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Chapter Text

        Dressrosa was a nice kingdom with lots of laughter and fun. The air was always hot with tells of summer, and festivities seemed to be constant everywhere you went. There were cute little toys that moved on their own, and beautiful flower gardens with tales of fairies inhabiting them. Then there was the king, a tall handsome man adorning that feathered coat of his that all the people in the country admired. 

Well, in your case you weren't exactly sure if you admired him. 

        To you Donquixote Doflamingo was terrifying, and you questioned why the people of Dressrosa didn't think so. First of all, he was a pirate, a shichibukai nonetheless. Second of all, the man stood at about ten feet tall, and always had that grin on his face. Glasses obscured his eyes and it was impossible to tell who he was looking at, and just everything about him was intimidating! So, in your defense, you made sure that the two of you would never cross paths. Never, with such an intimidating man. 

But as fate would have it, they decided to screw you over. Because the person you had bumped into was the King himself. 

        There was always those rare occasions where the King would come out of his castle and greet the people. When he did, the people were always so ecstatic. Usually you hid in your house, but on this very unlucky day, you wanted to decorate your small house with some cute flowers. 

        It was just so sudden, you were walking down the road back from the flower shop when all of a sudden people started to swarm and form a pathway for the King who was apparently in town. With all the pushing and shoving, you felt trapped. Screams and cheers echoed all around you, and you felt your chest tighten in nervousness. 

Ah, you really did hate crowds. 

        People parted and shuffled to make room for the man, and you somehow found yourself at the very front of it all. Down the road you could see the man himself approaching, his pink feathered coat swinging back and forth in a pendulum movement as he took slow strides down the stone steps. 

For a moment he really did look ethereal, with the sun beaming down from the heavens, giving him an unearthly glow. For a moment you could see why he was called the heavenly demon, from the way he presented himself to pleased grin on his face. 

For a moment you were entranced; until somebody pushed you forwards. 

        It was as if time were slowing down as you landed on the stone ground hands first, and a cacophony of gasps echoed all around you. Your palms stung and you began feeling a wetness to them, the crimson staining the street was proof that you were bleeding. The flowers that you held laid scattered all over the ground. Still staring at the ground in shock, a pair of black shoes suddenly came into view, crushing the flowers that you had bought just half an hour ago.

You widen your eyes. 

        Quickly standing up, you bowed, saying a quick and quiet apology before trying to get back into the crowd. 

Splat.

        Your face felt all wet and disgusting as rotten tomato juice dripped down onto the dress you were wearing. Your head felt like it was swimming as the people started to whisper how you had disrespected the King. You could feel your eyes water, face red in shame. Taking a step forwards, you made your way down the streets, this time much easier as the crowd parted for you. 

It was nice of them to be so dramatic about a simple mistake. 

        But you supposed that was the thing about Dressrosa. It seemed like a perfect paradise, and so in turn, everything had to be perfect. Maybe you were just different. 

You felt your walking pace quicken. 

Maybe you just weren't perfect enough for the people of Dressrosa. To act like them, to think like them. To like him, the king. Because to them, you were an outsider, and will always will be. 

        You blinked, now realizing that you were running down the streets of Dressrosa, moving down to the harbor. Skipping down the steps two at a time, you slowed down, seeing the vast ocean in front of you. You breathed in through your nose, smelling the saltiness that you had grown accustomed to, remembering the ship that had brought you here.

You remembered the goodbyes the two of you shared, knowing that things would never work out. You remembered his sad smile as he told you that this was for your own good.

You didn't think so. Just look at yourself. Nobody really liked you, and now you humiliated yourself in front of the shichibukai, who most likely wants to go after your head. 

        Wiping the tomato juice off your face, you sat on the dock, dangling your feet of the edge close to the water, but not enough to make contact. Your heart felt heavy as you stared into the aquamarine sea, that beautiful damn sea. 

        Remembering things was a curse. You didn't want to remember. You wanted to forget. Forget that today had never happened, forget that you ever met that man, and most of all, forget that you ever loved him. Maybe then you would be able to live again.

        Except at the same time, you cherished the memories the two of you shared, the adventure, the thrill, the love- Your heart ached so bad. You knew he had to leave but why? Why was fate so cruel to you? To the both of you? To toss two people from completely different worlds two love each other unconditionally, knowing that it would never work out. After all...

You were just a regular girl, and he was a man feared by the world.

Chapter Text

        Somehow you made it back to your house without being seen, and you internally thanked the lord for having mercy on you. You didn't think you could bear the thought of people looking at you scornfully. Shutting the door behind you, you flipped on the lights, eyes immediately staring at the empty vase sitting on your dinning table. 

Ah. You were going to have to get new ones.

        Sighing to yourself, you walked into your bedroom to grab your clothes for your shower. You didn't really feel like going to get new flowers- heck, you didn't feel like going outside for a couple of weeks. You didn't want to feel the stares of hatred or pity on you. You didn't want any rumors circulating around you. 

Then again, if you holed yourself up in your house then rumors would begin to spread anyways. 

        Tucking your clothes underneath your arm, you walked into the bathroom, turning on the shower. Stripping each of your clothes off, you stepped in, sighing at the warmth. It made you feel better after the stressful day you just had. You just hoped that the King wouldn't go after your head for blocking his pathway. You shivered as you shampooed your hair. 

You didn't think you wanted to die because of that. 

        Rinsing the soap suds off, you immediately continued with conditioner, and then your body wash. Turning off the shower, you grabbed your towel, stepping out. Putting on your clothes, you walked into your room, throwing your clothes into the hamper, before flopping onto the bed. 

You were so tired. So very tired. And so very lonely. 

        "Are you worried?" he whispered into your ear softly. 

        "...No," you spoke truthfully. "Because you're here to protect me. Why should I be worried?" He laughed, his voice like a beautiful melody in your ear. 

        "That's right. I'll always be here to protect you, Y/n." 

You clenched your jaw. Liar. You left me on Dressrosa.

        Huffing, you pulled the sheets over your head, wanting to forget everything. 

---

        Peaking your head out the door, you sighed as there were already people walking around. Closed the door quietly behind you, you pulled the hood of your hoodie down just a bit, but you knew it was going to be useless. You would be sticking out like a sore thumb compared to everyone else, but you still tried anyways. 

Even though you didn't want to leave the house, you had work. Itachi was counting on you at the dango shop. You couldn't just leave him hanging. 

        Shuffling down the streets, you could feel their intense stairs drilling holes into your hoodie. They knew it was you. You passed by a few of the toys, waving to them slightly because they were the only people who really interacted with you besides a select few, which included Itachi and Ino who worked at the flower shop. The doll gave you a small nod, pointing towards a back alleyway for you to go down. 

Down the alleyway was the toy soldier missing a leg. 

        Quickly moving down the alley, you greeted him. 

        "Good morning Miss Y/n! Would you like me to accompany you to your work?" You smiled gratefully. 

        "That would be great, thank you." You laughed awkwardly as he started to talk about how stupid the police officers were for not trying to help you yesterday, and how rude the people were to you. He started talking about how he created a chaos just to get back at them because they did that to you. "Ahahah... You saw that?" 

        "Yes! And so did Rebecca." You nodded, walking down a few steps. "Well thank you for doing that, but you didn't have to. Is Rebecca in the Corrida Colosseum?" 

        "Yes!" You nodded, pausing when the end of the back roads was near. 

        "Well, thank you for accompanying me. When you see Rebecca, tell her I said hello." He nodded, and left you alone. You knew he was a wanted toy soldier, but he was a nice guy. You could see why he would want to rebel against the king. Ah, the King. 

Wonderful. 

        Peaking around the corner, you brightened up when you saw Itachi in his apron, cleaning the tables outside. Quickly making your way to him, you greeted him. 

        "Good morning Itachi!" His black beady eyes stared down at you, and a warm smile made its way onto his face 

        "Good morning Y/n." 

        "What do you need me to help out with today?" Itachi stood up straight, tower above you. Looking into the shop, he hummed. "Could you clean the counter and get the ingredients out?" Nodding your head, you briskly walked into the shop, quickly ridding the counter of any dust, and placing the ingredients on the table. 

        Knowing that Itachi most likely wanted you to begin making the sweets, you started to mix together the joshinko non-glutinous rice flour, shiratamako glutinous rice flour, and sugar. You felt yourself smile as you did so. 

Itachi really was passionate about his love of dango. Its been two years since you met him, and his small business was still thriving after all this time. 

        And he was so kind. When you didn't know where to go or what to do, he was the one who helped you along with Rebecca. They helped you through a rough time. Without them, you wouldn't be living the way you were now. 

Without them, you probably would have died. 

        So lost in your thoughts, you didn't even realize that Itachi was beside you. 

        "How are you feeling?" You looked up, seeing the raven haired male looking down at you. Your lip quivered slightly as you kneeded the dough. 

        "I'm good." He nodded his head, knowing that you were lying. "Why don't you sit down? Would you like some tea?" You nodded, moving to the outside to sit on the stool. You didn't know how long you had been sitting there, but Itachi had slipped a plate of dango in your view, along with a steaming hot cup of tea. You felt yourself smiling. Itachi really was trying his best to cheer you up, huh? 

        "Thank you, Itachi." You picked up the stick of dango, taking a bite. He chuckled, poking your forehead. 

        "Don't look so down. They'll forget about it eventually." 

        "Yeah... I guess you're right." You looked up at him. "How's Sasuke? Have you heard from him yet?" He smiled softly. 

        "Still with Naruto. I'm glad he has some friends. And with that girl, they'll stay out of trouble." That's right. Itachi's younger brother Sasuke was out sailing the seas with his best friend Naruto and a couple other people. You laughed. 

        "Hopefully they'll stay out of trouble." 

        "Yes, hopefully." 

---

        By the time you got home, it was already late, and you had forgotten to stop by the flower shop for new flowers. Well, you supposed it didn't really matter anymore. You didn't want to worry Ino and have her high quality flowers be wasted on you. Unlocking the door, you shut it behind you, placing the key on the kitchen counter. Walking past the dinning room table, you stopped to admire the beautiful rose that sat inside your vase. 

...

You widen your eyes. There was a rose in the vase. 

The same vase that was previously empty now held a rose. Someone had been in your house. 

        The only people who had a key to your house was Itachi, Ino, and Rebecca. You were with Itachi the entire day, so it couldn't have been him. Ino was super busy on Saturdays and Rebecca had a tournament today, so it couldn't have been her either. And the toy soldier was probably off watching Rebecca or helping somebody. 

There had been a stranger in your home. 

        At that thought, your first thought was to go into your bedroom, not before grabbing a chief knife. Warily opening the door, eyes immediately trained on what was on your bed.  You froze at the beautiful and elaborate roses on top of your bed, bundled neatly with a golden ribbon. Strapped to the ribbon was a card written in beautiful cursive handwriting. 

You felt the knife in your hand slip and fall onto the floor as you shook in fear and confusion.

Chapter Text

You sat on your couch, contemplating. 

        The roses haven't been moved from their position, in fear that it was some sort of trap. That maybe someone was luring your or enticing you to their will. 

You were scared.

        You had a feeling that whoever gave you those roses was the one you had least wanted to interact with on the island. And yet as fate would have it, it seemed that there was something about you that had attracted him to you. And now that he knew where you lived, you feared that it would be inevitable to avoid him

        He warned you about the King of Dressrosa, and how dangerous of a person he was when he dropped you off on the island. He said that Doflamingo was the one person you had to avoid. 

But what could you do now? You didn't have any means of leaving the island, and you had friends that you cared about now. You couldn't just leave them. That would be cruel. 

        Maybe. Just maybe those flowers weren't from Doflamingo.

But you knew it was just wishful thinking.

---

       Ino was a bright girl, with pretty long blonde hair that covered one of her eyes. She really loved flowers, and since she owned a flower shop, she got to see the things she loved everyday. Her family owned one of the best flower shops in Dressrosa, with nice high quality flowers all taken care of, with each flower cared to perfection. 

When you walk in it just feels like a whole different world. 

        The bell rang as you opened the door, letting it swing shut behind you. Flowers upon flowers were everywhere, some neatly on stands, while others hanged from above. You could see someone shuffling from behind the counter. They spared you a glance, before brightening up. 

        "Y/n! You missed me so much that you came by again?" Ino laughed, ushering you to come over to where she was standing. "What can I do for you? Did you not like the flowers that you bought a couple days ago?" 

        "Ah, um." 

No, you really liked the flowers that you got yesterday. But the thing was they got crushed, but you couldn't tell her that. But then again, maybe she already heard.

        "Oh yeah, guess what Y/n?!" Ino squealed, looking so very happy. She looked like she's been waiting to tell somebody what was on her mind, especially since Sai was on a business trip. 

        "What happened? You look so happy. It must have been a good thing then." She eagerly nodded her head. 

        "Oh my god the King came by yesterday and bought flowers!" 

You froze. The King came by to by flowers? 

Nonono, You reassured yourself. The King probably had a girlfriend or something and bought flowers for them. But you were curious, what kind of flowers did he buy?-

        "And they were our best roses!" 

Oh dear, you knew for a fact that the King had broken and entered you home. 

        "And he tipped me enough to pay for the next few months of rent! Oh my god, I can finally take you out for that dinner I owe you and- Y/n? Are you okay?" Ino finally noticed how quiet you had become, looking very pale in the face. "Y/n, are you okay? You look pretty pale. Oh my god is this because of what happened on Friday when the King came into town? I heard what happened, and all those people were such jerks! If Sakura was here, we'd beat the shit out of them for you-" 

        You shook your head, giving her a smile. "No, I was just thinking. No need to worry." She frowned. 

        "But I'm your friend Y/n. Of course I worry about you. I worried about you since the first day we met-" She put a hand to her mouth, cursing herself for running her mouth off. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to say that I just-" 

        "It's okay Ino. It's been two years. Why wouldn't I have gotten over it?" 

        "Yeah, but still... doesn't it still hurt? I know I would have beat the shit out of Sai if he did that to me, but you're not like me. You're soft hearted and kind." She gave you a hug. "And I don't want my friend to be hurting anymore because of that jerk." You squeezed her back. 

        "Thank you, Ino." You pulled back from the hug, and she gave you a small smirk. 

        "Now, about you and Itachi-" She wiggled her eyebrows. "I think I'm starting to see a connection." 

        "Ino no." 

        "Come on Y/n, you can't deny that man is both single and hot. And he obviously has a thing for you." She leaned against the counter, resting her cheek on her hand as she stared at you with that glint in her eyes. 

        "No way, I'm sure he only sees me as a little sister or something. Sasuke did." Your blonde haired friend rolled her eyes at you. 

        "Yeah, as a sister in law. You know if it's any consolation, I asked Itachi if he had a thing for you the other day and his cheeks got a little red." 

        "Ino, I don't think I needed to know that." She laughed. 

        "Hey, I'm just saying that if you ever want a man, Itachi is an option. Unless you're into women then I can't really help you there." She laughed at the expression on your face. "But I mean if Itachi's not your type I can always try to set you up with the K-" 

        "I'm going to stop you right there." She giggled. 

        "Okay, yeah. Sorry, bad joke. But in all seriousness, Y/n, you need a boyfriend. You're twenty-five." 

        On your way back home, you couldn't help but think back to Ino's words. Did you really need a boyfriend? You were pretty sure you were fine on your own. Yeah, you didn't need a man when you were perfectly capable already. Besides, sure Itachi was good looking, but that didn't mean that you liked him. He felt more of like an older brother to you, always helping you and taking care of you.

Could a romantic relationship sprout from that thinking? Were you ready for a romantic relationship again? 

        Hitting a brick wall, you stumble back, and you sighed at how great your luck was. Now your were bumping into walls too and- Oh what? Looking in front of you, you did not see a wall, but toned abs. You began to sweat profusely, knowing exactly what had happened. 

There was no wall. And you knew who the man in front of you was. 

        "Uh, ah. Sorry about that!" Without looking up, you began to crab walk away. Just kidding. You began to shuffle around him to get to your house, but his hand reached out to grip your wrist tugging you back to him. Looking up fearfully, you could see his terrifying grin and you really hoped that you weren't going to die now. 

        "Um... Please don't kill me. I uh, I have a family?" 

        "Fufufufufu~ You don't want me to kill you? I suppose that's reasonable." His laugher sent unpleasant shivers down your spine. "But no, I'm not going to kill you. Well, on second thought, I might if you lie to me again." 

Okay, no lying to Doflamingo. Got it. 

        "Tell me, did you appreciate the roses I sent you? I made sure to pick them out myself." 

Oh my gawd he really did give you the roses. 

        "I-I mean they're beautiful, but why did you give me them exactly?" He studied you for a moment. 

        "Well are you saying that I can't give gifts to a woman I find attractive?" You choked on air. 

        "Attractive?!" Wait wait wait, hold up. Doflamingo was like almost twice your age. Granted, the man you fell in love with was also about twice your age but still!! 

        "Fufufufufu~ You sure do get flustered easily. I don't dislike that. But if you read the card I also sent you, which I assume you haven't, those roses were supposed to be my apology for trampling on those flowers of yours the other day." 

The other- THe oTheER daY?! Oh my god he remembered that?! (Well of course he would, it was right in front of him, but you thought he would have just ignored it or something). 

He has to have some sort of motive behind this!! It has to be. What other logical explanation would there be? 

        "That expression on your face is mildly amusing. Tell me, what are you thinking about? And don't think about lying, or else I might take back my earlier words." 

Oh fu-

        "I-I u-uhm... I-Is there some other motive behind this?" His face contorted into a cheshire grin. 

