Chapter 11
Usopp was laying in one of the beds of the guest rooms on the 10th floor of Rain Dinners. She was staring up at the, her face was burning a shade of red close to the color vermilion.
Luffy had introduced her to Penguin and Shachi five days ago and they got along like a house on fire. And well… Usopp, Penguin, and Shachi may or may not have gotten drunk last night, and Usopp may or may not have ended up in Penguin and Shachi’s bed, and they had definitely done something… well, they had done something, and it was definitely not playing poker. Usopp’s mind reeled with the vivid images of the night before, and she couldn’t decide if she was mortified or exhilarated as she felt Penguin and Shachi even breaths from where they lay sleeping on either side of her… and the three of them are butt ass naked.
Usopp nervously glanced around the opulent guest room of Rain Dinners, the early morning sunlight streaming through the windows and casting a warm glow on the rumpled sheets. The scent of last night's revelry lingered in the air—a mix of alcohol, sweat, and something else she couldn't quite place. Her heart raced as she tried to piece together the events that had led to her current predicament, sandwiched between the two heart pirates.
And well, her embarrassment only grew as fragments if the night started coming back to her. Images of her getting fucked by Shachi, while Shachi was getting fucked by Penguin, and the way she had moaned and screamed and begged for more, her body writhing in ecstasy, her juices dripping down her thighs and onto the bed. The way Shachi's arms had wrapped around her as he pounded into her, his eyes glazed over with lust as Penguin pounded into him as Shachi pounded into Usopp. The feeling of Shachi’s cock inside of her, stretching her to the limits, the way she had bucked her hips to meet his thrusts, her pussy clenching around him. The way Penguin had pushed Shachi down and leaned over him, sandwiched Shachi in between him and Usopp as he whispered sweet nothings into Usopp’s ears as he continued to pound into Shachi. And the way they had all collapsed onto the bed in a tangled heap of limbs and panting breaths, their hearts racing in time with each other's.
But that wasn’t even the most embarrassing part. The most embarrassing part was when she remembered the part where she had begged for a dp. And Penguin and Shachi had obliged, filling her up so completely that she thought she might just split in two. And she had loved it. Loved every single second of it. The way their cocks had stretched her and filled her up until she couldn’t take it anymore, and she had come so hard she had seen stars. And she had screamed and shouted their names like a whore in heat, her voice echoing through the quiet night of Rain Dinners. And even after they had all come, she had still begged for more.
Usopp had learned that night that she was a freak, she was a freaky freak in bed, and she liked it, she liked it a lot. She had never felt so alive, so wanted, so desired in her entire life. And it was terrifying. And exhilarating. And she didn't know what to do with herself.
But she knew she wanted more.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Shachi mumbling something in his sleep, wrapping his arms around Usopp’s waist, pulling her closer, burying his face in her back. Penguin, on the other hand, laid on his back, snoring softly, his chest rising and falling with each breath.
Usopp felt a strange mix of emotions wash over her. She had never been the one to initiate anything sexual before, but now that she had, she realized how much she craved it. And she craved it with these two, specifically. Their dominance, their power, the way they made her feel... it was all so intoxicating. It was like a drug she never knew she needed.
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Meanwhile in Luffy’s room down the hall Luffy sat up in her bed, blinking sleepily in the early morning light. She rubbed her eyes, and looked over to Law, who was still sleeping beside her, his naked chest rising and falling with each peaceful breath. She rubbed her nose looking over to the clock mounted on the wall. It was already 8 AM. She groaned and grumbled, today was the day the Strawhat pirates and the heart Pirates left Arabasta, their Log Poes having finished resetting earlier that morning.
Luffy sighed and leaned over, peering down at Law. “Law, it’s time to wake up.” She poked him gently in the side. He groaned and rolled over, his eyes fluttering open to meet hers. She couldn’t help but smile at the sleepy, rumpled look on his face. He was so cute when he was half-asleep, with his hair sticking up in every direction and those adorable little crinkles around his eyes.
“What’s the time?” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep.
“Already 8.” Luffy replied, stretching her arms over her head, her shoulders popping with the motion.
Law groaned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Alright, alright, I’m up.” He sat up in bed, the blankets pooling around his waist. Luffy couldn’t help but appreciate the view of his bare chest, the muscles defined and relaxed from sleep.
Luffy chuckled and threw the blankets off of her, standing up and stretching her arms behind her, standing on her tiptoes and arching her back as she did so, popping her back, knees, and neck. “Come on, sleepyhead, we've got to get everyone, and make sure we got all the supplies we need! We’ve got a whole ocean to conquer!"
Law yawned, his eyes scanning over Luffy’s form in her pajamas, his gaze lingering on the scar under her eye. Despite their intimate moments, there was something about her that was just so... captivating. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but every time he saw her, his heart skipped a beat.
Law shook his head and sighed, pushing himself up from the bed, and grabbing his clothes, that had been haphazardly tossed on the floor the night before. He watched as Luffy did the same, changing out of her pajamas into her regular clothes.
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In the Royal Castle of Alabasta, King's Bedchamber. The king of Alabasta, Nefertari Cobra, King Cobra was snoring like a bear. Crocodile let out an annoyed, exasperated groan, rolling over and sitting up. Grabbing the pillow, she was using, and slamming it into Cobra’s face, The smack resonating with a loud thud.
"Cobra, wake up!” Crocodile said, her voice filled with mild annoyance.
The king's snoring grew quieter for a moment before he let out a final, guttural snort, his eyes shooting open. He looked at Crocodile, blinking sleepily. "What's the matter, my dear?" he asked, his tone thick with grogginess.
“Luffy and her friends are leaving today.” Crocodile yawned, stretching her arms over her head. “I thought you and Vivi would like to see them off… and i’m pretty sure one of your new maids or butlers walked into your room, saw me, and started freaking out before they ran.”
Cobra rubbed the sleep from his eyes and chuckled. “Oh, that’s nothing new. I’ve been telling those folks to knock before entering for years, but they never learn. How early is it?”
“7?… 8 something?” Crocodile shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t have a watch and the sun’s up, so it’s definitely later than you usually wake up, lazy bones.”
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The thing Crocodile said about one of the new maids or butlers walking in and freaking out when they saw her. Well, that was true. Liatris had walked into the King’s chambers to give him the daily newspaper, but she had seen Lady Crocodile in the King’s bed with him, Liatris freaked out, and ran.
Liatris, the young and somewhat naive maid, sprinted down the grand hallway, her heart racing like it was in a marathon. She couldn’t believe what she had just seen! Lady Crocodile, the notorious pirate, in the King’s bed!
But her thoughts were cut short when she turned a corner and nearly ran into Igaram, Chaka, and Pell. The three guards looked at her, their expressions a mix of curiosity and amusement. "What's the rush, Liatris?" Chaka asked, one eyebrow raised.
"I... I... I saw something," she stuttered, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of crimson.
Igaram, his voice like a gentle rumble, placed a hand on her shoulder. "Take a deep breath, child. What is it you saw?"
