a girl close to his age of 13 back then, and he only just held back the severe shudder that threatened to go down his spine.
"Joker's given you three days to decide. He's promised to leave the girl alone in that time. Try to get out of the city and she'll be killed. I'll be in touch."
Click.
Summer tried calling for the second time that afternoon, frowning as the tone went straight to voicemail. It was unusual for Law not to answer at a time like this. She knew he'd gone to the cemetery in the morning, but she had yet to hear from him again. It wasn't like she was blowing up his phone or anything either. She'd called the first time over three hours ago, then again just now. Hanging up before the voicemail tone beeped, she put away her phone and sighed in worry.
This was very unlike him. Normally he at least tried to shoot her a text to say he was busy and that he'd get back with her later, but he'd done no such thing. Feeling a little ridiculous all of a sudden, Summer shook her head and hopped off her bed, going to get ready for the engagement photo appointment she had later that afternoon.
He's just busy. Don't be so clingy. She lectured herself, moving off to brush her hair back into a semblance of order.
Corazon leaned back in his office chair, snuffing out the cigarette butt that he'd just finished off in the ashtray on his desk. He blew that last puff of smoke into the air, eyes dismissively scanning the buy-out proposal from yet another businessman.
They all said the same thing, discussed the same topics, and gave the same reasons. After awhile, the blonde man's attention began to waver until he only skimmed specific words in the body of the letter.
Decline in business. Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Financially smart decision. Market high. Highest offer possible. We'll be in touch.
The noise of the usual crowd in the main bar area was barely heard through the walls of the bar. Corazon listened intently, hearing Luffy laugh at something one of the patrons had said or done. That boy really was a natural bartender, and good company at that. He'd been smart to hire him.
The normal hubbub of the afternoon, usually much quieter than the later hours of the day when business picked up, was calming. It ensured that no, his business was not failing as all the other businessman tried to convince him. He was not on a path to bankruptcy, and his decision to keep ownership of this place was not, in fact, a stupid one.
Suddenly feeling frustrated at the newest offer to buy his bar, Corazon crumpled up the paper and tossed it in the general direction of the waste bin, watching lazily as it bounced off the rim and rolled a foot or so away in the corner.
So what if business was down? So what if these last few months hadn't been the most profitable? Every business had good and bad months, right? It was just another hoop to jump through, another obstacle to overcome. He'd make this dream of his work, damn him. It had to. He'd put his life and soul into this place all those years ago when he'd first bought the run-down little shop, and no dollar amount would take that passion to succeed away from him. The Heart Seat would rise to it's full potential, and Corazon would see that it got there.
These boys depended on him for jobs, too. He couldn't give up for their sake. The owner looked over at the picture of him standing beside Law, Zoro, and Sanji in front of The Heart Seat. Standing, he inspected it closer, seeing each face in order from left to right. They all looked a bit younger, even Corazon himself.
Zoro had barely talked to anyone at first, content to simply watch the place from his corner to dissuade trouble from starting, but after some time, he began to open up enough to at least converse with the others a bit more, himself included. A man of few words, but with a caring, unseen nature, Corazon had spotted his potential early on.
Sanji was a dreamer just like him, intent on one day opening his own restaurant on All Blue Avenue. As the city's go-to destination for high-end shopping and world famous restaurants located on the complete opposite side of town, Sanji had vowed that one day he'd have a spot among them as one of the best places to eat in the city, if not the world. He'd never really gotten along with Zoro too much, who was much more of a realist than a dreamer, though having them separated for their job duties prevented many a headache for Corazon.
Law had been too young at first to start serving drinks, but he'd helped out with the cleaning up and some accounting stuff that Corazon needed doing. For several years, Law shadowed most of what Corazon did as a business owner, learning the ropes of negotiation and reading body language. It wasn't until he was 18 that Law picked up the knack for bartending, watching their original bartender at work. It was no question who would replace the old man once he retired, and Law filled the role.
Corazon grabbed the frame and brought it closer, smiling slightly at the small scowl on Law's own face. That boy was as close to a son as he was ever going to get. Never having married, Corazon had given up everything else in his life for this bar, including any hopes at having a conventional family.
He returned to his desk, taking the picture frame with him. Recalling another photo he kept hidden, the blonde man set the frame aside and unlocked the top middle drawer with the key around his neck, pulling the sliding drawer open.
His most valuable possessions lay within, and he dug around at the back for one picture in particular that he was thinking of. Not even Law knew it was there. A secret Corazon preferred to keep to himself.
Withdrawing it from inside, he tilted it so the overhead light caught the image. A spunky, violet-haired woman smiled mischievously into the camera, a cigarette between two of her fingers as she leaned against a metal railing. Based on the background, the picture was taken at a park he could no longer remember the name to. The corner was timestamped with a date of 06/12/2002.