        "Perceptive aren't you? Let's just say that there's something about you that intrigues me. Whether it is that intense dislike that you harbor for me or something else, that is up for you to decide. Just know that we'll be seeing each other very soon." And with that, he laughed, leaving you beside your house. You were about to shuffle inside when he called out to you. 

        "I hope you like your new present." 

        Eyes widening, you unlocked the door and slammed it behind you, causing him to laugh again. Your actions were just so amusing to him. Even though you were afraid of him, you didn't care about disrespecting him either.

        Sighing in somewhat relief, you made your way to your bedroom. Looking inside, you breathed easily, seeing that there was nothing on your bed. Moving to the bathroom, your jaw dropped at the expensive soaps he left you with. And hanging besides the shower was a beautiful summer dress (of your choice) with a little note beside it. 

        Make sure you wear it.

You weren't going to wear it. 

        Or else I'll come by sooner.

You were pretty sure that he would come by regardless, but that prompted to you to wear the dress. You picked up, looking in the mirror to see how it might look on you. You hummed in approval. Doflamingo sure head a reasonable sense of style, considering his clothes.

Maybe you'll wear it tomorrow?

Chapter Text

        Timidly exiting your house, you silently made your way down the street, not looking at any of the people you crossed paths with. Strangely, however, you didn't feel as if any of the people were looking at you. It was almost as if... as if they were avoiding you. You didn't think much of it, having already known that you weren't really welcomed by the people of Dressrosa, so it didn't really come off a odd.

They probably think I'm a disgrace. I know my family did too. Huffing, you made your way back down to the dango shop, excited to see Itachi, unaware of the eyes following your form. 

        "Oh my gosh, Y/n! I love your dress!!" Ino squealed as she saw you. She was sitting down at one of the tables Itachi had set out besides Rebecca. "Is that new?" Nervously, you smoothed out the non-existent wrinkles on your new dress. 

        "Yeah. Do you like it?" You gave the two a little twirl. 

        "I don't know about you but I think my best friend is hot," Rebecca spoke as she slid a dango off the stick, chewing on it. 

        "Your best friend?! You mean my best friend!" You sweat dropped as the two began to argue why you were 'their' best friend. Laughter from inside the shop caught your attention, and you saw your other blond friend, Deidara, inside talking with Itachi. 

        Deidara was a man of art, and that was all he really talked about. His favorite kind of art was clay art, which he liked to throw at people and say-

        "Baam! Explosion-un!" 

CRASH! Like that for example. 

        "Deidara. Get out." 

        "Come on, Itachi-un. You know you like it- OH SHIT! I'M SORRY-un!" Deidara immediately sprinted out of the kitchen, passing by you before pausing, retracing his steps, and giving you a pat on the back. 

        "Morning Y/n- AH!!" Itachi picked up the blond by the back of his shirt, tossing him to the side. Itachi turned towards you, giving you a nice smile as if he didn't just throw Deidara a couple meters away. 

        "Good morning Y/n." 

        "Uh... Good morning to you too, Itachi." You caught him staring at your dress. You didn't know why, but you felt the urge to ask him if he liked it. Maybe it was because the words Ino had spoken to you kept playing in your mind.

        "Do you like my new dress?" He nodded.

        "It looks good on you." He stared at you intensely, a frown beginning to form on his lips. 

        "Y/n~ Can we talk?" You looked over towards Ino and Rebecca, both whom were giving you slightly suggestive looks, to which you ignored. You looked up at Itachi for approval, and he nodded his head. Quickly moving towards back them, you left Itachi to deal with Deidara. 

        "Sorry about that. Oh yeah, how was the tournament Rebecca?" The pink haired girl gave you a pout. 

        "I was so close to winning! I just had to take down that one guy then I would have won!" You widen your eyes. 

        "Wow, so you got second place?" 

        "Yeah, but I wanted first place." Ino rolled her eyes at her, before slamming her hands on the table. "Anyways, Y/n, I am so going to treat you out for dinner on my day off." Rebecca whined. 

        "Why aren't you treating me to dinner Ino?" 

        "You didn't help me with the shop when I asked you to! It's your own fault." 

        "This is totally not fair." Rebecca huffed, turning her head to the side, before she sat there frozen. "Holy shit." Ino and you turned to where she was looking at and you felt your eyes widen. In the distance was a familiar form stalking towards your party. Before long, the large man stood before the three of you, towering above like a giant. 

        "Fufufufu~ I'm glad to see that you're wearing the dress I sent you." Your heart was hammering out of your chest so fast it felt like it was going to burst. You could feel the questioning stares your friends were giving you. You didn't think you would see him so soon! It hasn't even been a day! 

He leaned in, smelling the expensive soaps coming off of you. "And you're using the gifts I sent you."

        "Ah... well you have a nice taste in clothes," you answered honestly, remembering how he threatened you the other day. Oh boy, you didn't want to drag your friends into this mess. "And the soaps were actually really nice." 

        "Oh? So if I decided to send you more would you use them? Hm?" You quickly shook your head. 

        "N-No, I'd probably send them back. I-I don't really need that stuff. I'm not a very materialistic person." You paused briefly, before adding, "W-Well, I mean unless it's important." His smirk widen, and he pulled out the extra chair at the table, placing himself on it. Even as he sat down, his upper body alone still towered above you. Your friends were exchanging looks, wondering exactly what your relation to the King was. 

        "So tell me, what exactly would you recommend to eat here?" You could feel Ino's and Rebecca's gaze immediately snap onto you at that sentence- hell, you bet even Itachi and Deidara was watching you.

You had to respond.

        "I-I well, I suppose it depends on your preference. Do you like sweets? Coffee? Tea?" You could feel the sweat begin to form at the back of your neck as Doflamingo stared down at you with intensity. 

        "Let's try some tea. What kinds of tea does this place serve, little girl?" 

Oh god this was giving you major stress right now. 

        "Um... we have Green Tea, Jasmine Tea, Earl Grey Tea, and a bunch of others." You paused, looking up at him. "You look more of a Earl Grey Tea person, but I think you'll like Green Tea." He nodded, resting his head on his hand, noticing that you were stuttering a lot less as you talked. 

        "You seem to be well versed in tea. Your employer must have taught you well." 

        "Yes. He really likes his sweets and tea, and I really look up to him." You pushed your chair back, standing up. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go take your order." Marching towards the kitchen, you let out a sigh of relief. 

You did it. You spoke to Doflamingo and didn't die. Leaning against the wall in the kitchen, you breathed normally. 

        Itachi and Deidara was beside you, and Deidara began ranting how intimidating that man was compared to Pein or Sasori when he got mad. Itachi gave you a look of approval, but at the same time had that skeptical look in his eye that the King just happened to want to go to his cafe (dango shop, as his friends like to call it). 

        "What does he want?" The raven haired male asked you. 

        "Green tea. Oh, and give him a side of dangos. I think he might like those." You peaked over outside to see how your friends were fairing with Doflamingo, and it seemed like they were conversing with him. Well, it was mostly Ino. Rebecca looked extremely uncomfortable with the man. Doflamingo seemed to know so as well. 

Ah, you should really hurry back. You didn't want your friends to be a casualty. 

        "And the usual for Ino and Rebecca." 

        As Itachi prepared the food, he spared you a glance, knowing how uncomfortable you felt about the King. "Are you alright?" he asked you. 

        "Maybe... I'm just a little shocked is all." You couldn't help but not stare at the large man sitting at the table. His large stature dwarfed everything around him, making it seem as though everything were for children. As if sensing your heated stare, he abruptly stopped conversing with Ino to turn his head, giving you his signature smirk. 

Not knowing how to respond, you hesitantly gave the man a little wave. 

His smirk widen, and he then turned back towards Ino, who kept occasionally glancing between the two of you. You wondered what they could be talking about. Hopefully things not concerning you. 

        Itachi neatly placed the dangos on a plate before turning around just in time to see Deidara throw a clay bird out the window towards the group outside. You felt your heart stop as the bird went soaring through the skies before smacking and exploding into pieces. Luckily, it didn't hit Doflamingo. 

Unluckily, it did hit a familiar red haired man who loved eternal art. He looked so done with Deidara at that moment as he screamed his name. 

        "DEIDARA GET YOUR FUCKING ASS OUT HERE!" Sasori yelled. 

Ah yes, Deidara and Sasori. The perfect chaotic duo who both equally loved art with all their heart, but always got into arguements on what kinds of art was better.

        Doflamingo watched the two battle it out with an amused expression on his face as you quickly came out with some food. You laughed awkwardly as you placed Doflamingo's plate of dango and his green tea down on the table, before placing a plate of pudding in front of Ino, and a cake for Rebecca. 

        "Don't uh.. mind them. They're just... playing?" You yelped as an incoming clay spider sped it's way towards your face. Shielding your face with your arms, you accidentally stumbled back into Doflamingo, falling into his lap. You could feel his chest vibrating as he chuckled, wrapping one arm around you as he used his other hand to flick away the incoming clay sculpture.

        "Don't tell me you're falling for me already~ I haven't even begun my pursuit for you yet." 

        "I-I what?!" Ino squealed in her spot as she watched the two of you interact. Meanwhile, Rebecca merely glared at Doflamingo, the said male giving her a nice mischievous grin. She narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion.

        "Oh? Did I not make it obvious enough yesterday?" He leaned forwards, face uncomfortably close to your own. "You intrigue me. In other words; I want to make you mine. And I will, make you mine."

Chapter Text

"I want to make you mine."

        Those words made him frown, twisting in his stomach. Itachi didn't want Doflamingo to own you. You weren't an object to be owned. You were your own person, a beautiful and kind person. A beautiful and kind person who didn't deserve to be hurt again because of selfish men. No, you didn't deserve to be hurt again. If you were, you would probably loose faith in love.

If that happened, what would Itachi do? 

        His black eyes flickered to you and Ino. 

        Doflamingo had left a while ago, and Ino had bombarded you with questions. Strangely, however, Rebecca stayed silent, eyes trained on the spot where Doflamingo had taken a seat. She lifted her eyes towards Itachi, and their eyes met. 

There was a mutual understanding between the two of them, they could tell by the expression on each other's faces. 

        Doflamingo was not a trusted man, for he was a pirate, a shichibukai nonetheless. There was an ulterior motive behind his flirtatious actions. But what exactly that motive was, the two of them did not know. 

Their gazes fixed on your blushing face as Ino kept talking. 

But they wanted to find out. For your sake, and for their peace of mind. 

---

        "Thank you for offering to walk me home, Itachi." You smiled up at the man, who gave you a soft smile in return. He ruffled your head affectionately. 

        "Not at all Y/n. It will always be a pleasure to walk you home." You jumped into his arms, embracing him tightly. You could feel his warmth under your skin, and hear his beating heart. 

        "Aww, thank you!!" You let him go so that the two of you could continue walking to your house. Your eyes were fixed on the brick road as you pondered to yourself. You couldn't stop thinking about him... Doflamingo. 

You could feel your cheeks heating up. 

        Just thinking about him made you blush in embarrassment. It didn't help that the man was also very very attractive. You shook your head rapidly. He was dangerous. He was ruthless. He was a pirate. You couldn't be thinking about him like this! Besides- 

Why would he be interested in someone like you? 

        Someone who had left her family and responsibilities all for love that wasn't even real? Someone who was useless and didn't know anything about the world. Someone so naive, someone who's past still lingered in her mind. 

        You weren't that attractive, and people seemed to natural hate you (except for some), so it didn't make any sense. 

Unless... maybe...-

        "Y/n?" Itachi's voice snapped you out of your thoughts, and you quickly turned to look up at him questioningly. "We've arrived at your house." You blinked, feeling your cheeks heating up in embarrassment. 

        "O-Oh. Thanks for accompanying me!" You quickly rushed up the steps, shoving the key inside the lock. "Um- Ah Have a good night!" You shouted before shutting the door behind you. Your back against the door, you slid down, pressing your hand against your face. "Oh my gosh, why did I do that?" You whined. 

        Slapping cheeks, you got up. "I think I need a shower." Walking into your room, you grabbed some comfortable sleepwear and made your way to the bathroom. Hand on the doorknob, you furrowed your brows when you heard the water running. Did you leave the shower on? Slowly twisting the knob, you gently open the door, head peaking to see what was going on. 

You paled when you saw a figure behind the curtains. Oh god someone was in your house. 

        "Fufufufufu~" The shower abruptly turned off with a squeak. 

Not just any somebody either. 

        "Care to shower with me, little girl?" Squeaking in surprise, you slammed the door shut, running into your room like your life depended on it. Dive bombing onto your bed, you immediately burrowed yourself underneath the covers, breathing heavily. Your face felt like it was on fire and you felt so embarrassed and confused. 

What the hell was Doflamingo doing in your house and taking a shower? 

        Footsteps coming from down the hall caused you to tense up. Oh dear god he was coming to your room. This was so not happening. It had to be a dream. 

        "I'm dreaming... This is just a nightmare..." You laughed hysterically to yourself. The footsteps were beside the bed now. "Oh please god have mercy on me." 

        "Fufufufu~ Is that how you treat a guest, little girl?" 

ASFDSIWE ITS NOT A NIGHTMARE

And you passed out. 

        Doflamingo didn't think that he actually scared you that bad. Was showing up randomly at your house and taking a shower that surprising? Actually, now that he thought about it, it probably would have given you a heart attack. Especially about how forward he was earlier that day. Maybe you did have a heart attack with all this stress he was giving you. He hummed in thought as he prodded your cheek. You gave no reaction.

Definitely dead. 

        Your fingers twitched slightly, and you let out a small groan. 

Or not. 

        His eyes watched you behind his red tinted sunglasses carefully as you began to sit up groggily, shivering slightly when the blanket fell from your shoulders. Fatigued, you slumped back down on the bed. Doflamingo flicked his finger, using his devil fruit to pull the covers back up. You let out a grateful sigh. 

        "Ugh, what a nightmare." You turned your head, staring face to face at the man who gave you stress. You frowned. "I'm still dreaming... I'm still dreaming..." His lips twitched into a large smile. 

        "There's no place like twitter.com." 

        "I'm just going to, ah, close my eyes... and embrace the eternal slumber..." Just as you were about to close your eyes, you realized something. Studying Doflamingo, you began to realize something that was very very wrong. Your face began to burn. "My eyes... where are your clothes?! No, where is your dignity?!" You flipped onto your other side, sliding the covers over your head. 

        "Why is this happening to me?" Meanwhile, Doflamingo was laughing (or chuckling if you wanna be specific) his ass off. With a small flick of his fingers, your covers immediately flew to the floor, enveloping you in cold. 

        "You seem to have had a nice nap." He got closer, and you were literally panicking. 

        "Please put some clothes on, I feel like my face is dying." He gave you an amused look, before unexpectedly complying with your wishes. Oh well, you weren't complaining. The problem was he was changing in your room. So naturally, you turned away to give the man some privacy. In hindsight, this may have been a terrible idea, but you didn't exactly want to see him in his birthday suit either.

Back facing towards him, you shivered. Man you wished you had your blanket. 

        You nearly choked on your spit when Doflamingo wrapped his feathery coat around your shoulders. 

        "Is it really embarrassing to see a man's body?" He whispered into your ear, his warm breath sending shivers down your spine. His hands began to wrap around your body, and you just now realized how vulnerable you were. 

        "I-Is it okay if I say yes?" you mumbled, trying to hide in his large coat. Damn the thing was probably almost two times bigger than you. 

        "I don't see why not. I just find it amusing to illicit these reactions out of you." His lips brushed your ear, and you immediately flopped onto the bed in embarrassment. Curling into a ball, Doflamingo laughed. After his laughter died down, you popped your head out from his coat.

        "Erm.. I-If you don't mind me asking..." you trailed off, already losing confidence. You didn't like the way his lenses obscured his eyes, it made you feel uncomfortable and intimidated. Though you appreciated that he wasn't making fun of you loosing your confidence, and giving you time to find your words. It kind of reminded you of him.

        "W-Why exactly are you in my house?" 

        "Are you implying that I can't visit you? How cold, little girl. And after all I've done for you." 

        "Nononono! That's not what I meant! I just mean... erm, did you really just come here to shower? I'm pretty sure you have one in your house..." You trailed off, scared that maybe you'd piss the giant man off. Yeah, and his shower was probably bigger considering Doflamingo's size. How the hell did he even fit in your shower? By showering horizontally?

        "How bold of you to assume that I only came here to shower," he spoke teasingly, approaching your burrito form. Scooping you up, he placed you on his lap. "I just want to spend some time with a beautiful girl, is that so wrong?" 

"But I don't like you", you thought. 

        "Are pirates that intimidating to you? Or is it perhaps my status that frightens you?" he spoke gently, as if he were actually curious. You blinked at what he was asking. Your cheeks began to burn in embarrassment. 

        "Did I say that out loud?" 

        "Fufufufu~ No, but I could tell by the look on your face. Fear is not so easy to hide, especially to those of power." His voice was quiet, and there was an odd expression on his face. "Be careful of those people who can use you to their own advantage." 

        "Are you saying I should be careful with you?"

        "Hm, I suppose you could think of it that way." He pursed his lips, contemplating. "And you won't have to worry about the citizens of Dressrosa. I have already dealt with them. I don't particularly like rumors and mistreatment to those not deserving of it." You gazed up at the man with wide eyes. 

...Doflamingo seemed almost melancholy at that moment. 

        The man suddenly looked as if he were realizing his mistake, and spoke again. "I suppose I shouldn't keep you up so long. A little girl like you needs her rest." Picking you back up and placing you back on the bed, he placed a blanket over you, before placing his coat as well. Leaning over you, he tucked you in so that you were nice and warm. 