Liatris looked up at the towering man, her eyes wide with panic. "I-I saw Lady Crocodile... with the King! In his b—bed!”
Chaka's stern expression cracked into a smirk, while Pell chuckled quietly. "Well, I'll be damned," Pell murmured, shaking his head. "Guess that explains the... uh, noises we've been hearing at night."
“More like the past 13 years.” Chaka murmured, his own smirk growing as he leaned against the hallway wall. “They've had that whole 'will they, won't they' dance going on for what, a decade now?”
Liatris's cheeks flamed scarlet as she realized the magnitude of what she had just stumbled upon. The castle staff had long been aware of the intimate relationship between their king and Crocodile, but she had been too young and naive to pick up on the subtle hints. "Y-you... you can't tell anyone!" she stuttered, eyes darting between the three of them.
“Sweetheart.” Igaram pats her on the head, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “The whole of Alabasta already knows.”
Liatris looked like a tomato ready to burst. She clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide with horror. “What?!”
Igaram's smirk grew wider. "You think a thing like that could be hidden in a place like this? Everyone knows, it's just not something we talk about around the kids or outsiders." He winked at her, his deep voice rumbling with laughter.
Pell nodded in agreement, his stern demeanor giving way to a rare moment of mirth. "But don't you worry your pretty little head about it, Liatris. It's not our place to spread rumors. Now, go on and get back to work, before someone misses you." He gently nudged her.
As the flustered maid scurried away, the three men couldn't help but exchange knowing glances. The unspoken bond between Crocodile and King Cobra was a source of endless entertainment for the castle's inner circle. It was a peculiar aspect of Alabastan, but one they had grown to accept and even cherish.
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Deuce ran down the sandy streets of Alabasta like he had the devil on his tail. He had just bought a Den Den Mushi, and he was currently typing in his Friends, Skull and Laguna’s, Den Den Mushi numbers as he ran onto the deck of the empty going merry, scurrying down to the men’s quarters.
He slammed the door open and all but dived onto his hammock as the Den Den Mushi rang to life, the sound echoing off the wooden walls. He took a deep breath and waited for them to answer, trying to keep his cool as Skull and Laguna picked up.
“Yo, man! It’s been days! We’ve been starting to think you forgot about us over here on drum Island!” Skull’s voice boomed through the receiver.
“Ignore him, Deuce! I wanna know how’s it going with that cutie, Ace, have you made any moves on him yet?” Laguna’s teasing tone followed, her voice a pleasant contrast to Skull’s.
Deuce didn’t answer either of their questions, instead of saying something that’s been eating at him for the past couple days. “He’s a prince! He is a whole ass Prince! He is royalty! He’s a Prince of Alabasta!”
There was a brief pause on the line as Skull and Laguna processed the information. Skull spoke up first, his voice a mix of disbelief and excitement, “HOLY SHIT, DEUCE, YOU’RE TRYING TO SEDUCE ROYALTY?! That’s a bigger score than we’ve ever had!”
Laguna's laughter could be heard in the background, “I knew you had a taste for the exotic, Deuce, but this takes the cake! A Prince, huh?”
Deuce rolled his eyes, his cheeks flushing slightly, “It’s not like that, you dumbasses. It’s just...complicated. But Ace is cool, you know? He’s not all high and mighty like you’d expect.”
Skull was still barking out laughter like a hyena on a sugar high, “okay, okay, okay, man. So he’s a prince of Alabasta, so he’s King cobra’s son. But who’s his mom?”
Deuce stopped himself from blurting out that no Ace was not the Son of King cobra but he was actually the son of Gol D. Roger, and the fact the pirate King was still alive. And instead, he said. “His mom is Lady Crocodile, the warlord.”
Skull’s laughter cut off like a radio buffering and screeching to a stop, “Are you fucking with me right now, Deuce?”
Laguna’s voice grew serious, “That’s no joke, man. If he’s Lady Crocodile’s kid, then he’s gotta be something special. I’ve heard she’s got more brains than half the Marines combined, and that’s saying something.”
“Uhh? Well, that’s his and his siblings mom.” Deuce replied, trying to keep the conversation as nonchalant as possible. “Lady Crocodile.”
The line was silent for a moment, and then Skull spoke again, his tone more contemplative, “So, he’s and his siblings are the kids of a warlord-pirate-mafia boss, and the king of Alabasta?”
Deuce nodded, even though his friends couldn’t see him. “Yeah.”
“Well, that’s one hell of a family tree.” Laguna whistled.
“You’re telling me,” Deuce muttered, leaning back in his hammock. “But that’s not even the half of it…” he trailed off when he heard people start to board the ship. “Hey, I've got to go. We are about to leave Alabasta. I’ll catch up with you two later, okay?”
As Deuce hung up the Den Den Mushi, he couldn’t shake the feeling that their world was about to turn upside down again. The revelation of Ace’s true lineage was like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, and he was right in the middle of it.
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Luffy, Ace, Sabo, and Nico Robin, since she was now officially a part of the strawhat pirates, hugged their mom, dad, and siblings goodbye as they set off on their grand adventure. Luffy waved goodbye as her, Ace, Sabo, and Robin boarded the going merry, along with the rest of the Strawhat pirates. “We’ll call, I promise!” Luffy yelled over her shoulder, her voice carrying over the water.
Crocodile and King Cobra watched from the docks, their faces a mask of pride and concern as the Going Merry disappeared over the horizon.
Luffy ran around the deck of the going merry, making sure everything was set in place when Zoro looked over the railing from where he was sitting against it, spotting a blob following them under the water. “Hey, Luffy, what’s following us?” He asked, squinting his eyes to get a better look.
Luffy skidded to a halt so hard that she leaned forward, she waved her arms in circles so she didn’t fall, before turning her attention to Zoro, looking over the railing as well. “OH! It’s Law’s and The rest of the heart Pirates submarine!” She said excitedly, and seemed to remember something as soon as she said it. “Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you all. The Heart Pirates are gonna be traveling with us for now on. Law and I had a chat and decided it’s best for everyone if we stick together!” She said with a cheeky smile.
Ace looked over to Luffy with a mix of confusion and curiosity, "What’s the deal with that?" He asked, his wavy black hair fluttering slightly in the wind as he tilted his head to the side.
“Luffy and Law are dating.” Robin spoke up calmly from her spot in the shade, not even looking up from her book, nor the sleeping Monroe who had climbed into her lap. Her voice had an air of amusement as she watched the shock spread across the faces of the crew.
Sabo's eyes widened in surprise, "Wait, what? Since when?” He stumbled over his words, glancing between Luffy and the submarine in disbelief.
Luffy laughed, her hands coming up to cover her cheeks, her expression one of pure delight. “He asked me to be his girlfriend the day we docked on Alabasta. He was my special guest Vivi was talking about when we first arrived on Alabasta!”
Ace’s jaw dropped, and Sabo looked equally astonished. “What?!” Ace exclaimed, his voice pitched high with shock. “You’ve had a boyfriend for a whole week and you didn’t tell us?”