She looked so much different back then, with her hair shorter. He much preferred it that way, even though she no longer wore it like that. Becoming a mother had certainly only added to her looks, giving her that shapely, pleasant figure that most women lacked nowadays. Corazon had often wondered what could have been, had they worked out in the end, or if he hadn't been so focused on building his dream. Maybe they would have been able to fix their issues somehow…
Corazon jumped at the loud sound of knocking at his door. He sighed and replaced the image in his drawer, locking it for good measure. "Come on in." He called, watching as the door opened to reveal none other than his bartender.
Grinning, he answered nonchalantly. "Law? You do know it's your day off, don't you?"
He expected a sarcastic answer in reply, but only received silence as Law closed the door behind him. Corazon's brow creased and he opened his mouth to speak again, but Law beat him to it, taking a seat in one of the chairs across from him.
"They're back."
The smile was wiped from his face, and the blonde man searched Law's eyes for any indication of what he was thinking. The young man's face was expressionless, not even he could tell what was going on in that head of his. And that was almost much worse than having an uncharacteristic display of emotion from the young man.
"What happened?" Came his quiet and serious question.
"Found a box on mom's grave, had a phone with a number I had to call. It was Vergo."
"And what'd he say?" Corazon had a fairly good guess as to what that conversation consisted of, but it was better to be sure.
"I have three days. Either I help them rebuild, or they'll target Summer." Law dug into his pocket for something and tossed a handful of small photos onto Corazon's desk haphazardly. The owner leaned forward to inspect them, seeing Summer in practically all of the pictures provided. He shuffled through a few before Law spoke again.
"I try to leave the city, they kill her. I do what they say, I'm still putting her in danger from someone else killing her." His hands threaded themselves through his hair, making it even messier than it had been. "Everything's fucked…"
Corazon eyed the pictures a bit longer, wondering what on earth his brother was thinking. Why now, after all this time? It had been years. Years since they'd even heard a word from the crime boss, his brother, and suddenly out of the blue, he shows up again demanding Law come back?
He'd always known his brother wasn't the most emotionally stable of people, but the man was smart as hell, cunning as a snake, and kept to a plan. He was unpredictable, sure, but no one could call him stupid. The only question was how did Law returning to the business fit into it all? Corazon had hoped that keeping Law close to him would somehow deter Doflamingo from looking for him again, but it seemed their blood relation only went so far in terms of protection.
"Have you contacted the police about this?" The owner asked evenly, putting the pictures down and facing his bartender. Law scowled, shaking his head as he stood to pace the space in front of Corazon's desk.
"The police can't touch people like him. He's too good at covering things up. I wouldn't be half surprised if he even had fingers deep into the police chief's bank account or something."
The blonde man rolled his eyes. "But you should at least report this-"
"You know full well that I'm just as involved in this as they are." Law had swung his gaze back to his boss, a hard edge to his eyes. "I can't take back the things I've done, and they'll use that to their advantage. It wouldn't get me anywhere. I'd be better off handling things myself."
"So, what, you're just going to take matters into your own hands? You're not a vigilante, Law. This isn't a comic book." Corazon scoffed. Law continued to pace the floor.
"I know that! But how else am I supposed to try fighting this without getting my ass thrown in jail?"
Feeling that his cigarette from before wasn't enough to deal with this new revelation, Corazon reached from his pocket and pulled out his lights. "So you are going to refuse, yeah?"
Law sighed deeply, stretching out his back and looking to the ceiling above him as if looking for the answer to his problems there. "I don't know…I just…I don't fucking know. I've spent all this time trying to put this shit behind me, but I don't want to put Summer in danger like this either."
"The police can help. Get them involved." Corazon pushed again, trying to get Law to see logic. "You can gain immunity for the information you hold. They may get you on a few charges, but the rest of them would ultimately be locked up, probably for life."
"…" Law chewed at his bottom lip, as if thinking about the suggestion, but eventually shook his head. "No. I don't like it."
The older man let out a breath from his nose, frowning. "Don't be reckless."
"It's not that simple. Jail is just as dangerous for me as running drugs. And I'm not going to risk getting your business involved either, Corazon. I refuse to do that." He stated simply, and the blonde man looked up sharply.
"What?"
Law finally turned to look at him, a pained expression on his face. "Just because my past mistakes have caught up with me doesn't mean I'll ruin the credibility of your business." The bartender gestured back towards the door with one hand. "There are already rumors of us having a connection to the cartels. I won't solidify them by going to the police The news networks would have a field day."
"We'd survive." Corazon defended adamantly, though not entirely believing what he was saying himself. "We have regulars. Enough to stay afloat."
"Corazon." Law sighed, casting his gaze down to the floor as he placed his hands on his hips. "We both know that won't happen. Business is already rocky to begin with."