        "Don't you need your coat?" His eyes flickered to your confused ones. 

        "I have plenty. You, my dear seem to need it far more than I do." You could feel your cheeks heating up. Doflamingo began to approach your bedroom door. Placing his hand on the knob and twisting it, he opened the door. He had to bend down low to get under the door frame, and you just realized how the large man dwarfed everything around him. He turned around to face you. 

        "Oh and Y/n," You perked up, hearing him actually say your name. He opened his mouth to say something, before thinking the better of it. "...Good night." 

        "Uhm, good night. Thank you..." After giving you one last look, he shut the door. Only until you heard the soft noise of your front door being shut did you finally breath in peace. You sighed feeling your cheeks still burning after the interaction. 

        Just having the King of Dressrosa, the man everyone in this country loves, in your home was just so nerve wracking. He was intimidating, cold, and ruthless. And yet after this one encounter, he also seemed to be a man with a lot of pain in his past.

It made you realize that he was human. He was just like you or any other person, but it was because of his struggles that made him the person he was today. And that maybe, just maybe... You wouldn't mind having him come over again unannounced. Well, as long as he wasn't taking a shower again. 

You breathed in through your nose, instantly hit with the scent of his cologne coming from his feathery coat. It smelled nice. You blink suddenly in confusion and shock at your thoughts. 

What was happening to you?

Chapter Text

So as it turns out, Doflamingo didn't actually leave your home. 

        Well, he did briefly, but he came back. Which was why you found him hunched over in your kitchen behind the stove. Your nose scrunched up as you smelled the burnt eggs and bacon.

        "What are you burning this early in the morning?" you yawned, wrapping your blanket around you. He looked back to give you a grin. He opened his mouth, but you interrupted him. "Keep your eyes on the pan. I don't exactly want my house to burn down..." Rubbing your eyes, you didn't see the mischievous look on his face. 

        "I thought you left last night. Did you not leave?" He plated the food, turning off the stove, before turning to face you. He eyed the blanket around you briefly with a smile. Were you too tired to notice? 

        "I did to attend so matters, but I thought I'd come back to surprise you." He took strides towards you, and he would have looked intimidating, if he were standing at his full height. Alas, your ceiling couldn't accommodate his stature, so he was hunched over quite a bit. "You look like you had a nice sleep." 

        You nodded absentmindedly, too tired to comprehend what he was saying. Eyes wandering from his face to the plate of food lazily, you furrowed your brows at the monstrosity. "You can't cook." You said bluntly. There was a sudden stillness in the air, and you widen your eyes at what you just said. 

        "I-I mean-" He chuckled at your attempt to correct yourself. 

        "Don't worry little girl, I'm not offended. No need to feel embarrassed." You breathed out a sigh of relief, face still burning in embarrassment. You and your big mouth... "I have to say, however..." You tensed when he kneeled forwards to your level. Or as close as he could get as he was still taller than you. "You've been pretty forward haven't you?" 

        Face erupting, you quickly pushed him away, making a run for the kitchen. You could hear him chuckling at your flustered behavior. Placing your blanket- you realized that it was actually Doflamingo's coat (you wondered why he was looking at you with amusement earlier) on a chair, you began to cook. Grabbing the pan on the stove, you looked furrowed your brows at the melted metal. How the heck did he even melt the pan? Setting it aside, you made a note to yourself to buy a new one. Grabbing a new pan, you hummed to yourself as you placed it on the stove, humming to yourself. 

        Grabbing a bowl, you cracked a few eggs inside, hoping to make an omelet, adding two table spoons of water. Mixing it together, you wondered if Doflamingo liked omelets. Maybe he ate already and it didn't matter. Pulling out some tomatoes, onions, cheese, bell peppers, and a little bit of ham, you diced it all up before heating up the pan. During your time cooking, you didn't question why the house seemed so quiet. 

        Sautéing the diced food, you set it aside on a plate to pour in the eggs. Adding half of the diced food, you flipped the omelet in half letting it cook for a bit longer before flipping it on the other side. Once finished, you prepared a plate, sliding the omelet off. Adding a little bit of garnish on top to make it look pretty. Then you began your quest on making the next one. Once both plates were prepared, you went ahead and set them on the dining table. 

        It was then that you realized Doflamingo was nowhere to be found. Looking around, you noticed that your bedroom door was open slightly. Walking forwards a little towards the bedroom, a knock at the door caused you to pause in your steps. Deciding to answer the door, you opened it to see Doflamingo with his signature grin on his face. 

        "Uh... when did you leave?"

        "While you were busy cooking. I thought I'd stop by and pick up a pan since I destroyed yours." In his hands was a shiny new pan. You held the door open for him.

        "Um, thanks but I could have gotten one myself you know." His lips twitched slightly. 

        "And yet I was the one who broke it. Little girl, I'm not going to let you replace a pan that I clearly broke." He chuckled, passing by the dining room to see the two plates of omelets. His eyes briefly stared before he made his way to the kitchen. Setting the pan down, the two of you walked to the dining room, you leading the way. 

        "I um, sorry I don't know if you ate already or like omelets, but I made you one anyways. Is that okay?" He slid the seat out for you to sit, and you did so with a light blush that didn't go unnoticed. Pushing you back in, he answered, "You're a bit too thoughtful. But yes." 

        The two of you dug in in silence, and you felt yourself casting a few occasional glances at the man before you. You wondered if he liked the omelet. Did he even like omelet? Oh no what if he was allergic to something and you just caused his death? No but that couldn't be right, he's a strong and terrifying pirate king, he couldn't possibly die in such a pathetic way right? 

        "You look like you're in deep thought. Care to tell me what's on your mind?" Doflamingo made a sly face. "Is it me? Because you're staring quite a bit," he teased. You covered your face. 

        "I-I mean... a bit..." Your voice was a bit muffled through your hands, but he could still hear what you said. He tilted his head in amusement, resting it on his hands as he leaned forward.

        "Oh? Are you falling for me already?" 

        "N-No-" You didn't think so. "But I-I was just kind of nervous at what you thought of the food..." You looked away, feeling your face burn. God this was embarrassing. Why did you have to be so awkward?! It's like you devolved from the person you were before. But... you supposed it made sense. 

        "Oh? You want my opinion?" He sat up straight. "Hm... well it's certainly different from what I usually eat." You tensed under his gaze. "But it's a good different. I certainly has a delectable taste. Tell me, did you take culinary lessons?" You looked up in confusion. 

He actually liked it? The King of Dressrosa liked your food? 

        "Oh...." If it were possible, steam would be coming off your face at how flustered you were. "Sorry... it's just... oh my gosh this is embarrassing..." Peaking through your hands, you saw that Doflamingo was waiting patiently for you to calm down. 

Huh. Oh right, his question.

        "Well... I was kind of self taught. Cooking is kind of like a hobby of mind you could say." 

        "Do you have any other hobbies?" You laughed awkwardly. 

        "Er... I don't think you'd be too interested in it... ahahaha..." You looked away. Your family wasn't interested in what you liked, so why should a stranger- a King nonetheless be interested? He was probably doing it out of etiquette. 

        "I'd beg to differ. I'm sure everything about you is interesting." You tensed a little. He wasn't wrong. To anyone, your past would be interesting. A little too interesting some would say. 

        "W-Well I mean I guess I could tell you." After breathing in to calm yourself, you continued. "I like to [Hobby 1] and [Hobby 2]. But erm, I think it's a little weird, but I like to sit by the sea. Oh, well, I guess that's not really a hobby."

        "And why exactly do you like to sit by the sea, if you don't mind me asking." You paused. Why did you like to sit by the sea? Especially when it brought back unpleasant memories? "Er... I guess I get nostalgic when I see it. I lost my home and family to the sea, so I guess that's why." 

        "So they died?" You smiled sadly. 

        "No, but I left them for it- the sea, I mean. I left everything to see the world with my own eyes." Your lip quivered. "Sometimes I wonder if it was a mistake." Doflamingo set his fork down on his plate, gazing at you intensely. 

        "I'm sure it wasn't a mistake for us to have met. And you have friends now that I'm sure you care about." You laughed. 

        "Yeah, I guess you're right. Do you have friends you care about?" He grinned. "Interested in me now are you?" He sighed thoughtfully however, and you could see the genuine smile on his face. 

        "But I suppose you could say that I have friends that I care about. I consider them more of my family, however, and I care about them more than anything." His smile turned cruel. "So if someone tries to do anything to harm them, I will make sure that they will pay for it most dearly." Unpleasant shivers ran down your spine. 

        "You must love them very much then." He blinked. "Yes... I suppose you could say it like that." He stole a glance at the clock on the wall. "I suppose we should finish up here. You have to work today, don't you?" Your eyes wandered to the clock, and you widen your eyes. 

        "Oh my gosh you're right! I need to change!" Getting up, you rushed into your room to change. "I can't believe I lost track of time... I hope Itachi doesn't get mad... Who am I kidding, he doesn't get mad, but that doesn't mean I should make him wait, Agh!" Throwing on some clothes on, you rushed to the table to pick up the empty plates, only to realize that they weren't there. 

        "They're already in the sink, little girl," he spoke behind you. You gasped in surprise when he suddenly picked you up. "I'm assuming you want to get there on time?" You meekly nodded your head. "Tell me, have you ever flown before?" 

        "Er no?" 

        "Fufufufu~ This will be fun then." 

---

        You were screaming. 

Well, you were, but you aren't anymore. It was a bit of a nasty shock when the two of you suddenly blasted into the air, and made it to Itachi's at record time. 

But you supposed you should expect no less from a shichibukai. 

        Shaking slightly in his grasp, he gingerly set you down, careful as to make sure you didn't fall. You felt your heart beating very fast, whether it was because of the shock that you were literally soaring through the air or something else, you didn't know. 

        "Well? What did you think? Fun, isn't it?" 

        "Ahahaha... right..." 

        "Y/n?" You turned around to see Itachi with a confused face. When he realized that it was the king, he quickly bowed. "You Majesty." You were confused for a second as to why he did that when it clicked that it was because Doflamingo was a King. Sometimes with the way he was with you made you forget such things. Quickly turning towards Doflamingo to see his reaction, he had a small amused smile on his face. 

        "No need for such formalities." He turned towards you. "I'll be leaving. I shall see you later." He left you gaping at his sudden leave. You looked to Itachi.

        "Er.. good morning?" Itachi studied you for a minute, before a serious expression came across his face.

        "Did he come by your house this morning?" he questioned you.

        "He was actually in my house when you dropped me off yesterday, and then came back sometime this morning." You tilted your head curiously. "Why do you ask?" Itachi narrowed his eyes to where Doflamingo had taken off. 

        "Stay away from him. I don't trust him." You widen your eyes in surprise. You could only watch in confusion as the kind male had walked back towards his shop as if he didn't say something so ominous. 

        "Itachi?" you wondered aloud. "What is going on?"

Chapter Text

Conveniently enough, you in fact, did not need to stay away from Doflamingo because he was staying away from you. 

        Well, he wasn't trying to avoid you, perse, but he was rather busy with his own things at the moment. You understood that he was a man with responsibilities of taking care of a Kingdom, but you would have been lying to say that you kind of missed his presence. It had only been a couple days since you've known him, and you already felt comfortable with the man. 

        Sure, he still was a pirate, and he was intimidating, but you knew that during these past few days you had learned a lot about Doflamingo. He had opened up to you at certain times, even if he didn't need to. You could tell that certain topics bothered him, but it said a lot that he would be telling you such things. It told you that he trusted you, and that trust was something you didn't want to break. Mostly in fear of what he could do to you if you did actually break it.

        You sighed as you sank down in your bed, wrapping your fluffy pink coat- well, it was Doflamingo's, but it's yours now -around you tightly, feeling something akin to dread. A knock at the door caused you to stiffen, before excitement filled you. Was it who you thought it was?

Rushing to the door, you opened it quickly, only to see Ino standing outside with a big smile on her face. You felt your excitement deflate a little, before you started to scold yourself at getting too attached to the man. You greeted Ino with a smile.

        "Ino! Hi! What brings you here...?" You felt your smile strain a little. It wasn't because you didn't like Ino, but it was hard to feel joyful when the day was approaching quickly. Just thinking about it made your heartache. 

        "Well as your best friend, I thought you'd might want some company... eh.. Y/n, is that..?" You looked down at yourself when she pointed at you. You blushed, realizing that you still had the coat wrapped around you. Ino squealed as she put two and two together. 

        "Ino please-" 

        "Have you guys-" 

        "Ino!" You groaned. Your face felt like it was on fire with her constant pestering. "Just. Please, come in." She giggled manically as she stepped into your humble abode. Just as you shut the door behind you, she turned to you. "Make sure to use protection." 

        "... Ino, it's not like that." She wiggled her eyebrows. 

        "You sure? Because I know he has eyes for you." She pulled at the coat, squealing how soft and feather it was. "If he gives you his coat, that means something, you know." You put a hand to your forehead. 

        "Ino... He just said he had spares." 

        "You see, now that is a good excuse. If only you could come up with good ones too." The two of you were now in your living room. She suddenly sighed dreamily, falling onto the couch. "Your love life is a little like Cinderella." You furrowed your brows. 

        "Uh... I don't understand..?" 

        "You know, loveless girl treated unfairly by her family, finds love to royalty, that kind of thing. It's kind of like a fairy tale. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous, but I'm satisfied with Sai. You can have your handsome devil." You laughed awkwardly, her words bringing up a little about the past. You could see it on her face as she realized this, but you brushed it off, joking with her. 

        "I think my love life is more of the aftermath of Cinderella." Even as you laughed with her, Ino could see the sadness swirling in your eyes; those intense emotions that you held dearly to yourself, bottling it up. 

        "You may be right, but..." Ino sat up straight, staring at you with an intense emotion. "It's your time to start anew. I'm not saying you should forget your past, but to learn from it. You're with us now. You shouldn't dwell on the past. I know it's going to take some time, but look at all the people who care for you. Heck even the king cares for you." Ino pulled you down to her, giving you the hug you deserved. 

        "Just know that there are people you can lean on when times are tough." Tears started to build up in your eyes. "Do you want me to go with you tomorrow?" You sniffled, wiping the tears from your eyes. 

        "Yeah... That would be nice." 

---

It was times like this where you could feel the past in the present. 

        The waves splashed against the rock that surrounded Dressrosa, and you could smell the familiar salty ocean that you had grown accustomed to. You let your feet dangle over the edge as Ino sat beside you. Heartache after heartache, it never seemed to end. This endless torment; what did you do to deserve it? 

        Why did you choose to follow him? 

        You knew it was wrong to feel regret for you past decision, but you couldn't help it. If you didn't go off, then you wouldn't felt all this pain, the emptiness that was in your heart. Why did it hurt so much to be broken hearted? And yet if you didn't go, then you would never have met the kind people who helped you.

Itachi.

Rebecca.

Ino.

And then there was Deidara and Sasuke too. 

        You would have been stuck on an island with a predetermined destiny if you didn't leave. Maybe this was the right decision in the long run. To experience things you never go to before. To have friends, to live life the way you wanted to. With each day came something new- an adventure, the thing that filled the longing void in your heart. 

Would you have traded those memories back for your old life? 

No. No you wouldn't. 

        You felt the vibrations of footsteps approaching you, before they paused beside you. Looking up, you were met with the eyes of Itachi gazing kindly down at you. He took a seat on the opposite side of you.

You remembered how the kind man had found you by his shop, tired, broken. 

..

        Your breathing was heavy as you leaned against the wall of some random building you didn't know the name to. It had been a few days after he had left the port, and you realized that surviving out in this cruel world with no knowledge of it was simply impossible. Tired and hungry, you could feel your bones protruding through your skin ever so slightly. You were lucky you were on an island of endless heat or you would have frozen to death. 

        Closing your eyes, you opened them to gaze at the glitter in the sky. The same sky that you used to stare up at with him. The same sky where the two of you had made a promise. A promise that was now broken. You could feel the tears leaking from your eyes. 

        Why did it have to end up this way? 

        Why did the two of you had to part? 

        You could feel your consciousness fading from exhaustion. Was this how you died? Dying pitifully after loosing your friends and the love of your life? You laughed bitterly. You were pathetic. No wonder your family hid you from the world.

        Soft footsteps neared you, and you cracked open your eyes slightly. Just that simple action was difficult, but you had managed. There was someone standing in front of you, their figure dark from the moonlight blinding your eyes. You flinched a little when they touched your arms, and you could feel them pause. Gingerly, they scooped you up into their chest, and that was when you had succumbed to the darkness. 

        The next time you woke up was in a soft bed. Sitting up, you could tell that you were in a plain bedroom with a desk and chair in a corner, and a wardrobe in another. You winced at the ache in your back. It hurt. Who decided to waste their time helping you? 

        The door opened as if answering your question, and you were met with a beautiful man. Long black hair tied back in a pony tail, and dark kind eyes. In his hands was a plate of delicious, mouth watering food, and you couldn't help the growl that came from your stomach. Face blushing furiously, the man quickly approached you, placing the food on your lap.

        "Are you feeling better?" His voice was smooth and deep, rich like chocolate. You wanted to speak, say yes, and yet in your mind you knew you were not. So you had said nothing, in fear that maybe too this man would leave you. 

        But he never left you, always catering to your needs despite the fact that he had a small business to attend to. 

And that was one of the things you loved about Itachi, the kindness that he held close to his heart. 

..

