Lawful prey [One Piece fic, 405 words]
Title: Lawful prey
Characters: Trafalgar Law, Vergo, Doflamingo
Words: 405
Rating: PG
Warnings: Violence, spoilers for Punk Hazard arc, speculative.
A/N: Started writing this for onepiece_300 but it didn't really fit the theme of "Horror", nor could I cut it down, so I'll just leave this here.
"Care to explain yourself, little brother?"
Joker's smile is edged like a weapon as he slides over the newspaper. It's a comprehensive recap on the Battle of Marineford and the deaths of Whitebeard and Firefist Ace. Joker taps a finger against the photograph of Strawhat-ya falling through the air towards Law's arms. "I seem to recall ordering you not to get involved," he purrs.
Law says nothing. He tells himself it's nothing to do with the dryness in his throat, or the knot in his stomach, or the sight of Joker's attack dog standing by his side, tapping his bamboo stick against his palm. What can he possibly say? How can he explain an instinct he can't even name? An instinct that he's sure is utterly foreign to either of these men?
"You were asked a question, Law," Vergo growls. As usual, he gives no chances before correcting Law's behaviour. Vergo's punch catches him on the ear, slamming him into the ground, his haki overpowering all of Law's Devil's Fruit defences. Law lies stunned on the cold, hard floor, tasting the blood trickling down his face, pain and shame shooting through his body in equal measure.
How the other supernovas would laugh to see him now. Him, Trafalgar Law, Surgeon of Death, the 200 million bounty who didn't take orders from others - in reality Doflamingo's dog, crawling back to its master to have its tail whipped for disobedience.
He struggles to his feet.
"Well, Law?" Vergo asks, contempt dripping from his voice as he flings the newspaper against Law's face. An insert slips out from between the pages. Trafalgar stares at it. It's Strawhat-ya's latest bounty poster. 400 million beli. They've reused that stupid old photo, so different from the broken pirate captain he brought back from the brink of death.
He can't help it. Strawhat-ya's grinning face is so ridiculously incongruous to the grim reality of his situation that he has to smile back.
Vergo doesn't like it when Law smiles. He advances once more, a wave of jet black rippling up his arm, promising a punishment to top a lifetime of punishments.
Law looks back down at the wanted poster, and wonders how long he'll be able to cling to the notion that saving Strawhat-ya was worth this.
Characters: Trafalgar Law, Vergo, Doflamingo
Words: 405
Rating: PG
Warnings: Violence, spoilers for Punk Hazard arc, speculative.
A/N: Started writing this for onepiece_300 but it didn't really fit the theme of "Horror", nor could I cut it down, so I'll just leave this here.
"Care to explain yourself, little brother?"
Joker's smile is edged like a weapon as he slides over the newspaper. It's a comprehensive recap on the Battle of Marineford and the deaths of Whitebeard and Firefist Ace. Joker taps a finger against the photograph of Strawhat-ya falling through the air towards Law's arms. "I seem to recall ordering you not to get involved," he purrs.
Law says nothing. He tells himself it's nothing to do with the dryness in his throat, or the knot in his stomach, or the sight of Joker's attack dog standing by his side, tapping his bamboo stick against his palm. What can he possibly say? How can he explain an instinct he can't even name? An instinct that he's sure is utterly foreign to either of these men?
"You were asked a question, Law," Vergo growls. As usual, he gives no chances before correcting Law's behaviour. Vergo's punch catches him on the ear, slamming him into the ground, his haki overpowering all of Law's Devil's Fruit defences. Law lies stunned on the cold, hard floor, tasting the blood trickling down his face, pain and shame shooting through his body in equal measure.
How the other supernovas would laugh to see him now. Him, Trafalgar Law, Surgeon of Death, the 200 million bounty who didn't take orders from others - in reality Doflamingo's dog, crawling back to its master to have its tail whipped for disobedience.
He struggles to his feet.
"Well, Law?" Vergo asks, contempt dripping from his voice as he flings the newspaper against Law's face. An insert slips out from between the pages. Trafalgar stares at it. It's Strawhat-ya's latest bounty poster. 400 million beli. They've reused that stupid old photo, so different from the broken pirate captain he brought back from the brink of death.
He can't help it. Strawhat-ya's grinning face is so ridiculously incongruous to the grim reality of his situation that he has to smile back.
Vergo doesn't like it when Law smiles. He advances once more, a wave of jet black rippling up his arm, promising a punishment to top a lifetime of punishments.
Law looks back down at the wanted poster, and wonders how long he'll be able to cling to the notion that saving Strawhat-ya was worth this.