“Well, it’s not like I was trying to hide it. I thought you all would’ve noticed that when we were in Rain Dinners Law was sleeping in my room, with me, in my bed, with me.” Luffy replied with a cheeky grin, her eyes sparkling mischievously as she watched her brothers’ expressions of shock morph into those of disbelief and then, back to shock.
“Come on guys, me, you two, and Robin have known Law for what, 10-years? I thought my super overprotective, oh so diligent little brothers would’ve noticed I’ve been trying to get with Law for the past two years!” Luffy giggled, watching as Ace and Sabo’s faces turned a deep shade of red.
Sabo cleared his throat, finally finding his voice. “Well, we were kind of busy training our asses off and not paying attention to who you were shacking up with, Luffy. But, uh, congrats?” He offered her a half-hearted thumbs up, trying to hide his embarrassment. Ace, on the other hand, was less subtle with his shock, staring at Luffy as if she had sprouted a second head.
“So… your boyfriend is the surgeon of death.” Ace deadpanned, finally finding his voice. He leaned against the ship’s railing, his arms crossed over his chest. The sun was rising, casting a warm glow across the horizon and painting the sea a fiery orange.
“Bingo!” Luffy cheered, slapping her thigh. “You got it, Ace! He’s the man of my dreams, and I’m going to marry him one day!” She announced with absolute certainty, her eyes shimmering with excitement.
Sabo’s cheeks reddened even more, and he coughed, looking anywhere but at his sister. “Well, that’s... that’s great, Luffy. We’re happy for you, really. Just maybe keep the bedroom stuff to yourselves, yeah?” He mumbled, earning a laugh from Ace, who had finally regained his composure.
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll keep all my juicy bedroom details to myself.” Luffy winked at her brothers, her eyes gleaming with mischief. She knew how to push their buttons, especially when it came to her love life. But deep down, she knew they were just being normal overprotective brothers.
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It was about a day later, when the Strawhat Pirates and the heart Pirates ended up on an island called Jaya. Luffy, Law, and Zoro ended up in a tavern as The other heart pirates and Strawhat pirates wandered around the island. Luffy was eating a blueberry pie when the doors to the tavern swung open and annoying, deep voice called out.
“I’m looking for a pirate who wears a straw hat!” The voice boomed through the tavern, accompanied by the clanking of armor and heavy footsteps. The atmosphere grew tense as every patron turned to look at the newcomer.
“It’s Bellamy!” One of the tavern patrons said, surprise.
Luffy looked over her shoulder, where she sat at the bar, eyeing the man, Bellamy, apparently, that was his name.
“So, you must be Strawhat Luffy. Worth a cool 100,000,000 berries!” Bellamy smirked, his height making him almost touch the tavern’s ceiling. His grin was taunting, a clear challenge in his eyes.
“Who the fuck is this guy?” Luffy murmured to Zoro, lazily gesturing to Bellamy with her fork.
“I don’t know, but he looks like he’s got a bone to pick with you Luffy.” Zoro said, his eyes never leaving his meal, his tone as casual as if they were discussing the weather.
“Did you hear that? The kids worth 100 million?” One of the tavern patron’s whispered, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and greed. “No way?” Another whispered, “tell me about it.” Another man said as Bellamy stopped right at Luffy side.
Luffy raised an eyebrow as Bellamy sat beside her, gesturing to the bartender. “I’ll take a glass from the top shelf, and get the kid whatever she wants.” He said, pointing at Luffy with a smug smile.
“Right.” The bartender said, turning to the shelves of liquor behind him, his voice filled with skepticism.
Luffy watched Bellamy and she could faintly hear, what she was guess was Bellamy’s crew enter the tavern being fucking brats and whining and bitching about the tavern when the bartender sat two drinks in front of them.
Luffy’s eyes flicked over to the drink, then back to Bellamy, who was watching her with a smug glint in his eye. Her expression didn’t change from blank as her finger traced the rim of the beer mug that was sat in front of her.
She saw Bellamy’s eye twitch slightly, and she felt a small gust of wind as Bellamy lifted his hand, going to grab the back of Luffy’s head to slam it into the bar. But it seemed as soon as his muscles twitched the entire tavern was bathed in a blue light, accompanied by Law’s voice. “ROOM!” Law’s voice echoed through the entire tavern, seemingly coming from nowhere and everywhere at once. He was out of the seat before anyone could blink, drawing his sword and swinging it down at Bellamy’s arm. “Amputate!” He called out and Bellamy’s arm flew off.
Bellamy screamed and stared at his arm, which was now floating in a bubble of space. Luffy couldn’t help but to snicker at the sight. “Well, that was unexpected,” she murmured into her beer, taking a sip. The tavern had gone deathly silent.
Bellamy's scream pierced through the tavern's silence as he clutched his bloodless stump, his mind racing to comprehend what had just happened. The tavern patrons stared in shock, their drinks frozen mid-sip, as the gravity of the situation dawned on them. Zoro, ever the composed one, took a casual swig from his sake cup, his gaze never leaving Bellamy's face as he watched the pirate's reaction to Law's display of power.
“Lu, what do you want me to do to him?” Law's voice was calm, yet filled with a hint of excitement, his eyes never leaving the panicked pirate.
Luffy smirked, it was a smirk that was something evil and dark as she spun around on the barstool, leaning forward. “Human centipede.” She murmured, sliding off of the barstool, her hands sliding up Law’s back to rest on his shoulders as she stood up on her tiptoes to whisper, she’s whispering loud enough for everyone in the tavern to hear her, into Law’s ear with a sickeningly sweet smile. “Turn him and his crew into a real life human centipede, like the one from the movies… Or, better yet, give me his heart. I want to hold his still beating heart in my hands.”
Her voice was so casual, so relaxed, that it was eerie, especially in the silence that followed her words. The tavern was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Even the sound of the waves outside was muffled by the sheer horror and anticipation in the air.
Law chuckled, his eyes glinting with mischief as his eyes scanned Bellamy from head to foot. He knew Luffy's tendencies for dramatic flair, but he also knew she wasn't one to make idle threats. He took a step forward, the floorboards creaking under the weight of his boots, and addressed the trembling pirate, "I'd be more than happy to oblige, Luffy. You want his heart, I’ll give it to you.”
With a flick of his wrist, Law's hand glowed with the power of his Devil Fruit, the Room, and he reached into Bellamy's chest, his fingers wrapping around the pirate's beating heart. The blond's eyes went wide with terror, his scream echoing through the tavern as the organ was plucked from his body with ease. Luffy's smile grew wider as the heart was pulled out, encased in a transparent cube, and she took it from Law with a graceful gesture.
“Oh, looky, looky, I was expecting it to be all shriveled up and sour like your personality, Bellamy.” Luffy held the cube, holding Bellamy’s heart up to the light, inspecting it with a twisted smile.
“Give it back, you monster!” Bellamy roared, his hand reaching for his chest to find only a gaping hole. The room fell into a tense silence, the only sounds being the erratic thumping of the heart in the cube.