        You were surrounded by people you cared about now once more. People who didn't leave you. They had seen the worst part of you, when you were at your lowest, broken from heartbreak, but now they had seen the best of you, the one where you always tried to help them in any way you can. They were your true family, some could say your second, and you wouldn't trade it for anything else.     

Even if you hated how he left you on this island, and for him being so selfish, you would never hate him for the memories the two of you shared, the nights you spent looking at the stars. You would never take everything back for the life you could have lived because you had people you cared about now. 

So no matter how much it hurt, it would always be something you would always cherish with you're heart. Because he was your first love. 

        Because he was your Shanks, and he would always be your first love.

---

Doflamingo's eye twitched slightly at the sight of the burning house. 

        Yes, he admits that he's a terrible cook, but he's not that bad. And yet the house before him was burning up in flames. Maybe he should get someone to help him with the fire. Yes, that would have been a good idea. But then again, he didn't really feel like it. Sometimes when you're the king you want to relax a little by the fire. 

        Not this fire, but a smaller one 

        Maybe he should get the stuff out before it burns into ashes. Yes that sounds like a good plan. He wonders how he's going to explain that your house magically burned down and he took the time to take your stuff. 

Oh well, you're pretty gullible, so it shouldn't be too difficult.

        Pirates committing arson isn't that uncommon, so that excuse seems reasonable enough. Now where exactly was he going to get some pirates, he doesn't exactly have a clue. He blinks. Oh wait, he was a pirate. He could just frame some of his men. 

Man is he smart. 

        Pats on the back for being such a super genius. He hummed as he grabbed all your valuables, not to concerned about the fire. Shampoo bottles were easily replaceable and so was basically everything else in the house, so he went straight to your bedroom. Clothes are also easily replaceable, so he went to grab the stuffed animals on your bed, along with the box that he knew was hidden underneath your bed. 

You'd probably want that. 

        He pulled out his den den mushi once he had all your stuff, standing in an alleyway outside. 

        "Ne ne, what are you calling me for, Doffy?" 

        "Trebol, I'd appreciate it if you sent some people over." 

        "Ehh?? What for?" 

        "I need to frame someone for a fire."

Chapter Text

        "Eh? You want to frame someone? Doffy, did you set a house on fire? Nene, was it her house?" The man sighed.

        "Yes, it was her house." 

        "Behehe! Why did you burn it down? Were you starting to get bored of her? Behehehehe!" A vein popped on Doflamingo's head, but he kept his cool despite the swirling emotion inside of him.

        "Fufu, it's not like that. It was a minor... accident." 

        "Behehehehe! Ne Doffy, are you sure it was an accident because you don't sound too sure. Were you trying to cook something again?" His silence made Trebol laugh. "So it was, wasn't it? Behehehehe-"

        "I'm hanging up now."

        "Eh? Ne Doffy, wait-"

        "Gacha."  He stuffed the snail into his pocket, leaning against the brick walls of the building, gazing into the flames. Those same flames that danced in intricate movements as it devoured your house whole, burning it down to the ground until there was nothing left. He could feel his mouth twitch into a smile.

Perhaps Trebol was right. Perhaps this accident wasn't exactly an accident as he had initially believed. And maybe he didn't feel very bad at all for destroying your home.

---

        "And so I dealt with the pirates and saved some of your stuff from perishing in the fire." You were currently deadpanning at Doflamingo who was sitting in front of Itachi's cafe holding a few boxes of your belongings. Itachi was also deadpanning at the male deemed King before him. Ino, meanwhile, was at awe and internally squealing at how considerate the King was for saving your stuff from the fire. 

        You sighed. "I guess it can't be helped. Thanks for saving some of my stuff." Itachi looked at you with widen eyes. Did you seriously believe the man before you's words? How often does a house get burned down in Dressrosa because of pirates?! Like zero! And it just so happened to be your house specifically! 

Itachi would have spoken up if not for the intense stare that Doflamingo was giving currently him through his tinted lenses. 

        "Fufufufu~ No thanks is necessary, but I do wonder, where are you planning on staying?" That was a question on your mind as well.

        "Well... I don't know actually." Your eyes drifted to Itachi briefly. You would ask if Itachi could let you stay at his place, but you didn't exactly want to impose... You could go over to Ino's, but Sai was coming back tomorrow, and Ino only had a limited amount of space in her apartment. So where could you stay? 

        "Would you like to take residence in my home?" You immediately looked up, shock written all over your face. Did... did he just invite you to stay at his house for the time being? And heck, not even a house, but a castle on a plateau! 

        "I-I um- I don't want to bother you-" 

        "If I'm asking you, then I wouldn't be thinking you would be a bother." He grinned, kneeling down to your height. "And who am I to not offer help to a young lady in need? And the one I'm pursuing nonetheless." You felt your flame set afire. 

        "I-I'm sure I'll be-" Ino suddenly grabbed you by the shoulders, shaking you excitedly. 

        "Y/n! Stop being all hesitant and just say yes! He just told you it was fine! The least you could do is say yes!" Ino rambled quickly. "This is the best option for you, and you get to see that body all day." She whispered that last part in your ear, causing you to curl up and hide your face. 

        "Fufufufu~ I like your friend. She rather persuasive with her enthusiasm. So what do you say?" You shuffled in place, staring at the ground.

        "No."

Your eyes widen, and the three of you stared at Itachi. Doflamingo, tilted his head. 

        "Oh? I don't remember it being your choice now. As I recall, I had asked your lovely worker here and not you." There was a fierce fire hidden beneath the man's amusement, and you could feel shivers of fear crawling down your spine. You looked at Itachi with a pleading look in your eyes. 

        "I think she would be better off with me." Itachi pulled you in close by your wrist, causing you to stumble into his chest. What was happening?!

        "And you think you're any better? Fufufu~ Don't make me laugh."

        "I just don't think it's safe for her to be with someone she's only met for a week," Itachi spoke calmly. "I have known Y/n the longest, and her safety is very important to me. It should be reasonable that I do not trust you." 

        "But Y/n trusts me, doesn't she?" You tensed as the two men turned to look at you. You were panicking now. You didn't exactly want to choose sides, especially when they were both very important people in your life. Well, Doflamingo had forced himself in, but he's become important now too you supposed. They also had good points about why you should and shouldn't go with either one of them. 

        If you went with Doflamingo, you wouldn't be bother Itachi. However, even though you trusted the man (to a certain degree), Itachi had made a good point that you had only met him for roughly a week. But if you went with Itachi, you would possibly have to take Sasuke's bedroom and cause trouble for Itachi. Actually, you'd be causing trouble for the both of them. 

Oh dear. 

        Ino, sensing your panic, pulled you close to her. She locked eyes with Doflamingo. "Hey! I just realized that Y/n and I was supposed to go to dinner today." She checked her watch, pretending to look a little shocked. "It's getting pretty late now too, almost time for our reservation! I think we're going to have to had off now. Come on Y/n!" She tugged you along, and you quickly got the memo. 

        Dinner. Right. 

        "Um, yeah. Sorry." A smile was on the male's lips as he watched the two of your retreat in panic. Little did you know you were in for a treat. He turned to face Itachi. 

        "Now then, I would like to have a word with you." 

---

Slamming the door shut behind you, you groaned. Sliding down the door, you put your face into your hands. Ino knelt in front of you. 

        "Even though I feel very jealous that you have two men fighting over for you, I know when you're feeling stressed. I know it's hard to choose sides, especially for you Y/n, but you're going to have to make a decision soon." You set your hands down, balling them up into fists. You knew that. It was probably in your best interest to stay with Itachi.

You gave her a thankful smile. 

        "Yeah. Thanks for making up an excuse for me Ino." Ino gave you a sly grin. 

        "Who said it was an excuse? I'm taking you out on a date tonight, " she giggled, sending you a small wink. You laughed with her. "We're going to have the best time tonight. Remember, dinner's on me for that favor I owe you." 

        "Thanks Ino. So when's dinner going to be?" You stood up and moved to the side as she opened the door. 

        "Right now. I kind of wasn't lying when I said I made a reservation." Your jaw dropped. 

        "You made a reservation? It must be fancy and expensive!" You frantically looked around for means of escape. "Maybe we can go to like a small restaurant or something cheap?-" She looped her arm with yours, intertwining them together. 

        "Nope! Not today bestie! Today's your special day, since today's been a horrible mess of memories and your house burning into ashes." She shook her head. "Damn you are very unlucky. Stupid pirates. You know I would love to have you stay with me if Sai's okay with it. Though it might be the other way around. You know how Sai is." 

        "Very... oblivious to social norms?" 

        "Well yeah, but that's basically you too." You furrowed your brows as she dragged you down the streets.

        "I take offense." Ino laughed at your response, and her laughter caused you to join in as well. This was nice. It got your mind off of things. Eyes staring straight ahead, you didn't catch the guilty look on Ino's face. 

        When Ino said she made a reservation, you thought it was going to be a simple fancy dinner. You did not in fact, think that she would be taking you to the best restaurant in the country. You were starting to question exactly how much money the King had tipped her. You frantically looked around. 

        "I-I um Ino- We're not actually going in there right? I mean- I'm not even dressed properly!" You gestured to your sundress. "I mean... I guess I don't really have clothes to change into anymore..." 

        "It'll be okay Y/n. Nobody will care." You gave her a skeptical look. 

        "How do you know nobody will care? Everybody always cares about what I do." She shook her head, smiling brightly. 

        "Come on, it'll be fine. Trust me." Her hand was held out for you to take, and you gave her a hesitant look. Breathing in to calm yourself, you placed your hand on top of her own. 

        "Okay. I trust you." 

        If the outside made your feel out of place, the inside was even worse. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, sparkling like diamonds. Maybe they were made of diamonds. The floor itself was a marble, with a long carpet that was a deep red, and lead up to a set of stairs as people all around dined with intricate wine glasses. The females all wore shimmering gowns as their male counterparts adorned pristine suits with not a single wrinkle. 

It made the two of you stick out like a sore thumb. 

        You tensed as you saw a few stares in front of you, but when you locked eyes with them, they all quickly turned away. This action caused you to furrow your brows. Do they not want to associate with someone like you? It just made you feel uncomfortable. Maybe this was a bad idea after all. 

        Before long, the two of you were approached by a waiter, and you were surprised when he took a low bow before you. "Ms. Yamanaka and Ms. Y/n," you flinched when your first name left his lips. Why did he say your first name and not Ino's? And how did he know your name? Did Ino tell him?

        "Please, right this way to the VIP room."

THE VIP ROOM?!

        "I-Ino" you stuttered. "What is going on?!" She didn't respond, only staring forwards. You were starting to have a really bad feeling about all this. You planted your feet firmly in the ground.

        "Ino!" You shouted out unintentionally, feeling your chest heavy. You could suddenly feel the onslaught of stares. Your hands shook as you wrenched yourself out of her grasp. "Ino." Your voice was quieter now. "Can you please tell me what's going on? I don't feel good. My head hurts." You could feel the tears starting to form.

        "I know I said I trusted you, but I can't if you don't tell me what's happening." You took a shuddering breath in. "How much money did he give you? Why are we here? Is this really a dinner between the two of us?" She opened her mouth, but the laugh that echoed down the hall, was enough of an answer. 

        "...oh." Was all you said. As the waiter ushered you into the room where you saw that Itachi was there as well. There was a blank look on his face as Doflamingo leaned in his chair, legs propped up on the table. You felt as if the whole world was crashing down. 

What was happening? 

Was Ino and Doflamingo working together to set you up from the start? 

        You felt your heart clenching in your chest, lungs tight from the lack of air. It hurt to know that someone you had trusted with all your heart was keeping this from you. No, it hurt because she deceived you into seeing Itachi and Doflamingo again. Or maybe that was Doflamingo's ploy. 

        But the worst of it all, was that there were to many things happening all on a terrible, terrible day. 

        You sat down hesitantly, hands folded together to stop them from shaking. You sat between Doflamingo and Itachi, the two you least likely wanted to be in the middle at the moment. The room was silent as the waiter left, and Doflamingo was the first to break it. 

        "Fufufufu, would you care to know what Itachi and I have been discussing?" You balled your hand up into a fist as Doflamingo grinned down at you. He didn't say anything else after that, and you realized he was waiting for your answer. You breathed in. 

Calm down, calm down. You have to breath. Maybe it'll be okay.

        "I-I... w-what is it?" You hesitantly looked up at him. You could see him scrutinizing you and your emotions before continuing. 

        "Hm... well I think it's better if Itachi told you. Isn't that right?" The three of you casted your gaze over to Itachi, who's face was looking as blank as ever. It looked so odd to see him like this. So... emotionless. It reminded you of Sasuke to be honest. Itachi focused his eyes into your own, and you swallowed heavily. 

You didn't like where this was going at all. The smug way Doflamingo carried himself, the despondency of Itachi, Ino; in fact you hated this whole situation that the three of them put you in. 

        "I have decided that it would be best if you would stay with the King." Your heart stopped. Did you hear that right? Did Itachi just say that it was better for you to be with Doflamingo? "And I think you should take a break from working." You jaw dropped.

But- What happened to earlier? Did Itachi not want you around anymore? Had you become a nuisance to him? Or maybe- You snapped your eyes over to the King. 

        Maybe it was all Doflamingo's fault. But, it didn't seem like he would do that to you. But... there was this feeling. A what if. A what if that grabbed at you and strangled you. 

        "You... Did D-Doflamingo do this?" Itachi shook his head.

        "No. I came to this conclusion myself. The King would treat you better." So that meant that you had to take a break from work for a while? What was he trying to say? You tried to calm yourself, but you just couldn't. You needed support. You turned to Ino, before remembering that she was the one who brought you here. And that made it all the worse. You slammed your hands on the table, shaking the plates and silverware. 

        "Y-you... I-I..." 

Don't cry Dont cry Don't cry-

You could feel it. The tears. Those god awful familiar tears. 

        Two years ago on this very day, you were betrayed, and now this same day two years later you are once again betrayed once more. Were you just meant to suffer your whole life? What did you do to deserve all this pain? Was it for being born? Shakily, you abruptly stood up knocking your chair back, and ran out the door. You could hear Ino's shout of protest, but you didn't stop. It just caused you to run more.

You wanted it all to stop. Just when everything was fine, it wasn't. You hated this. You hated it.

        Down the halls you went, running with disregard for the people watching you. You didn't care anymore. They didn't understand the suffering and heartbreak you went through. Throwing the doors open, you ran down the streets, the dim lights flickering as you did so. The moon loomed over head, covered by the clouds. 

Not even the moon supported you anymore. There were no stars. There was no light. It was as if the world was mocking you with your misery.

        Somehow you made it to the ocean, shuffling to the side to a small cave on the side of the island. It was your safe spot. It had been your home for a time. Plopping down tiredly, you now realized at how cold it was. You shivered, staring at the ocean. Even during your saddest moments you had found yourself wandering back here. To the place where your blissful and ignorant life had ended. 

For the first time in two years, you cried your heart out. You cried by yourself at the edge of the sea, longing back for a life that you could not have.  

Well you did, until you heard a few soft words that strangely calmed you.

        "I thought I would find you here." In front of the entrance to the cave was Doflamingo, and there was no smile on his face.

Chapter Text

        It comforted you to know that someone decided to go after you. It gave you a sense of feeling that you were wanted, but at the same time, you wanted nothing more than to be by yourself. Doflamingo took small soft strides towards you, before enveloping you in a sweet embrace enough to make you melt. He produced so much body heat that the hug alone began to slowly warm you up. 

Shaking, you sobbed into his chest, not even caring that the man was the cause of your distress. 

        But Doflamingo cared. He didn't like how he was the one causing you this pain.

        When you had rushed out those doors, very obviously in distress with tears threatening to spill from your face, Doflamingo had felt his heart clench. He didn't expect for this to happen. He thought you would be happier. He was obviously very very wrong.

        "Y/n!" Ino yelled after you, getting up to run. She only made it a couple of steps before she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She looked up. It was Doflamingo. She wanted to scream at him, to yell and say that it was his fault; but most of all, she wanted to scream at her self, because she had caused this because of her selfish decisions. Ino had always dreamt of a love life like yours, so to know that she could effect it, she wanted to make it perfect like a love story. 

        She wanted this to be the best for you- for her best friend. She was being selfish for not taking in your feeling seriously enough. You probably lost all trust in her. You probably didn't want to be her friend anymore. She could feel the wetness of tears dampening her cheeks. 

She bet you were crying too. 

        "Y/n...  I'm so sorry..." Ino squatted down, crying. She didn't even realize that the hand on her shoulder was gone; that Doflamingo was gone. But Itachi did. He bet that it was all going according to that man's plan. But what could he do? He had no power over a king. He wouldn't be able to help you. And what did it matter if you were happy in the end? 

The man himself had proclaimed his love for you to him, persuading him to have you come to his castle. 

        Itachi was aware of the feelings you harbored for Doflamingo, even if you didn't know it yourself. If he had to seperate from you for you to be happy then that was okay. As long as you got what you deserved than that was okay. 

        As long as you thought ill of him, then that was okay. He would take it all, just so that you would have a happier life. Even if the man himself was twisted, Itachi could see that he cared enough to not hurt you. The proof was right before his eyes. He just wished that it was him that could give you it. 

It didn't take long for Doflamingo to find you. What kind of a feared shichibukai would he be if he didn't?

Hugging you however, was something that he didn't exactly plan. 

        But just feeling your cold skin against his own just felt so right. He wanted to stay with you forever. Just the two of you, leaving the world behind. But god you were cold. Unbelievably cold. He would be lying to say that he wasn't worried that you would get sick. 

But then he would get to take care of you. Now he felt like a jerk for wanting you to get sick. Oh well, to each their own. 