To that, Corazon had no retort. Something as big as the news of his main bartender being connected to the cartels in some way would effectively ruin any chance he had at growing his business. The discovery that he himself was blood related to the leader of the cartel would be the figurative cherry on top of that depressing sundae.
He also doubted anything he said would convince Law to take this matter to the authorities. He'd been in the drug business, and there were plenty of people from his past who'd want to see him thrown in jail. Or worse, dead. Jail wouldn't be kind to a man like Law, and Corazon knew that all too well.
Still, it broke his heart to watch Law spiral into this pattern of self-blame and sacrifice for his sake. He was still so young. He shouldn't have to deal with this alone, but there wasn't much Corazon could really do to help him. And yet, another thought came to his mind, one he knew Law was already trying to wrap his head around. But the blonde man felt it had to be said.
"Summer deserves to know." Corazon supplied, flicking his lighter on and catching the end of his cigarette. A small wisp of smoke appeared and he put it back in his pocket. "You can't keep her in the dark about this."
Law remained quiet for a long time, staring at the ground with anxiety. His fingers fidgeted with the tattoos on his hands, nervously seeking something to get rid of all this tension he was feeling. "How would I…" He started, shaking his head sadly. "Summer…what would she think?"
"There's no good answer to that, really." The owner took a long drag on his cigarette, letting the nicotine it contained begin to calm this quickly-rising anxiety. This day hadn't turned out at all like he'd expected. "You've got three days to figure out how to go about it, though."
A flash of desperation crossed his expression, and Law looked up at him. "I could keep it hidden. As long as she was safe, she'd never have to know."
Corazon sat up straighter in his chair, pointing accusatorially at Law. "No. With Doflamingo involved, she'll never be safe. You know that." Feeling the intense frown on his face, he eased back into the chair. "Either option you choose, you're throwing her into the fire, and she has every right to know that her life is in danger."
Law stared blankly up at his boss, who stared back with a cold distaste of the idea he'd even tried laying on the table. Despite Law being like a son he'd never had, Summer was just as much a sort of daughter to him. Corazon would never tolerate Law keeping all of this a secret from her.
A muffled buzzing noise interrupted the conversation, and Law idly reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve his phone. Without even looking at the caller ID, he ignored the call and put the phone back away. Corazon had a faint idea on who it was though. It only made his point stronger.
"If you don't tell her, I will."
Law narrowed his eyes in anger. "That's not your decision to make."
"It will be if you won't take responsibility for it." He blew out smoke from the cigarette before softening his features. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back to rest against the back of his chair. "Look, Law, you were right all this time. I get that. I know putting her or anyone else in danger was the last thing you wanted to happen, but that's just the way it is right now. There's no changing that outcome."
The younger man still stayed silent, matching the thick stare between the both of them before the truth in his words were too much to take, and Law looked away with a wince.
"Do you regret getting close to her?" Corazon asked quietly.
"…" There was a long pause, and Law still wouldn't look up at him. "No."
The bar owner nodded slowly, having expected that answer. The two of them lapsed into silence again, neither really knowing what else to say. This situation was much more than either of them could really comprehend at that moment, and Corazon had no idea what would happen from here on out.
It really all came down to what Law decided to do, refuse Doflamingo's orders, or go back to what he'd been running from this whole time. Corazon doubted he'd throw everything away to go back, but Summer was the unprecedented part of this whole thing that left Corazon worried. With her life in the balance, Law may just go back to try to protect her.
And then Doflamingo's thinking all seemed to make sense. Corazon narrowed his eyes, seeing the twisted cunning that his brother had masterfully manipulated to his advantage. He'd waited until Law actually had something to lose, waiting for the right time and place to dangle that one good thing over his head as incentive to go crawling back. He couldn't even imagine what sort of effect that had on Law himself. What he must be thinking and feeling right about now…
"What should I do?" Came the small, wavering question from the usually strong and distant man he knew so well. Corazon had never seen him this…defeated. This beaten down and cornered to where he saw nowhere to turn. Nowhere to run from his past mistakes.
The older man sighed, finishing off his second cigarette and snuffing the end out in the ashtray. "You already know what I think. Get the police involved, have them do their work." Law looked away, not content with that answer, but Corazon wasn't finished quite yet. Reluctantly, the owner shrugged. "But like you said earlier. This isn't my decision to make. This is your life and your business. Do what you know is best, for you and for Summer. Just…don't get yourself killed, Law. Be smart and be safe. But…don't throw away everything you've worked towards without a damn good reason."
The bartender and owner sat there for several minutes more, pondering this unanswerable question. It was apparent that Law needed time to think on his next plan of action, and Corazon had no further advice for the young man without sounding like a broken record, stuck on repeat. There was nothing else he could do to help him. All he could do now was wait.
The blonde man's eyes followed Law's back as he stood and left his office, silently hoping that the young man would make the right decision, even if he himself didn't know yet what that was.
ns 15.158.61.5da2