“Tisk, tisk.” Luffy chided, her eyes dancing with amusement. “If I remember correctly, you’re the one who acted first, it’s not our fault you were too slow to deflect Law’s attacks.” She walked closer to Bellamy, slowly pushing the cube with his heart back in his chest with her index finger, Bellamy’s heart returning to his chest with a satisfying click. “Why don’t you be a good boy and run along with your crew somewhere else, huh? Or I actually might let Law go for psycho doctor and actually turn you and your crew into a human centipede.”
Bellamy’s eyes bulged, sweat dripping down his forehead like a waterfall. “You... you wouldn’t dare!”
“Oh honey, I’ve been killing people since I was nine years old, i’ll do anything if I want to.” Luffy said sweetly, a wicked grin spreading across her face. “After all, I’m a sandstorm, and well… well, i’m hoping in that pretty little head of yours you know what a sandstorm is, you do know who a sandstorm is, right? Sandstorms do whatever they want whenever they want, Sandstorms take whatever they want whenever they want, Sandstorms break whatever they want, whenever they want. And I’ll tell you I’m the biggest sandstorm you’ll ever meet.”
Bellamy gulped, his bravado momentarily forgotten. He knew of the sandstorm family, everyone did, they were feared and revered across the entire ocean. The thought of crossing one of such a notorious pirate group was not a comforting one. “Fine, we’ll leave, just don’t hurt us,” he stuttered, his voice cracking with fear.
“Okay!” Luffy chirped, taking a step back and shoving Bellamy’s still severed arm into his, for right now, only arm. “Bye-bye!” She said cheerfully, waving at Bellamy and his crew. A collective sigh of relief washed over the tavern as the Bellamy pirates scurried away, the sound of their panicked footsteps echoing through the suddenly quiet room.
The tavern was silent for a second before Zoro slurped his beer obnoxiously loudly. “That was fucking gross.” He said, his tone a mix of disgust and amusement. “But damn effective.” He chuckled, slapping his hand on the bar.
Luffy grinned, her eyes glinting with mischief. “It’s all part of the job, right?” She winked at him, sipping her own drink.
Law rolled his eyes, sitting back at the bar counter with Luffy and Zoro like he didn’t just perform a macabre magic trick. The tension in the room had dissipated like smoke from a snuffed candle, leaving the pirates to their drinks and gossip. The barkeeper, a burly man with a beard, cautiously approached them, eyeing the trio with a mix of fear and awe.
“So, Luffy, care to tell us why you’re so keen on scaring the shit out of every pirate in Jaya?” Zoro asked, his tone playful yet probing. Luffy just shrugged, her curly hair bouncing with the movement.
“I just didn’t like him. Bellamy, I mean. He gave me major creepo vibes, so I decided to match his energy within insanity and throw it right back at him," Luffy said with a wink, sipping her drink. "Besides, it's not every day you get to see someone's heart in a cube, right?" Her dark brown eyes twinkled with mischief, the corner of her mouth curling up into a smirk.
Law couldn’t help but laugh at her nonchalant attitude, setting his glass down. "You do know that you're terrifying when you want to be, right?" he said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Terrifying? Me?" Luffy feigned innocence, her eyes wide and her voice rising an octave. "I'm just a happy-go-lucky pirate with a knack for making friends!" She slapped Zoro on the back, who grunted in response but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips.
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Luffy is having the time of her life. It’s been about a day since her, Law, and Zoro had to deal with the Bellamy incident. And in that time spand the Strawhat Pirates and the heart Pirates have met a pirate crew called the Masira Pirates, then they had met another pirate crew called Shoujou Pirates. Then they had found a giant castle that wasn’t actually a castle. It was just a wooden cut out of a castle with a much smaller house behind it. Then they found a book called Noland the Liar. Oh wait if that couldn’t get any better after Nami read the book to everyone than they met a man named Mont Blanc Cricket, and well, he wasn’t so happy that the Strawhat Pirates and the heart Pirates were exploring his weird house nor reading his book. Then Cricket tried shooting Sanji, it didn’t work in the guy collapsed, some other stuff happened and Chopper helped find out what was wrong with Cricket. And then, oh! Another thing led to another and all of the Strawhat pirates and the heart Pirates ran around the forest Jaya all night just to find and capture a bird called a South Bird like they were a bunch of crazed lunatics before Robin managed to catch one, and now here they are back at Cricket’s weird house.
Luffy’s eyes sparkled with unbridled amusement as she looked at the going merry. Cricket and his two friends? Brothers? Luffy isn’t quite sure what they are, but Cricket, his friends, and their crews had Jury rigging the Going Merry and Polar Tang with wings, and chicken-like details like a comb, and wattles. It looked utterly and completely fucking stupid.
Law, on the other hand, looked less thrilled as he looked at his submarine, the Polar Tang, now sporting a pair of giant wings with a tail attached to the back. "I hope you know what you're doing, Cricket," he muttered, scratching his head.
“Thanks for the ships Little… upgrades, Cricket, and Cricket’s Friends!” Luffy exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
Cricket granted, stabbing out his cigarette. “Whatever, thank them for it.” He jabbed his thumb towards the Shoujou Pirates, and the Masira Pirates. “They’re the ones that built it.”
Luffy’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she dragged her eyes away from the two ships and towards the two other pirate crews. “That’s Loves!” She cheered, her voice echoing through the early morning air.
“All right, enough of this foolishness, we don’t have much time before the knock up stream hits!” The captain of the Masira Pirates, Masira, shouted, breaking the playful banter.
“Follow us we’ll lead the way!” The Captain of the Shoujou pirates, Shoujou, said in much friendly or to say eager tone as he gestured to the ships.
“Come on Luffy! Lets go!” Usopp called from the deck going merry as Luffy ran towards her ship, The heart Pirates, following closely behind boarding their own ship, the Poler Tang.
“Coming!” Luffy waved back at Usopp, her stride filled with a spring of excitement. She felt a warm rush of wind against her face as she reached the deck of the Going Merry.
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Luffy was practically jumping up and down and pure on adulterated joy as they stopped tye Going Merry and the Poler Tang were the knock upstream was supposed to be. Luffy and Law were grinning like maniacs as their ships were slowly being sunken down by a whirl, as both of their respective crews lost or ever loving mine trying to convince them to turn back before it was too late.
“We’re going to sink!” Usipp shouted, her eyes wide with panic as the water swirled around the ships, pulling them in.
“You’re not going to sink! It’s a pre-eruption trimmer!” Masira’s Voice somehow cut through the storm from where his crew, and the Shoujou pirates were further away so they didn’t get caught in the knock up Stream.
“Eruption!” Ikkaku yelps, her boots sliding on a slick deck of the polar tang. “What the actual fuck is a pre-eruption trimmer?!”
“It means we’re going to be shot into the sky!” Law shouted back, his excitement palpable as the ships spun faster and faster. His eyes gleamed with anticipation as he tightly gripped the railing of the Polar Tang, the wind whipping his dark hair into a frenzy.
“Excuse me what!” Bepo looked at them in horror, his fur blowing in the intense wind. “We’re all going to die!”