        Slowly your sobs turned into sniffles, and before long, you were breathing normally against him. Your face felt very warm at the thought of snuggling on his chest- his warm rock hard abed chest. At this moment, you just felt so safe- so secure. It was weird how he made you feel this way when he was the one who had caused all of this. Well, he was one of the contributing factors. 

        "...Why are you here?" You voice was raspy, and you cringed at the sound of it. If he was bothered, Doflamingo didn't show it. Or perhaps it was too dark for you to see, but it was a nice of him. 

        "Do you not want me here?" His dark figure tilted his head slightly, the frown still evident on his face. 

        "No." Your answer came quick and without much thought. When you realized what you had said, you felt extremely embarrassed. Lucky for you, he did not laugh at your bold answer. "I-I mean um- how did you know where I was?" 

        "Hmm would you really like to know?" 

        "Is it bad?" 

        "I suppose it depends on perspective." You stayed silent for a moment. "I'd like to know if that's alright." He chuckled, and you could feel the deep vibrations he was sending to your body. It was oddly comforting. 

        "You are a curious young lady." Huh he didn't say 'little girl' this time. "I suppose you could say I've been watching you for quite some time. You've always had a knack of going to the water whenever something upset you. It wasn't that difficult to deduce where you went." You stared up at him suspicion. 

        He had been watching you?

        "Now don't look like that, I was merely curious about this woman who everyone seemed to dislike. It made me curious as to what made everyone dislike you so." He brushed a strand of hair away from your face. "It only made me realize how blind my people are; to hate something so beautiful and undeserving of such prejudice. I had to make sure that they wouldn't do something they would regret." 

        "B-Beautiful?!" You felt like you were dying. You quickly hide your face. 

        "Fufufu, so quick to be embarrassed, but yes. I told you that when we first met." He grabbed your chin, tilting it upwards. You tried to squirm away, but he held you still. "So no need to be shy now, especially when we both know how you feel." 

Your face was now probably hotter than the sun. 

'We both know how you feel'? Your eyes widen. Did you perhaps like the King?! Your eyes drifted to his lips, and your jaw dropped slightly. Oh no you did! And the compromising position the two of you were in made bubbles of nervousness and anticipation erupt inside of you. Doflamingo smirked.

        "It appears that you've understood." He thumbed your lip gently, a tongue coming out of his mouth to wet his own lips. "So what do you say? Fufufu, care to have a new life by my side? One where I can bring you happiness whenever you need?" 

        "I-I..." 

Were you ready for a new relationship? To start anew? To look past everything? To learn from your mistakes?

        Doflamingo made you feel safe and secure, and he seemed to understand you well. Despite him not being a very good person, he has a heart, one that he had willingly shared bits of to you. Everything just felt so fast. And yet- 

        You gazed up at his sunglasses, peering through as if you could see his eyes. 

        "I want to." 

It just felt right. Like this was meant to be. That this won't end in a tragedy.

        Doflamingo chuckled, placing a hand on your cheek. "Fufufu~ Just what I wanted to hear." His lips hovered above your own, and you moved up to connect them. He chuckled through the kiss, and it was surprisingly soft and gentle. You thought too soon when he began to be a little more rough, prying your mouth open with his tongue, dominating your insides. 

It was a kiss you had never experienced before, and you surprisingly liked it. 

        After a while, Doflamingo had disconnected from your lips, a strand of saliva connecting the two of you together. You breathed heavily, gripping onto his shirt tightly. That kiss had left you breathless, sending sparks of euphoria all of your body. You watched as he licked his lips, before a genuine smile broke out on his face. 

It was beautiful. It was heavenly. 

        "Fufufu~ You look tired." 

        "I can't hold my breath in for that long," You managed to say, panting. You grew confused when he picked you up, turning your bodies to face the outside of the cave, before plopping back down. You shivered as the wind bit your skin, and you snuggled back into him for warmth. He chuckled. You looked up, watching in awe, feeling slightly nostalgic. 

        The clouds had parted revealing the beautiful glowing moon and the glittering night sky. It was as if a darkness had been lifted, and a whole new adventure was waiting just for you. You leaned into Doflamingo.

An adventure with your new boyfriend. 

---

He gazed up at the stars, feeling nostalgic. Just doing so made his heart clench. 

        The ship rocked gently against the waves, and the rest of the crew members laid fast asleep in their quarters. He sighed, tipping his bottle of booze. It was times like this when he would get drunk. Across from him was a bottle of water, along with a few cookies. He sighed. 

You never really were the type of person to drink alcohol, preferring [Favorite Drink] or water. He remembered your sweet face, and how you would snack on cookies whenever you could. He groaned, his heart heavy. 

        "I hope you're doing well, Y/n." Shanks shook a little, before he pressed a palm to his face. The tears trickled down like a water fall, as he spent another night away from you, filled with shame and regret.

The water bottle tipped over, smashing the cookies.

Chapter Text

It's comforting to wake up in a bed, not by yourself. 

        And it's heart warming to know that that person is your boyfriend. When you groggily opened your eyes that morning, you were met face first to a bare chest. You felt your face flush and your ears were then met with a beautiful deep chuckle reverberating within his chest. 

        "Did you have a good rest, young lady?" You snapped your eyes to look up at him, and you saw Doflamingo gazing down at you with an amused expression. "You look like you did." He wrapped his arms around you, holding you tightly against his chest. You rested your head on his chest, closing your eyes to listen to his heart beat. You laughed softly in relief. 

It was all real. 

        "I did." You wiggled up the bed until you were eye level with him. You giggled when you saw that he was still wearing his sunglasses. "And that's because I was with you." You pecked his cheek. 

        "You're getting bolder by the day with your words, but you can't even kiss me properly?" He smashed his lips onto yours and you gasped in surprise, accidentally allowing him passage. Your face was bright red to his amusement. "You shouldn't feel so embarrassed for something that belongs to you," he said through the kiss before breaking it off. "But it's cute." 

Embarrassed, you hid under the covers, but Doflamingo had pulled them down. 

        "Now now Young Lady, what did I say about not being so embarrassed?" You had your hands covering your face. 

        "You just say embarrassing things!" 

        "Not being to handle my affections is not an excuse. Though, I do appreciate the fact that you're feeling comfortable enough to not stutter so often." He chuckled as you laid there, frozen. 

        "I-I-" He tilted his head in mock disappointment. 

        "Oh? I suppose spoke to soon. Don't worry though, we'll have plenty of time to fix that habit of yours." He sat up, before getting off the bed. He watched you through tinted lenses as you sat there in shock and embarrassment. "Well? Are you going to get up? Or would you like to spend a few more minutes with my tongue in your mouth?" 

        "I'll get up!" you squeaked, quickly through the blanket off of you. 

        "Fufufu, that's what I thought." He licked his lip slightly, loving how big his shirt was on you, practically almost down to your ankles. He opened his bedroom door, holding it open for you. You quickly ran out the door, refusing to meet his eyes. So you were sensitive to sexual remarks, he internally smirked. He'll have to keep that in mind. 

        "Are you planning on leaving without your boyfriend? How cold." That sentence made you stop in your tracks, and you quickly back tracked back to him.

        "Stop making me feel guilty." 

        "Hm? And here I thought the only thing I made you feel was love and desire." He hunched down to your level, caressing your cheek softly. You tensed a little, a blush once again overcoming your features. 

        "Please don't do this in the hallway, Doflamingo." He paused. 

        "Say that again." You gave him a confused look.

        "Er, 'please don't do this in the hallway, Doflamingo'?" He shook his head. "I want you to repeat the last part." You raised a brow. 

        "Doflamingo?" His name rolled off your tongue, and he couldn't help the swirling feeling inside of him. It just felt so right for his name to leave your lips. And just hearing it for the first time, caught off guard, it just brought him a sense of euphoria. You, meanwhile, were very concerned about Doflamingo's dazed state. 

        "Are you okay-?" 

        "...first." 

        "Pardon?" There was the smile on his face that kept growing and growing until it was a very satisfied grin. 

        "Fufufufu~ Catching me off guard like that and calling me by my name for the first time. I was just trying to savor a moment." You widen your eyes. His name just slipped right out of your mouth. There was a sly look on his face. "You know though young lady, I'd rather hear my name coming out of your mouth in more intimate moments."

And you were once again running down the hall.

---

        "Why can't I have a simple conversation with my boyfriend," you grumbled to yourself as Doflamingo had you slung over his shoulder like a sack of rice. At least you got to see that fine ass lol.

        "Those were simple conversations, Y/n. You just can't handle it." He pressed the side of his face into your body, and you were kind of scared that he was going to drop you. You were ten feet up in the air, who wouldn't be scared? And damn, it only made you realize how tall your boyfriend was compared to you.

        "I don't think... s...ex is simple." 

        "Reproduction is a natural thing. I find it amusing that you find it embarrassing, especially at your age." You didn't like how Doflamingo talked about it so casually. "Of course, I wouldn't want to force you into having sex with me, but the offer will always stand." 

        "Please stop talking." 

        "Fufufu, and miss the opportunity to fluster you? I'd rather not." He paused when he reached a door, before he swung it open. You couldn't exactly see what was in the room, but from what you could tell, the chatter in there was pretty loud. Well, it was until Doflamingo showed up, and everything just quieted down like a blown out match.

Before it was instantly relit again.

        "Young Master! Good morning!" 

        "GoodmorninG YounG Master!" 

        "Doffy! Sugar is throwing grapes at me again!" 

        "No I'm not!" 

        You felt a smile over come your face at all the chatter as Doflamingo set you down. You turned around to see the lively people Doflamingo called family. They were all so unique in their own ways, and you couldn't help but feel nervous. Did they know about you yet? What did they think of you? Did you look to indecent? And the room itself was massive, with white marble floors, and a huge mahogany dining table that stretched down for several feet. 

        Everything about this was making you extremely nervous, to the extravagant room and decor, down to the large pile of food on the table. It was probably worth as much as your house. Why is your boyfriend so rich?! Well, he's the king, but still!

You felt a hand on your back and you looked up at Doflamingo.

        "No need to be shy, I'm sure you'll fit right in." With that little bit of reassurance, you timidly held Doflamingo's hand as you both approached the table. The family didn't seem to mind you very much as you took a seat at the dining table on Doflamingo's right hand side. In fact, they seemed to welcome you. 

        "So you're his new girlfriend, I'd bet you need a new pair of heels. I'll let you borrow one if you want." 

        "My my, you are simply beautiful! Young Master certainly has taste!" 

        "Do you like grapes?" You laughed awkwardly, trying to appease all of the family. You were a tad bit overwhelmed with all the attention that they were all giving you. Doflamingo quietly sighed beside you, but it seemed to have caused the whole family to shut up despite how near soundless it was. 

        "Apologies Young Master for getting ahead of ourselves. Would you care to introduce her to us?" the older woman with dual hair asked. 

        "No need to apologize Giolla, she is quiet beautiful isn't she?" You could feel the tender gaze that was directed towards you, and you hid your face with your palms. "Now then, this is Y/n. I'm sure you will all get along quiet well. Try not to stress her out too much, she tends to be a bit skittish."

With your face still hidden, you didn't see the slightly surprised looks on most of the family's faces. 

        After your introduction, the family too had introduced themselves, and you wondered how you were going to memorize all their names. It seemed to show on your face and they immediately reassured you it would be fine if you didn't remember, which was very nice. Over all, you felt very welcomed. It was nice to have so many interesting people in one room. 

You watched Dellinger and Sugar fight over a cookie with a smile on your face. Yeah, you definitely liked it here. 

        Once breakfast was over you said your farewells to the family and Dellinger, who was telling Doflamingo to get you some fashionable clothes besides his shirt, Doflamingo had ushered you out of the dining room with a gentle hand on your back. He guided you out, and you wondered where he could be leading you to.

        Walking down the halls, you turned your head to see sunlight streaming from the crystal windows, fragmenting the light into the colors of the rainbow. It was so pretty, but it was nothing compared to the view. Looking out the windows you saw the beautiful view of the kingdom, and beyond that was the sea. The town and people looked so minuscule upon the plateau, and you couldn't help but think of how lucky you were to be able to have the king as your boyfriend. You looked up at him, and you saw that his gaze was plastered onto your form. 

        "Where are we going?" you asked him curiously.

        "You'll see. Just be patient." You nodded as he pulled you along, hand intertwined with his larger ones. You squeezed your hands together, smiling. You couldn't help but smile at everything. Just knowing that your life had taken from horrible to better. This happiness that you were feeling just made all the bad things that happened yesterday go away. It was as if you were drowning in euphoria, like nothing even mattered anymore. 

The kiss that the two of you shared under the moonlight last night was not a dream.

        In some ways, Ino was right. You were living a fairytale life style. You sighed. Just thinking about Ino made your heart hurt. She had good intentions, but she couldn't have asked you for your opinion? 

As if sensing your mood drop, Doflamingo gave you a gentle hand squeeze.

        "I'm sure your friends will understand that you need a little time. If they don't then they weren't your friends in the first place." Your heart warmed. Doflamingo really could read you well, but it kind of saddened you to know that his words were right. If they're not happy that you ran off and are now taking a little time away from them, then they weren't really your friends in the first place. But you doubted that would be the case. 

        He eventually guided you outside, and you stood there in awe and nervousness at how high the two of you were. You peered over the edge slightly, gauging at how high the two of you were. 

        "Wow.." was all you could say. "This is terrifying." You tensed up when he placed a hand on your shoulder, before relaxing. 

        "Relax, I won't let you fall. If you do, then I'll just catch you. I wouldn't be a very good boyfriend if I didn't now would I?" He kept his hand on your shoulder, before nudging you back a little. "Though I'd prefer if you didn't. It's best to be a little safe than sorry, wouldn't you say?" 

        "Ahaha.. right." You scooched back, before plopping down on the grass. He copied your movements, plopping right down beside you. "You know... I never really thought I'd find love again." You gazed up into the clouds. "So it kind of feels weird. I thought I was destined for heartbreak, so I didn't really know how to deal with you." You flopped down. "It's weird to know that the person you feared for two years was the one who I fell for."

        He gave you a questioning stare. " 'feared for two years'? So you aren't native to Dressrosa?" You shook your head. He hummed. "How interesting. So where were you from originally?" You bit your lip a little. 

        "Just a small island. Nothing too special." 

        "Y/n, I'd appreciate it if you didn't lie to me." Damn it, you were caught red handed. Your family did say that you weren't a very good liar. 

        "Doflamingo?" 

        "Doffy," he corrected. Oh. He wanted you to call him by his nickname. 

        "Doffy," you tested. It felt more endearing, and you felt internally giddy. "Is it okay if I tell you some other time? I-I don't really feel very comfortable talking about it." He was silent for a moment. 

        "Very well, but I hope that you will indulge me in some of your past sometime." Turning your head, you smiled at him, but he could see the faint traces of sadness hidden beneath it. 

        "Don't worry, I will. Why don't you tell me about yourself? I don't really know much about you besides the fact that you're a king, and the fact that you like to flash your wealth. Oh and that you care for your family a lot." 

        "And you." 

        "Huh?" 

        "Being my girlfriend means that you too, are apart of the family, but I'm sure you already knew that." You looked over at him, feeling the grass tickling your red cheeks. 

        "You keep saying embarrassing things," you mumbled to yourself, but it was just loud enough for him to hear. 

        "Do you want me to stop?" 

        "No." Your quick answer made him laugh. "You're simply too amusing, though even if you wanted me to stop, I wouldn't exactly stop." You sighed. 

        "I know." 

        "I'm glad I have a girlfriend who knows me so well." You hummed. "Not really. But I'd like to get to know you better." He chuckled, sitting up so that he was leaning over you.

        "On a more, personal level, perhaps?" You pushed him away. 

        "I-I meant a different personal! Stop being so witty!" 

        "Oh? So you think I'm amusing?" You sighed getting up. "I-I just don't understand why you act so..." You paused, trying to come up with a word that would match what you were thinking of. 

        "Flirty?" he offered. 

        "..yeah. That."

        He scooped you up effortlessly and into his lap, cradling you like a baby into his chest. "Hm.. well I've been told it was part of my charm. So? Do I act charming enough for you?" The smug look on his face told you he already knew the answer. Nevertheless, you answered him with a beet red face. 

        "...yeah."

Chapter Text

The shower felt nice against your skin, caressing you softly and running down your skin.

        It was times like this where you had time to yourself. Well, you probably wouldn't have had it to yourself if you hadn't stopped Doflamingo from entering the bathroom and joining you. That was embarrassing enough as is. Just remembering it sent shivers of nervousness down your spine. You were definitely not used to how bold he was. 

        Nonetheless, you appreciated the fact that he indulged into your wishes. You didn't know how much of his God-like body you could take before you combust. Probably not much, seeing as a glimpse of his bare chest was enough to send you into a volcano of swirling emotions that caused you to feel light headed. 

        Shutting off the water with a squeak, you stepped out, grabbing a towel to dry yourself with. Everything in Doflamingo's bedroom was huge. Everything from the room itself, to the toilet, though you supposed it made sense. He was a large person, so of course he would need big stuff. Though it kind of shocked you that the shower was probably bigger than the size of your bed at- well, the home that got burnt down. 

        Hanging the towel up, you spotted a pair of bathrobes. One was a large fluffy hot pink bathrobe, the other was a pastel pink bathrobe, slightly smaller than the other. You blinked, before smiling mischievously. Grabbing the hot pink bathrobe, you slipped it on. Staring into the mirror, you laughed to yourself.

        The robe made you look smaller than you were, almost half of it dragging on the floor. But it was so warm. You couldn't help but let out a sigh of content. Grinning to yourself, you walked out, disregarding your own robe that hung sadly by itself on a hook. It trailed behind you like a dress since your boyfriend was almost twice the size of you, but you didn't care. It was comfortable. 

Making your way to the bed, you belly flopped down beside Doffy. 

        "Morning." His eyes drifted from the papers in his hands to you. He chuckled. 

        "I see that you've taken a liking to my robe. Did you not like yours? I can get you another one if you'd prefer." You lifted your head to look at him. He just wanted an excuse to spend money on you, didn't he? 

        "No, I just wanna wear your things, and I don't need you to spend so much money on me. It makes me feel uncomfortable." He tugged your arm so that your body was curled up beside him. 

        "Hm, well I suppose that just means I'll have to spoil you more often." He burrowed his face in the crook of your neck, breathing in deeply, causing you to blush at how tingly the contact made you feel. "Mm.. but I do like you wearing my clothes," he purred. He quickly grabbed hold of your wrist before you could tug the blanket over you. He chuckled. 

        "I'm not letting you hide this time, young lady." You gave him a small pout at how easily he read your actions, before a thought crossed your mind. 

        "Hey Doffy? You said you saved some of my stuff right?" 

        "I did." 

        "Do you know where it is? I want to know what you grabbed." Doflamingo (reluctantly) sat up, setting his feet on the ground so that he could stand, before turning back to you to scoop you up. Apparently this had become a thing. Maybe it's because you're much smaller than Doflamingo, but he likes to carry you around like a child with a stuffed animal, you being the stuffed animal. You could never actually carry the man. That would be impossible. 

        With one arm holding you, Doflamingo waltzed to a different part of the room, pulling out the boxes covered in a little soot out. It looked to have been cleaned, smelling of cleaning essentials. Setting you down, Doflamingo allowed you to inspect them. Hesitantly, you opened the box open, and you saw that most of the stuff inside was intact. A breath of relief escaped you.

Jumping up, you gave him a big hug.

        The man graciously accepted and reciprocating it, settling his hands along your waist, not too low to be at your ass, but just low enough for it to be endearing. You were glad that he, despite his flirtatious comments, was not pushing your boundaries. It just shows the amount of respect he had for you. 

        "Thanks Doffy." 

        "Fufufu~ Is that for grabbing your stuff or for not touching your-" He paused at the mortified expression on your face, before he chuckled in an amused fashion. "We really are going to have to work on desensitizing you young lady, but-" he leaned down to place a kiss on your forehead. "-you're welcome." 

        Picking you up, he held onto you tenderly, placing his face in the crook of your neck. "Mm you're too adorable. I'm glad you're feeling more comfortable with me." Your face began to heat up as he peppered kisses upon your neck. You squirmed in his grasp, causing him to laugh. He eventually set you back down. 

        "Now, I have several matters to attend to. If you need anything call for someone, and they will attend to it. I'll be back in a couple of hours." You nodded your head. It made sense, your boyfriend was a king, of course he'd be a busy man.

        "Okay. Good luck!" He chuckled at your positivity, before shutting the door behind him. Doflamingo sighed, walking down the halls to meet up with the other elite officers. After a bit of walking, he eventually stood in front of a large door. Opening it and stepping in, all heads had turned towards the man. 

        "Behehehe! Ne Doffy, did you have fun with you new toy?" Doflamingo ignored the snot man, only giving a small glare in response. But that alone had caused the man to stiffen slightly, before laughing once more. "Ne, you really like her that much? Behehehehe!" Trebol turned to face Diamante. 

        "Ne Diamante, what do you think of Doffy's new 'girlfriend'?" Diamante sat in his throne, giving it a good thought. Doflamingo had to admit, he was genuinely curious as to what they thought about you. Diamante glanced up at Doflamingo nervously.

        "Don't be afraid of offending me. I'm genuinely curious as to your opinion." Damn it, Diamante was now put up on the spot. Either lie, or go with the truth. The truth is probably his best bet, especially since the man was a practically a human lie detector. 

        "It's only been a few days, but... I like her. She complimented my outfit." Diamante smiled, remembering it. "But, she didn't have the personality I expected her to have, considering..." Diamante trailed off, before turning to look up at Doflamingo. "You know I really thought you were into sexy ladies or something, not cute little frightened girls. Are you really planning on keeping her as a girlfriend?" 

Doflamingo stared out the window. "For now... yes. And I'd like it to stay that way for the time being." 

        "Doffy, do you actually like her?" Pica's voice resonated in the room, speaking what was on the three officer's minds. 

        "...As I have said, I'd like for it to stay that way for the time being." The blond man turned back towards them, clasping his hands together. "Now then, let's talk business." 

---

You sat in the room, bored out of your mind.

        When was Doffy going to come back? 

Worry began to seep into the corners of your mind. What if he got tired of you? Was he going to leave you too? 

        You clenched your hands into fists. No. You had to have faith in him. Doflamingo wouldn't do that to you. Granted, you didn't know him that well, but it didn't mean you couldn't try to get to know him now. Tears were streaming down your face, and you rubbed your eyes aggressively to get rid of them, only pausing when the door opened. 

        Snapping your eyes to the light coming in, you saw a familiar figure approaching you. 

        "Um..." You wiped the tears away quickly. "H-Hi.. Baby 5 was it?" The woman smiled at you.

        "Yeah. Sorry, I came in here without knocking. I was just a little worried since you didn't come out for lunch." You blinked. Was it that late already? 

        "No, it's fine. I didn't realize. I'll go eat lunch." Baby Five shook her head. 

        "It's dinner time." 

Oh. Had you been stuck in your thoughts for that long?

        "Oh. Uh.." You looked out the window, seeing that the sun was already setting. Huh, it really was dinner time. "I'll come down with you then." Sitting up from the bed, you smiled up at Baby 5, walking together out of the room and down the hall. 

        "So, um.. How have you been? I just realized I don't really know you that well." Baby 5 hummed. 

        "Well, I was engaged to man who needed me," her eyes sparkled like diamonds, before her mood turned a 180. "But then the young master had to ki- um, break off the engagement." Baby 5's eyes were wide as marbles as she realized she almost made a mistake. You didn't seem to notice, nodding along to her words. 

        "Ah, I guess it just means he really cares about you, Baby 5." She huffed. "Sure."

        You frowned a little bit. "It may seem like he doesn't, but he really does. Though, I don't think breaking off engagements is a very nice thing. I can see why you'd be sour about it." The woman turned to look at you.

        "Exactly! Ugh, can't he see that they need me?" She suddenly turned the conversation back to you. "So how is it with you and the Young Master? I hope it's not too bad." Ah, she was hinting at earlier. You smiled gently. 

        "No, it's been going great actually. It's just..." You sighed. "I just.. I-I went through a bad break up two years ago, and I think I'm still not over it. I know I care about him a lot, but I just don't want Doffy to feel like he's my rebound." She nodded along to your words. 

        "I don't think he feels that way. Jo-," Baby 5 cleared her throat. "Sorry, the Master has always been perceptive about people. If he felt that way, he probably wouldn't have had you as his girlfriend."

Cracking a smile, you replied, "You're right, thanks Baby 5. It's just, I've never felt so happy in such a long time. I didn't want it not to seem genuine." Baby 5 tilted her head.

        "In a long time..?" 

        "Ah..." You sheepishly rubbed the back of your neck. "Well, I didn't exactly have the best childhood." Your eyes flickered out the window. "But not everyone does, so I can't really complain." 

        "Was it hard?" You pressed your lips together. 

        "I-... Yeah. My family had a lot of expectations for me, and when I couldn't meet them... I was ignored." You laughed a little. "It probably didn't matter anyways, since I had other siblings that could do so much more." It was silent for a bit, until Baby 5 spoke once more. 

        "You know, everyone in the family didn't have the best life either, but that's why we stick together. You're part of the family now too, Y/n." You suddenly stopped, and Baby 5 wondered if she said something wrong. That thought was immediately refuted when you jumped at her, embracing her in a tight hug. 

        "Thank you..." She could hear your voice break. You sniffled a bit. "I think those are some of the most heartwarming things I've ever heard. I'm glad I get to be here. I'm glad I'm away from all of that. I probably would have died if I didn't leave." Letting her go, you wiped your tear stained cheeks. 

        "And thank you, Baby 5. I'm glad we get to have such a heartwarming conversation together. I'm sure we'll be the best of friends. I'll need someone like you in my life." Her eyes sparkled. 

        "You need me?! Of course I'll be your best friend!!" 

        You grinned. It felt nice being able to talk so freely with Baby 5. Sure, you could talk with Doflamingo, but it sometimes felt like you were walking on eggshells with him. Every move could be you dying of embarrassment. You intertwined your hand with Baby 5. 

And although it felt like you were replacing Ino, you knew that one day your friendship would rekindle. 

        "Let's get some dinner."

        The two of you stood in front of the gigantic door together. Two soldiers on either side quickly pulled it open in unison, eyes adverted onto the ground. You wondered if the door was heavy, considering that much of the family was quite taller than an average human. Were they even human to begin with? 

        Walking inside, you saw that all the officers were already gathered at the table, minus Doflamingo, though Doflamingo doesn't really count does he? Trebol was aggressively inhaling all the food whilst Diamante was trying to get the man to slow down. You briefly wondered if he would get a stomachache, but assumed that if Trebol was like this everyday, he should be fine. To an extent. 

        Smiling, you took a step further towards the table, hand tightening around your newfound friend. The family were good people with unique personalities. This place felt like home. 

Before the two of you could move a step further towards the table, a body wrapped their arms around you. 

        "Fufufufu~ Cheating on me with my own family Y/n?" You squeaked in surprise, feeling his head in the crook of your neck. The room suddenly got quiet, and you felt all eyes on you. You immediately covered your hands on your face. 

        "No I'm not! I'm with you! Stop saying embarrassing stuff!!" you whined. Doflamingo broke apart your intertwined hands so that he could intertwine it with his own instead. That jealous bastard, he could have used your other hand, but noooo. 

The family laughed at your red face, causing it to get warmer. 

        "Y/n is definitely not hard-boiled," Senor Pink commented, causing your embarrassment to grow. 

        "Aww... look, she's blushing!" Those words caused the whole family to laugh. 

        "Don't worry, young lady." You looked up at Doflamingo. "Eliciting reactions from you is simply to hard to resist. If you didn't react, then that wouldn't be any fun, now would it?" He suddenly gave you a sly grin. "But I'm sure I would have found something for you to react to, especially in the bedroom." 

Everyone was screaming now, with Senor Pink covering Sugar's virgin ears, and Dellinger yelling "Get a room!!" 

        But in the end, everyone was laughing, only leaving a small Sugar confused at what was so funny. It was all good.

And for you, it was safe to say that you can call them your family. Your new family. And you didn't want this family to change, ever.

Chapter Text

        "Captain, you've been sitting there for a while." Shanks hardly looked up as Yasopp stood beside him. It's been a few days actually. The only time the crew saw him get up was when he went to go use the restroom or get some more alcohol.

        "Still thinking about her?" The red haired male nodded numbly, eyes staring off into space. Yasopp sighed, taking a seat beside the drunk man. Around Shanks were several empty bottles of booze, and across from him was a couple of cookies, crushed by- what Yasopp assumed -was the water bottle, as it had fallen over, and was now rolling across the deck. 

        "I just miss her so much," Shank spoke, voice cracking. It hurt Yasopp, hell, the rest of the crew to see their captain so broken.

        "We all do captain, we all do." 

        "If I didn't tell her to stay put for a bit, it wouldn't have come to this..." Shanks sighed. "I wouldn't have lost her." The boat rocked gently back and forth against the ocean waves. The Yonko could remember when he used to sit on the deck, arm around your shoulder as the two of you let the waves lull the two of you to sleep. He could remember the smile on your face as the two of you exchanged kisses, and how nervous you were to love. 

You, someone who hadn't ever had the love of a family, got to have one of your own when he stole you away from that island. He saved you, he saved you from your family, and he saved you from yourself. 

        It had taken a while to crack down those walls of yours, but it was worth it to see your bright and cheery face. He just wished he could see it once again. This very ship that he commanded held so many memories of the two of you- so very painful memories, but he couldn't just ever let go. 

        Why was he so selfish? 

        Selfish enough to hurt the person he loved the most? Who needed everything the most? He should never have let you run off, he should have chased you down. Told you how much he loved you. To stay true to his word and protect you to his best. 

But it was the fear of loving you that set him back. 

        Gazing out at the sea, he bit his lip, trying to hold in the tears. Did you move on from him already? Did you find a nice man who loved you with all his heart? Did Doflamingo find you? 

There were so many questions and thoughts racing in his head. But there was this one lingering question that he wanted an answer for. 

He just wanted to know- would you forgive him for being selfish? Did you want him back as much as he did? 

---

        You leaned against the railing, the cold wind nipping at your exposed shoulder and collar bone. Closing your eyes and taking a deep breath through your nose, you could smell the sea. Oh that beautiful unforgiving sea. Feeling a warmth against your back, you looked up, seeing Doffy's face gazing down at you thoughtfully. 

        It was something you liked about him. Though he was flirtatious, there were moments where the two of you could just enjoy each other's presence. He wasn't pushy with you despite the things that come out of your mouth, and he wouldn't do anything that made you too uncomfortable. 

He knew his limits and your own, and he stopped before he would take things too far. 

        You shivered as a stronger breeze blew by, and a sneeze escaped you. Despite Dressrosa being an island of forever heat, the mornings were always so cold. Doflamingo chuckled from behind you, and you could feel the vibrations of his chest.

        "Cold?" You nodded your head.

        "A bit." Doflamingo draped his coat around you, and you were immediately enveloped in warmth. That was the thing about him. The man literally excreted warmth were ever he went. He was basically a human heater, and that was the nice thing about him. 

        "You seem deep in thought, care to tell me what you're thinking?" Tugging his feathery jacket closer around you, you hummed. 

        "I was just thinking of my life back home." A sad smile was on your face as you continued to look at sea. "I just thought of how fortunate I am to have met so many people who helped me along the way. I feel like I'm blessed, especially when there are more unfortunate people out there." You grinned, leaning up against the railing.

        "I had you, Itachi, Ino, Rebecca, Deidara, Sasori (not sure about that one), Sasuke, and Sh-" you paused. "Mm, yeah, him too. Without him, I wouldn't have been here." Your hands gripped the railing tightly. Doflamingo set both of his hands atop of your own, leaning down to settle his chin on your head. 

        "And who is this 'him'?" There was something in his voice that you couldn't discern. Should you tell him? He deserved to know didn't he? You sighed, he did deserve to know your past relations. 

        "Um... O-okay, please don't freak out.. but, I used to date Shanks." The silence around the two of you was too long. You swallowed thickly, staring down the railing. You hoped he wasn't going to push you off. After a while, he finally spoke. 

        "..Is that right?" He hummed. "So he is the reason you thought our relationship was a rebound." You nodded your head, eyes still trained on the sea in the horizon. 

        "I- yeah..-wait h-how did you know that?" You were pretty sure you only told Baby 5. Looking up quickly, your hot boyfriend grinned down at you. You wracked your brains, trying to remember if you remembered everything correctly last night. Huh, Doflamingo wasn't in the dining room when the two of you entered so-

        "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I was just passing by and I couldn't help but overhear." He placed a small kiss on your forehead. "I'm rather flattered you think so much of me, but I'm sure I'll know if you were rebounding on me or not." A blush appeared on your cheeks and he chuckled, placing a soft kiss on your lips. 

        "You didn't um, hear more than that did you?" The subtle twitch down on grin on his face told you everything you needed to know. "Ah... you did." Frowning now, Doflamingo wrapped his arms around you tightly. He didn't particularly like you having this depressed aura around you. 

        "You stated that I made you happy." You looked up.

        "Huh?" 

        "I'll make you the happiest woman in the world. Even more so than a yonko could ever make you," the flamingo man declared seriously. It caused you to blush. He was so hot. A sly grin suddenly graced his features. Uh oh. "Though I'm rather surprised. I didn't take you to be the type to be into older men." Your face flushed a dark crimson, and you pushed him away a bit, hiding your face with your hands.

        "I-I'm kind of used to having older men ask for my hand in marriage." You looked away shyly. "Maybe it rubbed off on me..." He quirked a brow. 

        "Oh? You were a noble?" You pursed your lips. 

        "You could say that." Letting out a sigh, you dangled your arms over the edge of the balcony. "The marriages never really worked out though. I think it was because I was unsightly." Silence had fallen over the two of you, and you wondered what Doflamingo could be thinking. Stealing a glance, you froze at the terrifyingly blank expression on his face. 

        "Er, Doffy?" 

        "Names." Your eyes bulged. 

        "What?!" You turned around to face him. "Why would you need their names?" You paused. "Wait, you-you... Doffy! No! You can't kill them!" He chuckled shaking his head.

        "My poor innocent little girl." He spoke huskily, placing a hand under your cheek, caressing it softly. "You're more beautiful then a goddess, and I need the names of those fools who think other wise." You pushed him back. Or tried to at least; he was as sturdy as a rock. 

        "Doffy! Thank you for the compliment, but you don't need to do that!" He chuckled at your rushed words. What life did you live to think so low of yourself?  

        "There's a difference between a compliment and the truth, Y/n." Amusement was on his face as he watched your embarrassed state. It was so fun to see you get so easily worked up. A smile began to replace his grin of amusement. You were different from the others he's dated. You weren't after his money or the thought of being a queen. 

        You were genuine, someone who wore their heart on their sleeve. 