On the going merry Robin held onto the railing of the ship, pushing herself slightly away to look up at Nami, Who was standing on the upper deck of the going merry. “Hey, navigator! What does the log pose say?”
Nami spluttered, holding onto the upper decks railing like it was her lifeline as she glanced down at her log pose. “It’s pointing straight up at the clouds!” She yelled back down, her voice barely audible over the roar of the whirlpool. “The wind directions perfect! The clouds are lining up exactly over the center of the whirlpool!”
“Hey! Kids!” Masira’s Voice somehow cut through the storm. “We’ll lead you to the inner edge of the whirl! When we get you their position yourself towards the flow and head towards the center of the whirl, then you’ll be fine!”
“You want us to go to the center of the whirlpool!” Penguin shouted, his voice thick with panic. His hair ruffled in the wind as he tightened his grip on the ropes securing the ship.
“LAW! ARE YOU READY FOR THIS!” Luffy was grinning like a complete psychopath as she looked over to Law, who was standing at the front of his own shit. “We’re about to see the island Roger told us so many stories about!”
Law nodded, his heart racing with excitement and a hint of nervousness. The Knock Up Stream was a legend among pirates, a mysterious current that could lift ships into the sky and grant them access to the floating islands above the clouds. It was a gateway to a world of untold riches and adventures, a place where dreams could come true—or shatter into a million pieces.
Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Gin, and well, practically everyone else was screaming absolute bloody murder as the whirlpool sucked them in. Luffy grabbed Monroe as he slid past her, her eyes wild with excitement as she watched the world around them twist and spin.
But just as it started the whirlpool just disappeared like someone snapped their fingers and everything was still, everything was calm, everything was quiet. And then bubbles started popping up from the ocean around me going merry and the polar tang, the whirlpool had sunk underneath the water.
Luffy’s eyes glinted with excitement as she felt the knock up stream start to start, but all of her joy and excitement was instantly wrenched out of her when she heard a familiar voice. A voice that belonged to Marshall D. Teach. “Hold it, right!”
Robin, Luffy, Ace, and Sabo all stopped in their track. And you could just feel the hatred, the bloodlust, the animosity, the absolute unbridled malice washing over them in waves as they slowly turned to face the ship coming towards the going merry and the poler tang. It was Blackbeard, and he had a look in his eyes like he hadn't slept in days. His crew, the blackbeard pirates, had the same look in their eyes, like rabid dogs who hadn’t eaten in a week and had just caught the scent of fresh meat.
“Teach!” Luffy growled, handing Monroe to Deuce as she walked towards the railing of going merry.
“Now now!” Blackbeard called out, waving his hand around in the air. “Is that any way to talk to your uncle Teach?”
“Uncle?!” Luffy stap, at the same time Sanji placed a hand on Luffy’s shoulder. “Captain, Who is this guy? how do you know him? And why is he calling himself your uncle?” He asked, eyes Blackbeard.
“OH! OH! OH! OH! Robin, Luffy, Ace, Sabo! Have you not told your precious crew that you’re the grandkids of not only Monkey D. Garp, Rocks D. Xebec, but also Edward Newgate… or, well, I guess you’re a little crew would know Edward as Whitebeard! How could you? I thought family was everything to you!” Teach chuckled darkly, stroking his beard as stared at the going merry and the poler tang.
Gin's face turned to pure shock, her eyes widening like a pair of full moons. "What is he talking about?" she thought, her mind racing with questions.
Luffy didn’t answer, her face a mask of pure unadulterated fury as she glared as Blackbeard. “You haven’t been a part of this family for a long ass fucking time, Teach, not since what you did to our mother!” She shouted at the same time Ace’s self control snapped, and he pulled his gun out of his waistband, firing every single last bullet in the gun at Blackbeard, hitting him at least three times, once in the shoulder, once in the side, and once in the thigh. “You’re dead Marshall D. Teach, sooner or later Karma is gonna catch up to you and rip your fucking throat out enforce it back down through your fucking mouth!” Luffy’s voice was shaking with rage as the knock up stream started, the ocean seemingly coming alive again as it shot both the going merry and the poler tang into the sky.
“Everyone hold on or get inside!” Sanji yelled, as the ships started to be raised into the sky by the Knock Up Stream. The rush of water was unlike anything they had ever experienced, a tumultuous force that could easily crush ships and men alike. The crew of the Going Merry and the poler tang braced themselves for the ascent, eyes wide.
The two ships shot into the air with the force of a supernova, the blast of water carrying them up, and up, and up, and up, until the blue of the sea gave way to the vastness of the sky. The spray of saltwater clung to their skin and clothes as they ascended.
Luffy took a deep breath, forcing herself to forget about Blackbeard, for now, as she Grand like a maniac, her hand on top of her head to keep her hat in place as they two ships were shot into the air. “This is awesome!” She exclaimed as the ocean turned into a distant memory, replaced by the endless expanse of the sky.
Law was grinning just a psychotically as Luffy was, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Hold on, it’s not going to be that easy!” He called out to both his and Luffy’s crews. “Look!”
“Oh, what now!” Uni shouted over the deafening roar of the Knock Up Stream, his voice filled with fear and nerves.
“What’s wrong? Did we forget something?” Sabo yelled, his curly blonde hair whipping around in the wind.
“The hall’s of the ships are starting to float! If we don’t stop it we’re going to fall into the Ocean!” Law's voice was heard through the chaos.
“What do you expect us to do about it!? We are having a hard enough time holding on as it is, or have you not noticed!” Usopp shouted back, her grip on the railing tightening as the ship lurched upwards.
“What can we do? we don’t have much options when it comes to mother nature. We are at her mercy.” Zoro spoke calmly despite the wind whipping around them like a tornado.
“I guess we hold on and hope for the best!” Law yelled over the wind.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Chopper screeched as he, Monroe, and Deuce clingged onto Gin like she was a lifeboat in a typhoon. Gin's eyes were wide as saucers, her usual cool demeanor nowhere to be seen as the ships continued to ascend at breakneck speed.
“Ships are falling from the sky!” Deuce screamed, pointing upwards towards a ancient looking ship that was indeed falling from the sky. Chunks of the ship were being shot out of the sides of the knock up stream as if the stream was a cannon. “We are going to end up just like them!”
“We’re going to nose dive into the ocean all because Luffy what to follow some dream!” Usopp yelled, her voice crackling with fear as she desperately held onto the railings of the going merry.
“Spread the sales right now! Both ships, spread the ships sales, now!” Nami shouted, looking over to Johnny and yosaku, before looking over to the heart Pirates ship. “You two! Spread the sales of your ship! Sure, it’s a pillar of water, but it’s still a part of the sea! It’s a rising current! The wind from below is a rising air current produced by geothermal heat causing a steam explosion! It may be packaged differently but it’s still wind and water! Trust me, i’m a navigator aren’t I!” She said trying to keep her own panic from showing through.
“Thank you, Nami!” Sanji called over the roar of the water, his voice tight with fear. On the Heart Pirates' ship, Law nodded in understanding, relaying the order to his crew.