And that was something he found rather attractive and refreshing. You just wanted the thought of being with him. 

        He watched you as you placed yourself so that you were sitting on the railing. Your gaze lifted from the ground up to him. "I have a question Doffy." He tilted his head to the side. 

        "And what would that be?" You fiddled a bit with his feathered coat, and he licked his lips, seeing how ravishing you just looked right then and there. It was a good thing he had good self control, or else you would have been drowning in a fury of kisses. 

        "Why do you keep calling me 'little girl' or 'young lady'?" His hands found its way to your shoulder, and he began to mess with your hair. 

        "I'm not wrong now. You are a 'little girl' or a 'young lady'. Especially when compared to myself. Do you not like my little nicknames for you?" Cheeks pink now, you looked away. 

        "I-I kind of like them..." He laughed, causing your embarrassment to grow. 

        "Endearing enough for you?" You nodded your head, not able to meet his eyes. Not that you could anyways, considering the fact that he always wore those sunglasses of his. You didn't know how long you stared up at his sunglasses, but a grin began to form on his face. "Curious?" he asked, placing his hands on your waist. 

         He leaned down a couple feet. "Go ahead and take them off." Your mouth gaped open. Was he serious? You could actually take them off? You reached up to grab his glasses with both hands, before halting, hesitating. Biting your lip, you lifted them, and the first thing you noticed was- oh wow. 

His eyes were gorgeous. 

        "Wow." 

        "Fufufufu~ Are they that interesting?" You vigorously nodded your head. 

        "I wish you didn't wear your sunglasses all the time so that I could see your eyes." Unconsciously, you reached out to touch the side of his cheek, pulling him in just a tad bit so you could peer into them. "Oh wow..." Letting him go, you stared down at the sunglasses in your hands, and you suddenly had a great idea to do later. 

        "You can keep them. I have a few other pairs." You grinned. 

        "Thanks- ack!" Your eyes widen as you slipped off the railing, feeling your stomach fall as gravity did its thing. You were falling off the balcony. Your eyes connected with Doflamingo's for a brief second, and you saw so much emotion in his eyes that you hadn't been able to tell when he was wearing his sunglasses. 

He was fast. A sudden quick tug on your wrist pulled you right back up on the balcony, this time, away from the railing. 

        It was silent for a few seconds, before you shrugged a bit. "Thanks for saving me." His eyes flickered to you. 

        "That wasn't a reaction I was expecting." You walked up to him, giving him a nice hug. 

        "Well, I trusted you. I knew you were going to catch me if I fell." Letting him go, you walked back into your shared bedroom. "I'm going to go use the restroom now, alright?" You didn't get an answer as you walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind you shut. And you didn't notice how conflicted Doflamingo looked once you left. 

Bonus:

        "Fufufufu~ I'm Doflamingo, and I eat lobster for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." You twirled, making the coat spin like a dress. "And I'm a hot bastard who likes to spend money on stuff I don't need because I like to flex my power." You stopped, glaring into the mirror, jabbing a finger at it. 

        "And if you try to feed me barbecue, I will kill you-UH.." Staring at the mirror you noticed that in the corner was the flamingo man himself, and you began to sweat bullets. You quickly turned around. "Uh.... when did you come into the bathroom?"

        "When you started to monologue." You made a face. 

        "I-I can explain." 

        "I'm sure there's nothing to explain, young lady." He was wearing another pair of sunglasses. The sunglasses glinted a bit. "But that was a rather amusing impression of me. Except-" he frowned a bit, at this. "I don't eat lobster for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." You made a face.

        "Why is that the part you focus on?" 

        "I may enjoy lobster, but that doesn't mean I will eat it every single day. The thing about having favorite foods is that you eat it on occasion, so that you crave it more." Ah, so he was one of those people. He took quick, long strides towards you. 

        "However." He stood before you now, towering above you like a giant. "I just realized how small you are in comparison to me." He went to pinch your cheek. "Like an adorable little child." Your cheeks flushed, and you covered your face in embarrassment. 

        "Please stop doing this to me..." 

Chapter Text

        The dark long halls echoed your soft footsteps as your feet made contact with the wooden floors. Silk velvet curtains hung over windows to prevent any light from coming in. Not that it would of course, considering that it was well after midnight. You sucked in a breath when you saw a shadowy figure in the distance, heart hammering in your chest. 

You didn’t want to get caught sneaking out. 

        Pushing your body against the wall, you squeezed your eyes, hoping that whoever was there would walk past you. You didn’t want to get beaten again. It hurt so bad. 

        The clicks of the person’s footfalls were beginning to get so close. You couldn’t help but begin to imagine all the horrible things she- they would do to you. You could feel your hands shaking as you did so. Cracking your eyes open slightly, you let out a breath of sigh when the person was nowhere to be seen. 

        Taking a tentative step forwards, a hand suddenly latched out from the darkness, finding its target- your throat. You choked as the person began to squeeze the life out of you, the sadistic, maniacal grin on his face. 

        “Look who I found after hours~ You're quite bold aren’t you?” He smiled as you flailed in his grasp, trying to get away. “I thought after last night you would give up, I didn’t think you still had a fire inside of you.” 

He leaned forwards, and you felt fear that you had never known. The glint in his eyes-

        “I’m going to enjoy breaking you tonight.” 

---

        “So what do you think?” You stepped to the side, letting Giolla see for herself. You could see the awe in the older woman’s eyes as she peered down at your masterpiece. 

        “It looks absolutely wonderful! Personally however, I think it needs a little more color over here-” She was suddenly cut off by your boyfriend, who was standing beside you. 

        “Giolla,” was all that he said, but it made the woman sweat bullets. 

        “But that’s just my personal opinion!” she laughed nervously, eyes meeting Doflamingo’s (somehow) when you weren’t paying attention. You nodded along to what she said, looking to see if there were any imperfections. 

        “Don’t be so mean to Giolla, Doffy,” you spoke, with a small frown. “She’s just trying to be helpful.” You smiled as you grabbed some pink icing. “But I think Giolla’s right, it does need a little bit more color over here.” 

        It was currently early in the afternoon, and you had decided to bake a cake. You smiled as you made intricate flowers using the pink icing that was in your hands. It’s been several hours since you began your quest, especially since you had to learn from the royal pastry chef on how to make flowers with icing, but the final product was certainly worth it. 

        Doflamingo watched with a small smile on his lips as you carefully added the last petal to the flower. It was strange how watching you do such a simple task made him feel so easily amused. The way your eyebrows furrowed when you concentrated, or how your tongue was poking out just a little. He couldn’t help but feel this happy feeling in his chest. 

        Giolla’s eyes flickered back and forth from Doflamingo’s soft expression on his face and your concentrated face in slight shock. Did he know that he was making that face? Doflamingo’s face suddenly tilted a bit to the side, noticing Giolla’s stare. When he did, his expression suddenly changed, a grin on his face once more. 

She widened her eyes when she felt him give her a glare, immediately averting her eyes. 

        You placed the icing down, grinning at the outcome of your hard work. You turned around to look at Doffy, eyes sparkling. “Doffy! What do you think?” You presented your immaculate flower cake, and he couldn’t help but be impressed. 

        “Fufufufu~ Hard to believe this was your first time, young lady.” He ruffled your H/c locks affectionately. You playfully pushed him. 

        “I had help, of course it would look good.” Doflamingo scooped you off the ground, placing you on the counter before devouring you in kisses. “You’re too modest, Y/n,” he spoke in between kisses. 

        It may have only been a couple of weeks together, but you felt as if you had known the man for a long time. You tried to kiss back, but he was just too dominating, so you let him take control. After he had finished ravaging your mouth, he broke off the kiss, grinning at how flustered you were. 

        “You seem to be more comfortable with me. Usually you’d be more flustered,” he mused, hands on your waist as you leaned against his chest, eyes on the cake. 

        “Maybe I got used to you,” you mumbled. He chuckled, leaning in close so that his lips brushed up against your ear. 

        “I wouldn’t want you to.” He was about to lean in for another kiss when Giolla coughed, instantly reminding you that she was in the room. Your face beame the shade of maroon at the realization that you had kissed Doflamingo in front of her. Doflamingo, meanwhile, didn’t really seem to care as much, most likely disappointed that you probably weren’t willing to kiss him anymore at the moment. 

        “Y/n, would you like us to prepare a box for that cake?” You timidly nodded your head. 

        “That would be great, thank you.” A pair of footsteps suddenly entered the kitchen, and you looked down to see Sugar. You waved at the young child. “Hello Sugar!” The little girl hesitantly waved back up at you, a little confused as to why Doflamingo was hovering over your shoulder with a grin on his face. 

        “Do you need me to grab you some more grapes?” She nodded her head. You were about to hope off the counter when you suddenly felt a light pressure on your neck, before a small pinch. Yelping a little, you hopped off the counter to turn around at Doflamingo, who looked extremely amused by your behavior. 

Hand clutching the place he bit you, your face flushed when he began to lick his lips. 

        “Uh- Let’s go grab those grapes, Sugar,” you spoke quickly, moving towards the fridge, leaving Doflamingo who was chuckling at you. 

        “Why did the Master bite you?” Sugar asked you, causing you to nearly drop the bowl of grapes in your hands. 

        “I-I uh-” 

        “The Master can be possessive, but I didn’t think he would bite you.” 

        “I-”

        “Do you taste good?” 

Help meh-

        “Sugar, head back to Trebol,” Doflamingo spoke. You looked up at him, freezing in your spot when his face told you he was clearly all too amused with the situation he got you stuck in. Sugar made a face before leaving, mumbling something along the lines of ‘stupid Trebol’ or ‘die’. Maybe a little bit of both. 

You sighed in exasperation, leaning up against the wall. “H-How? Why?” Yes, why exactly did a little girl know such big words? Doflamingo chuckled a bit, taking long strides towards you until he was beside you. 

        “Sugar may seem like a child, but she has lived almost as long as you have. It’s one of the effects of her Devil Fruit.” You nodded, feeling a little awkward now because you’ve been treating the girl as a child. 

        “Don’t worry about it too much, she doesn’t mind.” He scooped you up so that you rested on his arm, before grabbing the boxed up cake. Giolla must have left sometime afterwards you thought to yourself. You were kind of disappointed. You wanted to thank her for helping you with your little project. You supposed that you’ll have to do it later. 

“Now then, let’s head off.” 

---

Itachi stared at his wall blankly. 

        His house felt strangely empty, even though he had never felt that way before. He let out a sigh, combing his long black hair with his hand. Maybe it wasn’t his house that was empty, but his heart. Just remembering that sorrow filled expression of yours made his heart clench. 

You were happy now, right? 

        He barely even registered the knock at his door until whoever was there was knocking very furiously. Getting up from his couch, Itachi felt his muscles ache from being in one position for so long. Taking a deep breath, he took small strides towards the door, internally hoping that whoever it was was the one person he was constantly thinking about. 

        Hand on the knob, he twisted it, opening the door with a small creek. Itachi was a little disappointed when he saw that it was just Ino, along with Sai, but he nonetheless let them inside without much protest. He could see that Ino wanted to talk to him, and who was he to reject one of Y/n’s best friends? 

Ino stepped in, giving him an appreciated smile. Sai, meanwhile, gave Itachi a closed eyed smile, stepping in. 

        “Please, make yourself comfortable,” Itachi spoke, but there was hardly any emotion put into it. Ino nodded, taking a seat on the couch, Sai following suit. “Was there something you needed?” 

        “Itachi.” Ino shook, her hands on her knees, clutching the fabric of her pants tightly. “I messed up. I messed up bad.” Tears dribbled down from her eyes, landing softly on her hands. Sai placed a hand on her back, remembering that it helped soothed people who were in distress. “What if Y/n doesn’t want to be my friend anymore?” 

Ino clenched her hands. “And what’s going to happen to your friendship with her?” 

        “Personally, I don’t think you both did anything wrong,” Sai spoke up. “Besides lying to Y/n and betraying her trust.” His words caused Ino to grow frustrated. Especially since she knew he was right. 

        “We get it Sai, we both hurt her feelings.” Sai smiled down at his girlfriend. 

        “Of course you do. I wasn’t trying to rub it in, I was stating a fact. But,” Sai thought to himself. “Isn’t Y/n also in the wrong because she choose the king over her two friends? I read in that book you gave me that relationships are important. Naurto always blabbed about friendship.” 

Ino’s mouth opened, but Sai cut her off, a smile on his pale face. “Forgiveness is important, isn’t it? You forgive me when I look through you underwear dra-” Ino punched sigh in the head, her face red in embarrassment. Especially when he said that in front o Itachi. 

        “Sai.” He black haired man smiled, despite the fact that a lump was beginning to form on his head. 

        “Ah, this is when I say sorry, right?” The platinum blonde girl sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Sometimes she wondered why she chose Sai over Sasuke.

        “Sai is right.” Ino looked up at Itachi in shock. “What do you mean?” The man looked to the side. 

        “If Y/n decides she doesn’t want to forgive us without hearing us out, it just means she was never our friend in the first place.” Ino’s eyes widened, her mouth hung agape. 

        “But-But it’s already been two weeks!” she exclaimed. 

        “Then doesn’t that mean she wasn’t your friend?” Sai spoke, tilting his head. Ino was panicking. At this rate, it probably meant that you were never her friend. What about all the time you spent together? All the laughter and fun? 

Oh god, what was she going to tell Rebecca? 

        “But-” A soft knock at the door caused the three of them to freeze. Ino felt her heart stop. Nobody moved as whoever was at the door knocked again, this time a little louder. 

Was it… was it possible that? 

        Ino was running to the door now, her feet stompig on the wooden floors, not even caring how loud she was being. 

It had to be. It just had to. Furiously, she ripped the door open to see- 

Doflamingo. 

        Ino panted, staring up at the large ten foot tall man. What, what was he doing here? If he was here did that mean…? Ino darted her eyes around Doflamingo, but she couldn’t see you anywhere in sight. Where were you? 

        “Y..You.r Majesty…” she managed to choke out. Where were you?! Did he do something to you? Oh god, Ino would never be able to live with herself if she let you be harmed. 

        “W-What are you doing here?” He chuckled a bit, and Ino wished that she was able to see the emotion behind those tinted lenses of his. The man was far more intimidating than when she had first seen him, too clouded by glee for her friend to have seen. 

        She could hear Itachi and Sai’s footsteps coming to a pause right behind her as they took in who had decided to grace them with their presence. By the hitch of their breaths, Ino could tell that they, too, were confused as to where you were. 

        “Fufufufu~ You look well.” That comment was sarcastic, made to pick at the noticeable bags under her eyes that she couldn’t hide with make-up. Doflamingo’s gaze drifted to Itachi’s, seeing that the man too, had bags under his eyes, clothes looking slightly disheveled. 

        “W-Where’s Y/n?” Ino spoke shakily, to which Doflamingo grinned at. Ah, so they did care after all. 

        “Ah, stuttering. You remind me of a certain someone.” Ino shook, eyes wide. Sai went to grab her hand, squeezing it gently, remembering all the time he spent trying to learn about girls. “It was quite sad to see her crying all by herself.” 

        “What did you do?!” Ino shouted. He tilted his head. 

        “What did I do? I didn’t do anything.” Doflamingo smiled a bit, looking behind him to stare at the sky, before looking back at the three. “The only thing I did was change the number of friends you have.” 

What? What did he mean by that? Did he mean?!-

        “You...you killed her?” Doflamingo grinned. 

        “What do you think?” Sai’s black eyes flickered to Doflamingo, face emotionless as ever.

        “You bastard!” Ino shouted, attempting to throw herself at Doflamingo, but was held back by Itachi. If Ino decided to attack the King, they would be in much bigger trouble. The King laughed. 

        “I won’t believe it! Where is she?!” Itachi stood frozen in his spot, the words ‘broken promise’ ringing through his mind. 

        “Fufufufu~ Well, it would be best if I showed you.” They could hear footsteps approaching the door and they began fearing the worst. Doflamingo stepped to the side when the footfalls came to a stop, revealing a nervous you holding a box, Doflamingo’s pink feathery coat draped around your shoulders. A collective gasps were heard and you raised a brow. 

That was an unexpected reaction. You thought that they’d be yelling or something. 

        Peering into the doorway, you stared at the shocked expressions on each of your friend’s faces in confusion. They looked so pale. Did you do this to them? Oh god, you were such a terrible friend. 

        “Y/n…” Your eyes flickered to your best friend. “You’re alive…” You furrowed your brows at her statement. Something wasn’t right here.

        “Uh… why wouldn’t I be?” You looked up at Doflamingo, narrowing your eyes in suspicion. “Did you do something while you had me wait outside, because they look like you just told them I died.” 

Doflamingo chuckled at your statement, knowing that you didn’t know how true it was. 

Chapter Text

You were currently sitting down on the couch, reprimanding your boyfriend. 

        “Why did you tell them I died! They looked so pale! Is that why you told me to wait a bit so that you could talk to them! I thought you were trying to be helpful!” you scolded him, pushing him to get him to release you. He only chuckled, snuggling into you deeper. Your friends were watching the little dispute with confused eyes. 

        “I didn’t tell them you died. I merely said that I changed the number of friends she has.” There was an amused glint in his eyes, and you punched his abs, recoiling when your fist hurt. That was a mistake, it felt like you hit a brick wall. 

        “Doffy, anybody would think that their friend died if you said that.” He snuggled into your neck, tickling you a bit to get you to stop struggling. “Wai- hahaHAhaA! StOP!” you cried out as he tickled under your ribcage. “OOkAY I GET IT! I won’t struggle!” Halting your movements, you leaned up against his chest, trying to steady your breathing. 