“All right gang, Nami’s leading the way!” Johnny and Yosaku released the sales of the going merry, Hakugan and Clione doing the same for the polar tang.
“All right guys, catch the starboard wind and align the ships with the current!” Nami yelled over the crescendo of the water's rush.
“Hey, we’re rising above the water Is that okay!” Monroe exclaimed, his eyes wide with fear and excitement.
“Nami! Do something or we’re going to fall!” Luffy yelled, not an ounce of fear, nerves, nor doubt in her voice.
“We’re flying!” Bepo all but screech when both ship studied themselves, but instead of just continuing to go up the knock up stream the sales caught the wind and they were actually flying upwards.
“YEAH! We’re heading to the sky Islands!” Luffy cheered, her voice echoing through the gushing winds, her unbuttoned red shirt flapping wildly around her toned body. Ace and Sabo exchanged a look, their hearts racing as they clutched the ship’s railing.
“If the wind keeps us up, we can sail as high as we want!” Nami exclaimed, her voice full of excitement as she adjusted the ship's course. The Knock Up Stream's power combined with the wind was a thrilling and terrifying experience for everyone on board. The ships soared through the air, their wooden hulls groaning under the strain of the unnatural ascent. “If Skype exists, It’s past those clouds!” She pointed up towards the clouds, they were so close to.
“Past those cloud!? I can’t wait to find out what’s up in the sky! Let’s cut through them and find out!” Luffy exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement as she leaned over the railing of the Going Merry as they shot through the clowns, and up and up and up, before falling back down and landing with a thud on thr tops of the cloud, the ships to shaking and shuttering with the impac, making the people standing on the decks fall.
Luffy was the first one to get back to her feet as everyone else hacked and cough, their bodies drenched to the bone in water. Her chest heave as she looked out at the pure white abyss that they had landed on. “LAW! We made it! We made it to Skypiea! We finally made it to the place. Roger told us all the stories about!”
Law, his dark eyes glinting with excitement and a touch of disbelief, nodded in agreement. “Yeah… we did it.”
————————
Elsewhere, at marine HQ, Marineford, The fleet admiral Sengoku looked about ready to rip his hair out as he had a meeting with the seven warlords of the sea Dracule Mihawk, Bartholomew Kuma, Boa Hancock, Crocodile, Gecko Moria, Donquixote Doflamingo, and Jinbe. “You!” He practically growled, pointing at Crocodile.
Crocodile raised in eyebrow, taking a long drag off of her cigar before leaning back in the chair she was sitting in. “Me?” She asked with mock innocence, a smirk playing on her lips.
Sengoku’s eyes twitched as he slammed his fist down on the table, getting everyone’s attention. “YES YOU! DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR CHILDREN!” He roared, his deep voice echoing through the room. Crocodile’s smirk never wavered as she blew out a ring of smoke.
Crocodile tilted her head to the side, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Nha, I’m good.”
Mihawk, sitting at the far end of the table, leaned in slightly, his expression unreadable, but his curiosity peaked. “What’s going on? Who’s got the admiral all bent out of shape?”
Doflamingo, his neon pink sunglasses reflecting the light from the chandelier above, smirked. “It seems our dear Sengoku is having family issues. Or rather, he’s having issues with a family.”
Sengoku’s eyes twitched again. “Crocodile…” he began, taking a deep breath to try to calm his nerves. “Three of your children have barely been pirates for three, four months max and One of them already has a bounty of 100 million berries, and the other two already have a bounty of 44 million berries each! Three of your children, all under the age of 18 years old, have a collective bounty of 188 million berries! Your daughter has a higher bounty than some warlords, just two of your sons have a collective bounty higher than some warlords of the sea!” His voice grew louder and louder as he listed their offenses.
Crocodile chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Sengoku, why are you telling me this when you know I’m not gonna do anything about it?” She asks, ashing her cigar in a nearby ashtray.
Sengoku’s eyes narrowed. “You will do something about it, Crocodile! If your children keep running amok like this, it’ll reflect poorly on all of us!”
“It won’t do anything to my reputation, but it will do something to yours.” Crocodile’s voice dripped with venomous sweetness, her smirk not reaching her eyes. “Plus, don’t you have some bigger fish to fry? Why are you so worried about what my kids are doing?”
“Your kids killed mercenaries! How in all of the seven seas do your children kill mercenaries?” Sengoku roared, his face reddening as he slammed his fist onto the table.
Crocodile rolled her eyes, not caring about his outburst. “Again, why do you care so much?”
Sengoku leaned in, his voice lowering to a menacing whisper. “Because, Crocodile, if they cause trouble for the World Government, they cause trouble for all of us. And if you can’t control them, the Marines will have to step in, and trust me, you do not want that. We have enough to deal with as it is, especially with Dragon’s Revolutionaries growing stronger every day, and with two of your children being his—!”
He was cut off by Crocodile smacking the ever loving piss out of him with the back of her hand right across the face. She slapped him hard enough to send his glasses flying across the room.
“You listen to me here and right now.” Crocodile growled, she stood up, snatching Sengoku by the front of his marine uniform, and yanking him so close to her she nearly head butted him. “I couldn’t give two shits what vendetta you have against Dragon, but if you target my children only because he’s their father I’ll rip your dick off and feed it to my Bananawanis!”
The room grew eerily silent, the only sound being the faint ringing of Sengoku’s glasses as they clattered against the floor. Crocodile’s grip was iron, her eyes burning with a fiery rage that could have melted steel. Sengoku’s face reddened, his fists clenched, but he knew better than to retaliate. Crocodile wasn’t just a Warlord, she was a mother, and a mother’s wrath was something not even the most seasoned of marines dared to face.
“I’ll tell you this once, Sengoku, and I will only tell you this once. You will not just be pissing me off if you go after those kids, you’ll be pissing off Whitebeard, the whitebeard pirates, Red haired shanks, the red haired pirates, four out of the seven warlords including me, Bartholomew Kuma, Jinbe, and Dracule Mihawk. You’ll have some of the disbanded rocks pirates, the disbanded Roger Pirates, some Marines, every single assassin I have in my Arsenal, every single mercenary I have in my arsenal, every single last revolutionary army member, the royal family of Alabasta, and every single last goddamn motherfucking person that is a part of the sandstorm family.” Crocodile’s voice was so low and so calm it was terrifying. “You won’t just have me on your ass, if you go after those children only because their daddy is Dragon, you’ll have more than half of the entire pirate population at your fucking doorstep ready to kill you.”
Sengoku’s eyes widened, he knew Crocodile was not one to be trifled with, she had a way of speaking that made even the most stoic of men squirm.
Doflamingo frowned, a hint of confusion flashing across his features. He had no idea Crocodile had anymore kids after her first born, Salamander. The revelation that she had not one, but three more, was intriguing to say the least. The room remained eerily quiet as everyone present took in the gravity of Crocodile’s words. The air was thick with tension, a palpable force that seemed to weigh down on the very shoulders of those who had gathered.
Corazon, who had been sitting off to the side with some other marines, stood up from his seat, walking over to Crocodile, and without a ounce of hesitation lean down to whisper in her ear, his hand coming up and sliding across her stomach to gently rest on her hip. “Come on, Crow, you know how Sengoku is. He’s not actually going to do anything to them, he’s just going to rant and yell.”
Crocodile’s eyes narrowed slightly as she glanced at Corazon, but she knew he was right. Sengoku was known for his fiery temper and loud rhetoric, but at the end of the day, he wasn’t just gonna go after some kids all because they were related to Dragon. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She knew that her children were strong, capable of handling whatever the world threw at them, but she was still their mother, and she was going to worry about them.
Doflamingo’s eyes narrowed as he watched the intimate exchange in between Crocodile and his brother Corazon. He didn’t like the way Corazon was touching Crocodile, nor how Corazon’s hand had slid across Crocodile’s stomach to rest on her hip. The possessiveness grew within him, his heart thudded in his chest like a drum in a warrior’s battle cry. He didn’t know why he felt this way, but he couldn’t stand the sight of them together. It was like watching someone else hold a piece of himself that he didn’t even know existed.
Crocodile let go of Sengoku, running her hands over the rumple marine uniform to straighten it out, her expression instantly snapping into one of a sickeningly sweet smile like she didn’t just threaten the man’s life. “Sorry, Senny. You know how I get with my kids, after all, you and Garp used to babysit them for me. Or well, Garp would babysit them for me and he would wrangle you into helping him.”
Sengoku rolled his eyes at her, the tension in the room dissipating slightly. “Crocodile, you know I don’t have a vendetta against your kids. Dragon’s actions are his own and I would never hold his kin accountable for them. But that doesn’t mean I’ll turn a blind eye to what they do either.”
“That's all I ask you.” Crocodile sighed as Corazon stepped away from her. “Hold them accountable for all of their actions for all I care. Just don’t you dare lay a finger on them because of who their father is. That’s all I’m saying.” She said as she sat back down, crossing one leg over another, Corazon completely stepping away from her, his hand sliding up her shoulder and neck to caress her cheek as he walked away and back to his seat with the other Marines.
Doflamingo's eyes narrowed even more as he watched Corazon’s intimate gesture towards Crocodile. He didn’t like it, he didn’t like it one bit, it was his ex-girlfriend and his little brother for fucks sake. And they were touching each other like they were together, like they were in a relationship, like they were dating, like they were in love. It was infuriating, and Doflamingo felt his blood boil. He gritted his teeth together so hard it hurt.
But he said nothing, Doflamingo was a smart man, a strategic man, and he knew that showing his hand now would only cause more trouble than it was worth.
“So…” Mihawk began, breaking the silence, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “The meeting? Or are we going to keep talking about Luffy, Ace, and Sabo?”
Sengoku cleared his throat, his gaze flicking towards the still visibly flustered Doflamingo before returning to the paperwork in front of him. “Indeed, the meeting. It’s just one of the standard warlord meetings we have twice a year.”
—————————
Once the warlord meeting was finally over Doflamingo all but shot out of his chair, and tried to keep up with Crocodile. He had to talk to her, hed to find out what the hell was going on between her and his brother, but when he managed to somewhat catch up with her, he was exiting the building their meeting was held in, and Crocodile was already on her ship. But Crocodile wasn’t alone, she had her right hand man on the ship with her, and Corazon. But that wasn’t all, there were two twin little boys, no older than 10-years-old and they looked like if you just took Crocodile and Corazon, and threw them into a blender to mix them up and the perfect blend of the both of them popped out.
The Kids were calling Corazon Daddy, and Crocodile Mama. And Crocodile was kissing Corazon, her hands cradling the side of his face as she slightly stood on her tiptoes. The kids clung to Corazon’s pant legs as they jumped up and down.
Doflamingo stopped in his tracks. His heart racing like a stampede of wild horses. He didn’t know what to do, he didn’t know what to say, he was in shock. He couldn’t believe his eyes, his brother had a family with his ex-girlfriend? And they had kids? Twin kids? The fuck? He had so many questions.
He watched as Crocodile pulled away from Corazon, pecking him on the lips one last time before she pulled completely away, turning her attention to her kids. “Okay, Shallum, Ronzino. Give daddy hugs and kisses and say bye. We’ve got to go and Daddy’s got some work to finish here.”
The twins, Shallum and Ronzino, wrapped their arms around Corazon when he squatted down to be eye level with them. The twin boys pecked him on the cheek. “Bye Daddy! We’ll see you soon!”
“Bye-bye, loves. The two of you be good for mommy, okay?” Corazon ruffled their hair, a soft smile playing on his lips. The twins giggled, nodding vigorously as he stood back up. Corazon’s hands came up to cradle Crocodile’s face again as he kissed her one last time before letting go and turning on his heels, walking down the gangplank of Crocodile’s ship, The Desert Oasis, and back onto the deck of Marineford.
Doflamingo leaned against the door of the Marine HQ as if he would collapse if it wasn’t holding him up as he watched The Desert Oasis sail away from Marineford. His eyes flicked to his brother, who was waving The Desert Oasis off. Doflamingo actually looked at his brother, he actually looked at Corazon in what felt like it was the first time in years. He stared at his brother’s back, his heart hammered in his chest like a drum, and his stomach felt like it was in a knot.
Corazon turned slightly and noticed Doflamingo, they stared at each other for a couple seconds, a flurry of emotions flickering across Doflamingo’s face as Corazon face stayed blank. The silent stretched on for what felt like an eternity, but really was just a couple seconds before Corazon continued turning and walked away from Doflamingo, the gravel beneath his boots crunching with every step.
Doflamingo's mind raced as he watched Corazon’s retreating form, his thoughts a tumult of anger, jealousy, and confusion. His brother had kids with Crocodile, his brother had kids with his ex-girlfriend. It was a twist he hadn't seen coming, and it stung. And before he could even process what he was doing, Doflamingo was running after his brother, not out of anger, well there’s is anger, but mostly just confusion and the need for answers.
"Rosinante! Wait!" He called out, his voice echoing through the now-empty deck. Corazon didn’t stop his strides as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his breast pocket of his marine uniform, pulling one out and lighting it up with the lighter that was tucked in the pack of cigarettes. “What do you want, brother?” He asked, his tone monotone and flat as he tucked the cigarette lighter and pack of cigarettes back into his pocket. “I’ve got more important things to do than to entertain you.”
Doflamingo’s eyes narrowed, and his hand clenched into fists by his side. “You never told me you had kids with her!” He spat, his words coming out harsher than he had intended. He had always known that his brother was the more private one, but this was too much.
“And why would I tell you?” Corazon replied, taking a drag of his cigarette and exhaling a cloud of smoke. “It’s none of your concern who I procreate with. Besides, we haven’t spoken in years, brother. You have no claim to my life or my choices.” His voice remained calm, but the tension in his body was palpable as he continued to walk.
Doflamingo’s face contorted into a snarl, his pink eyes flashing. “They are family! You know how important that is to me. To think that you’ve kept this from me all these years—”
Corazon spun around so fast that his feathered coat fluttered around him, and he socked his brother in the face so hard that Doflamingo staggered back, the force of the blow sending his pink sunglasses flying into the water. "You do not get to say anything about family! You tried to kill me, you emptied an entire magazine into me and left me to bleed out to death in a blizzard! Do you really think that’s what family does?! And you think after you did that to me, your own little brother, I would let you anywhere near my children!?" His eyes bore into Doflamingo’s, fury burning in their depths.
Doflamingo rubbed his jaw, a bruise already forming under the skin. "That was different," he growled, his pride stung. "You—”
“NO!” Corazon bellowed, his voice echoing through the docks as his hand shot out to grab Doflamingo by the collar of his jacket, yanking him forward. “NO! You’re going to listen to me! You’re going to listen to what I have to say! You’re going to listen because if you don’t, then I swear to everything holy and unholy that I will rip your goddamn throat out!”
Doflamingo’s eyes widened, not because he was scared—fear was a concept that had been beaten out of him long ago—but because he was shocked. He had never seen Corazon like this, so... so feral, so unrestrained. It was fascinating, and it was terrifying.
Corazon’s grip on his collar tightened, pulling him closer until their faces were a breath apart. “You do not get to claim family after what you did. You do not get to act surprised or hurt that I moved on and found a family. You gave up that right when you tried to end my life.” He pulled away from Doflamingo, not letting go on the grip he had on his collar as he yanked his older brother along with him into one of the doors that led into the building of Marineford.
Corazon didn’t stop, not even for other marines he just shoved them out of the way, until he got to his office, flinging the door open and shoving Doflamingo into the room. The room was barely large enough for the two of them, but Corazon didn’t seem to care. He slammed the door shut behind them and leaned back against it, his chest heaving with each breath he took.
“You do not get to be mad that I found a family! And you sure as hell do not get to be mad that Crocodile found a family! I was the one there for her when you broke up with her, I was the one there for her when she cried herself to sleep because you broke up with her, because she loved you more than anything in the fucking world, and you just tossed her aside like she was nothing!” Corazon’s voice was laced with a bitterness that hadn’t been there before, his eyes flashing with anger.
Doflamingo looked at him in shock, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts. He had never seen his brother like this, so full of rage and passion. He had always been the calm, collected one, the one who took everything in stride. But now, he looked ready to tear the whole world apart if it meant protecting Crocodile and their children.
Corazon stepped closer to Doflamingo, jabbing a finger into the slightly taller man’s chest. “You got her pregnant! And I know you know you got her pregnant because Crocodile had called any and every time the kids you got her pregnant with hit any milestone, got any achievement, did any little or big thing in their lives! But every time she tried to call Trebol or whatever the fuck his name is would always pick up and say that you just didn’t wanna talk, you didn’t care, that you were too busy to deal with children, that he would give you the message but she knew deep down that you didn’t care! You didn’t give a fuck about her or those kids! You threw her away like trash and she had to raise them alone because you didn’t want to deal with the consequences of your own actions!”
Doflamingo’s eyes were wide as he stared at his little brother in disbelief. Crocodile… had his kids? He had… kids? His heart was racing like a wild stallion in a stampede. The realization washed over him like a tidal wave of cold water, leaving him momentarily speechless. He took a step back, trying to digest this newfound information. "What... what do you mean?" he finally managed to choke out, his voice barely above a whisper.
“OH! DON’T PLAY DUMB WITH ME!” Corazon snapped, his handsome features contorted with rage. “You know exactly what I’m talking about! Crocodile had to have at least tried calling you 100 times when she first found out she was pregnant! But the only thing she got in response was that fuckin Trebol guy telling her that you didn’t want to talk about it, that you didn’t care! That you didn’t wanna be a part of the kids lives! That’s the kind of man you are, Doflamingo! A fucking coward who runs from his responsibilities!”
Doflamingo’s jaw clenched so hard it could have cracked a diamond. “That’s... that’s a lie...” he managed to croak out, his mind racing to find a way out of this revelation.
“Bullshit!” Corazon spat, shoving Doflamingo out of his way so he could walk over to his desk. He wrenched one of the drawers open so hard it was a miracle it didn’t break and he rummaged around in it until he pulled out a bounty poster, smacking it down on the table. “That’s them!”
It was a duo bounty poster of twins, and… well, they looked like if you would’ve just stuck Doflamingo and Crocodile into a mixing bowl and they would’ve been what came out.
The bounty poster picture was taken at a high angle shot, the two young men's faces so close together that they were almost touching as they looked up at the camera with wide smiles. They had short, platinum blonde hair, orangey-pink eyes with a hint of gold scattered through them, and golden tan skin and that was all Doflamingo, but everything else about the boys was straight Crocodile. The two boys look like the prettiest most gorgeous things you’ll ever see, but they also look so insane, so unhinged, they look fucking crazy. They looked wild, unpredictable, and absolutely thrilling. The kind of thrill that only comes from knowing you're staring at something incredibly dangerous. The bounty poster red ‘Wanted Dead or Alive: Tuatara and Skink — The heavenly looking angel twins — 900,000,000 berries each’.
Doflamingo stared at the poster in disbelief, his heart hammering in his chest. He didn’t know what to say, what to do. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of emotions he hadn’t felt in so long. His pride, his anger, his resentment, his love for Crocodile. All of it was bubbling to the surface, threatening to consume him.
“That’s them.” Corazon said again, tapping the poster. “20-years-old, and almost worth 1,000,000,000 berries each.” He looks up to Doflamingo, his eyes boring into his. “Those are your kids, Brother. Tuatara and Skink. Your sons. Crocodile tried so fucking hard to get you to be a part of their lives, but you couldn’t even have the decency to pick up the phone when she called you had to have Trebol handle it all!”
Doflamingo stared at the poster, his eyes wide with shock. Tuatara and Skink looked just like their mother, with her sharp features and piercing eyes, even if their eyes were the same color as his, they had the same sharpness as Crocodile’s. Yet they had something of him too, something in the set of their jaws, the arrogant tilt of their heads. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The room was spinning, his mind racing with thoughts and emotions he hadn’t felt in a long time.
“So, tell me. Truly tell me why the fuck you thought I would tell you I had a family if you couldn’t even take care of your own?” Corazon's voice was filled with accusation, his eyes never leaving Doflamingo's face.
Doflamingo swallowed hard, his hand shaking slightly as he reached out to touch the poster. He had no words. The weight of his neglect and the truth of his own shortcomings settled heavily on his shoulders. Crocodile had his kids, she had tried to reach out, had wanted him to be there, and he had never known? How could he not have known? Trebol was the one who took care of all calls and really anything else that made its way into Dressrosa, did Trebol keep this from him?
He felt a twinge of anger towards his right hand, but it was quickly overshadowed by the overwhelming sense of loss and regret that washed over him. He had missed out on watching them grow, on being their father.