        “When I said I changed the number of friends they have, I meant that I was going to be her friend.” You nodded your head, making an ‘o’ face. “They merely came upon the conclusion themselves. It was quite entertaining to watch them panic.” You sighed.

        “Yeah, but you didn’t have to do that.” He chuckled, placing a kiss on your lips, eyes darting to Itachi to see the look on his face. Ah, that was a beautifully sad expression. 

        “I just wanted to see if the friends of yours really are such good friends.” Nuzzling into the crook of your neck, he looked over at your friends who sat on the opposite end of the couch, mainly Ino. “I’d like to say that I’m not disappointed. You have a good eye for friends.” 

        You looked over at your said friends, and you could see Ino’s eyes sparkling with awe. She looked like she wanted to fangirl over her favorite OTP but was restraining herself due to the distance in the relationship between the two of you. Looking up at Doflamingo, you thought to yourself. 

If Doflamingo said you had good friends, then that meant that maybe they wanted to fix the relationship too. 

        You breathed in deeply, before making eye contact with Ino. The cake that you baked earlier was laid on the coffee table between the two of you. “Um… Ino..?” Ino’s breath hitched at your hesitance. 

        “Y/n I’m so sorry.” You blinked. “I didn’t mean to- look. I thought what I was doing was the right thing. You know I’ve always had a soft spot for romance, and just- I thought that this would help fix your relationship but I didn’t realize you needed time and I-” 

        “Ino.” By now, Ino was sobbing, tears sliding down her cheeks and onto her lap. You made a move to get up from Doflamingo’s lap, and he didn’t stop you, allowing you to head over to your best friend. Pulling a tissue from the tissue box on the coffee table, you hugged her, wiping her tears away. 

        “Ino, don’t cry. You’ll ruin your beautiful make-up.” You ran your hands through her hair. “Don’t worry, I forgive you. I just needed a little time. I’m sorry I made you suffer.” You looked at Itachi. 

        “And you too Itachi. I’m sorry. You look more tired than usual.” Itachi gave you a sad smile, shaking his head at you.

        “You shouldn’t be saying sorry, Y/n.” His dark eyes met your own. “I apologize for any stress I have caused you. I thought that it would be better when-” Itachi’s eyes flickered over to Doflamingo. 

“I can cater to all her needs. I promise you that I will not let her come to harm.” 

        “-the King could have provided you with everything you needed.” Itachi’s stare lingered on him for a bit more, relieved that the man had not broken his promise. Though, he was a little irritated that Doflamingo thought it would be funny to mess with them a bit. 

        “Itachi. You know I don’t need anything unless I’m with you.” You turned to Ino and Sai. “Or any of you. You guys helped me through so much. Don’t ever think that you’re not enough, because to me, you are.” You wiped the tears coming down your face with your hand, or you would have if it hadn’t been tugged. 

        Looking up, you saw Doflamingo tugging you to him, holding a tissue. You smiled through your tears, letting him wipe your tears away. Once he did so, you embraced him, squeezing him tightly around your arms (with difficulty due to his size). 

        “Doffy. Thank you. Thank you for telling me to make up with my friends.” Itachi’s eyes widened. It was Doflamingo’s idea?! Now that was extremely unexpected. Ino’s jaw dropped beside him. 

        “It was his idea?!” she exclaimed. You nodded shyly as the man who’s lap you were sitting in once again grinned triumphantly. Sai gave the older man a closed eyed smile when the two of them locked eyes.

        “It was,”  Sai spoke, not caring about the confusion he was giving his girlfriend and Itachi. 

        “Wait, how did you know about it, Sai?” Ino asked. 

        “I happen to know the King personally,” Sai stated as a matter of fact. You laughed a little, seeing that Ino’s confusion was just like yours when Doflamingo had suggested the idea. Remembering it caused you to also remember the secureness your boyfriend brought you.

        You breathed heavily, shaking as you woke up from a night terror. Tears were falling out of your eyes as you couldn’t get the dreams out of your head. Suddenly, the arms around you squeezed a bit, and you knew that your boyfriend was awake. 

        He didn’t say anything, just pressing your face tightly into his chest. After a while, you breathing steadied, and he loosened his hold on you to look at your face. Your eyes were staring right at him, a grateful smile on your face. With a contented sigh, you snuggled up into him, knowing that you were safe, just with him. 

        “Y/n.” You hummed in acknowledgement, too tired to respond, but you paid attention, especially when he used your first name. “I think it’s best for you to rekindle your friendships.” Doflamingo felt you tensed underneath him. 

        “I’m scared. What if they hate me now for not contacting them for two weeks?” He settled his hands on your waist, pulling you upwards so that he could give you a kiss. His kisses always made you feel calm, and you appreciated the gesture. 

        “If they hate you then they weren’t your friends to begin with, but I doubt that would be the case.” He burrowed his face into your neck. “If you would like, I could talk to them beforehand. Would that make you feel comfortable?” 

        Doflamingo felt you nod your head, and he smiled softly, bringing his hand up to cup your cheek, thumb brushing the corners of your mouth. Your hand came out to hold his own, squeezing it, and he felt his heart skip a beat at the simple gesture. If only you knew the things you did to him that nobody else could.

After a bit of silence (he was beginning to think you fell asleep), you spoke once again, but this time, out of worry. 

        “Is it rude to show up at Ino’s or Itachi’s without a gift?” He hummed in thought. 

        “You could bake them a cake.” You giggled, snuggling into him. 

        “That sounds like a good idea, for the two of them or should we do it separately? I don’t know if we’re going to catch them together at the same time…” Doflamingo chuckled. 

        “Don’t worry. I have connections.” You quirked a brow. Even though Doflamingo couldn’t see it, he could tell that you were doing it, and it made him laugh to himself at how well he knew you by now. 

        “Your friend’s boyfriend,” he responded to your silent question. You widened your eyes. 

        “You know Sai?!” 

        You smiled as Sai and Ino bickered back and forth at why he didn't tell her that he knew Doflamingo. You missed this. If Doflamingo hadn’t encouraged you last night, then this would never have happened. Looking up at Doflamingo, you kissed his jawline because, well, you were a lot smaller than him and could only reach to there. You leaned up against his chest, head placed on his breast so that you could hear his heartbeat. 

        “Thanks Doffy.” 

        “Fufufufu~ Anything for my little girl.” Ino’s eyes flickered to you and Doflamingo, causing her to instantly remember what she was fangirling about earlier. Completely ignoring Sai, Ino eagerly decided to ask the big question.

        “Oh my god are you two dating?!” Ino squealed, before pausing. “No wait, it’s obvious. But oh my gosh since when?! You guys are just so cute together!” You blushed at her gushing, embarrassed to know that your relationship was so blatantly obvious. You fumbled over your words, trying to give her an answer. Doflamingo chuckled at your flustered state, answering for you. 

        “Yes, we’re dating.” Ino practically screamed. “And I was planning on announcing that soon to my people.” Your eyes widened. Wait what? What did Doflamingo mean by that? He chuckled at your confusement. 

        “It means I’m planning on hosting a party.” Your jaw dropped, but it was nothing compared to Ino’s. 

        “A PARTY?!” Sai didn’t say anything as he stuffed his face with cake. “And just for Y/n! Oh, you must love her so much!! She’s so lucky to have you!” Ino was crying tears of joy for you. “I’d tell you to never take your boyfriend for granted, but I know you wouldn’t do that Y/n.” You smiled shyly. 

        “Thanks..?” Your eyes darted to the cake on the coffee table. “Er, do you guys want some of the cake I baked? Oh, I see Sai is already enjoying it.” Ino whipped her head to stare at Sai. 

        “Sai! What do you think you’re doing?!” 

        “Am I not allowed to enjoy cake?” His girlfriend furrowed her brows. 

        “You’re supposed to wait for everyone else!” Sai gave her a smile. 

        “I’m sorry, but you were just talking so much.” That earned him a hit to the head, but he didn’t seem that phased. Ino sighed, before squealing again. 

        “Oh my gosh, we should tell Deidara, Sasori, and Rebecca! They are going to freak when they find out that you’re dating the King.” You laughed awkwardly, your attention on Itachi who had been silent this entire time. 

        “Itachi? Are you okay?” 

        Itachi was in fact not okay. The girl he had liked for the past two years was now suddenly unavailable, and by a powerful person like the King. It was better for Itachi to think that the man was a bad person, especially with his intimidating stature and his stunt from earlier, but to know that he was the one to suggest you see them was…

        It just made him see Doflamingo in a new light, and he didn’t like that. Especially when it was so easy to see him as the bad guy. Now he couldn’t help but see that Doflamingo may actually be a good person for you. There were just so many conflicting feelings inside of him he just didn’t know what to think. 

But you were happy, so it was okay, he supposed. 

        Itachi gave you his best smile. “Yeah. Thank you for being concerned.” His eyes drifted to the cake, seeing the beautiful and intricate flowers, along with some fruit scattered on the side. It was, what was the word? 

Pulchritudinous. 

        He watched you with a small smile as Ino kept bugging you and Doflamingo about what the two of you had been doing for the past two weeks. You looked so flustered as she shook your shoulders, and the King seemed to be enjoying himself. Itachi watched Doflamingo stare at the cake for a bit, before pointing a finger at it, and the cake was sliced up into even pieces (minus the part Sai cut out). 

Placing one piece of cake on a plate that were set on the coffee table, Doflamingo handed it to Itachi. Itachi took it hesitantly, a bit confused.

        “I believe we started off the wrong foot,” the man stated with a small smile, completely different from the grin that was always on his face. Was this the side of him that only you got to see? It was so different. Maybe Doflamingo truly did care about you. 

Itachi stared at the cake in his hands, smiling softly. “A new start,” he mumbled just loud enough for him to hear. Doflamingo’s smile widened. 

        “Yes, a new start.” Doflamingo moved back over to your side, smothering you in his hugs. 

        The black haired man watched Doflamingo as he ruffled your hair, causing you to laugh. He had misjudged Doflamingo. Just seeing the man now with that soft expression on his face whenever he watched you was proof. You were the happiest Itachi had ever seen you, in a long time. This was a start to your healing. 

        Looking down at his plate of cake, he used his fork to scoop some into his mouth. It was delicious. Not too sweet, and the frosting was just perfect, and with the fruits, it complimented it perfectly. Itachi was eating the cake now, only somewhat paying attention to the conversation. 

        “Have you guys had sex yet?” Itachi choked on his cake, eyes snapping onto Sai. Your face was a bright red, and Doflamingo and Ino were laughing at Itachi and your reactions. Sai tilted his head in confusion. 

        “Oh? By your reaction, I’m going to assume that you haven’t.” Ino was dying on the floor now.  

        “S-Sai!” you spluttered, hands covering your face. And when Doflamingo pried your arms apart to kiss you on the lips, that had caused you to squeak, especially when he was licking your lips. 

        “We can make tonight our first time,” he whispered into your ear. You burned bright red, pushing him away as he laughed at your reaction. “Just kidding. I wouldn’t force you to do anything you wouldn’t want to, little girl.”

        Looking at Ino, you saw the bright red look on her face. “Oh my god that was hot.” She turned to look at Sai. “Sai, take notes.” That caused you to snort in laughter. 

        Ino hit your shoulder playfully. “But seriously, you have to say you totally won the lottery on this one. He obviously cares about you.” She gestured to Doflamingo as a whole with her hands as he grinned at you.  

        “I think he’s good for you too.” You looked at Itachi in surprise. 

        “Really?” Itachi nodded his head. You smiled at all your friends who were giving you smiles of encouragement. Well, minus Sai, but he was… well…  Sai. Looking behind you, you saw Doflamingo, the man who helped mend your broken relationship. 

        He was probably the best thing that ever happened to your life. And you were going to tell him that. No matter how embarrassing it was, because he just needs to know. 

        “Doffy, you’re the best thing that ever happened to my life.” And by the grin plastered on his face being subtly changing into a softer smile, you knew that your words were exactly what he wanted to hear.

Chapter Text

        You were sleeping peacefully underneath the covers when Doflamingo walked into the room. A soft smile crept up his face as he shut the door behind him silently as to not wake you from your slumber. Approaching the bed, he watched you for a bit as you snuggled into his feathery coat- the one he had given you that night in your home. You must have found it from the box of items that he had saved from the fire. 

        In his eyes, you were so small compared to himself; you were almost like a doll, except you were more than one. You were alive, you could talk, you had your own mind, ideas, and ideals, and you were also his girlfriend. 

His girlfriend, and one that he was going to announce to the public quite soon. 

        He gently sat down on the bed, causing the bed to dip slightly, but not disturbing your slumber in the slightest. Staring at your face, his lips twitched into a small smile when a small snore escaped you. It was funny how you could sleep so peacefully when he, a dangerous man, was here beside you, and could so easily snap your neck. 

His hands brushed the stray strands of hair from your face, pausing only when he brushed over your soft lips. 

        The moonlight filtered through the curtains as he found himself staring at your vulnerable form. You looked so ethereal at this moment, like that one story that his mother had told to him once as a child. Sleeping Beauty it was. 

        That was who you looked like at this very moment. So peaceful and serene, waiting for someone to capture those lips of yours and wake you from your slumber. 

        He chuckled a bit at his thoughts. Never in all his life did he think he would think of fairytales to compare you with. To the side of the bed, his eyes caught a glimmer of light, and he tilted his head, seeing something sparkling within the box he had saved from your house. 

Standing up, he walked over to it, flipping the flaps open. 

        Be that as it may that this was an invasion of privacy, he had already looked through many of your belongings to know what was inside of them. Picking up the familiar heavy item delicately, he tilted it a bit in his hands, admiring the intricate work and design on them. The gems sparkled and refracted the moonlight as he did so, and he could see that it was truly an item worthy of you. 

But he would make sure that you would get a better one. Placing it back in the box, he closed the flaps, heading to bed. 

After all, those in his family only deserved the best, and you deserved the world.

---

        “Don’t you think this is a bit excessive…?” you asked Doflamingo as you watched people decorate the ballroom with gold and pink streamers and balloons. In the corner was a setup for the band, and in another were tables for all the food that was being prepared at the very moment in the kitchen 

Doflamingo’s gaze flickered down to you. 

        “Really? Then you clearly haven’t seen the streets of Dressrosa.” You looked at him questioningly. 

        “What do you mean?” He chuckled, ruffling your hair affectionately. 

        “Don’t worry about it.” You watched him in confusion as he began to usher you to out the room and down the hall, passing by the kitchen. Your mouth watered as you smelled the delicious and heavenly foods that expelled its scent into the air. 

        He chuckled as he watched your eyes linger on the door. “Do you want to try one of the pastries?” You eagerly nodded your head. He went to open the door (a bit dramatically if you had to say), and all the noise had immediately silenced upon seeing the King. When they realized they weren’t doing any work, they began to quickly busy themselves, not wanting to be scolded. 

        Doflamingo moves down the rows of chefs, and you grabbed at the hem of his shirt, trailing behind, not wanting to be by yourself. He eventually makes a stop at who seemed to be the head chef. 

        “[Insert some random weird-ass name], I’d like a few of the dishes you’ve prepared.” The man quickly nods. 

        “O-Of course your Majesty!” he stutters. “Oi! [Some other irrelevant character]! Bring me the [Insert Your Favorite Dessert That’s Not A Hot Man].” A man about your age shuffles towards the three of you timidly, holding a plate of your favorite dessert. You looked up at Doflamingo in awe. He really did think of everything. 

        “P-Please accept this Y/n-sama.” You blinked, before a raging blush formed on your face at the honorific. 

        “Y-You don’t have to say that! Y/n is just fine!” you stuttered, causing Doflamingo to chuckle a bit beside you. He reached over to grab the plate, regarding the man and the head chef with a nod. 

        “You’ll have to get used to the honorific, considering that the people will be calling you by that honorific as well,” he told you as he shut the door to the kitchen. “A perk of being the girlfriend of a king is that you get treated like royalty.” 

        “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it…” you mumble, grabbing the plate he held out to you. 

        “Fufufu~ Is that right? Well, I suppose then it wouldn’t be much fun if you didn’t give a reaction.” You hummed, taking a bite of [Favorite Desert]. Your eyes sparkled and you sighed at the absolutely exquisite taste. 

        “This is delicious! This is the best thing I’ve ever had!” you spoke in awe, shoveling more into your mouth. Doflamingo gave you an amused smile. 

        “Really? Then you’re rather lucky. You’ll get to tastes exquisite food like this every day.” You snapped your eyes onto him, an intense expression on your face. There was a glimmer in your eye that made his heart beat faster. 

        “Ah~ I am lucky.” You smiled. “I have a kind boyfriend, a family, the greatest friends I could ever ask for… I’m so fortunate.” Exhaling, you looked up at him. “And you’re even throwing a party even though it’s not necessary.” 

        “It’s quite necessary, actually.” You huffed, nudging him in the leg with your elbow (height difference, remember?). 

        “Seriously… say, what kind of party did you say it was?” There was a glint to his sunglasses that made you regret you words. 

        “Fufufu~ Well, it’s a gala.” Your mouth hung open, and you nearly dropped the plate on the floor. “Ah, and don’t worry about the dress, I’ve already decided on one for you, though I’d prefer it on the floor.” 

        You choked on your dessert, trying to cough it back out so you could breathe properly. Doflamingo was immediately by your side to check if you were alright, alebit a little amused by your reaction.  

        “Wha-what?!” He chuckled, patting you on the back.

        “Yes, and I’ve organized a time today for you to choose a few of the dresses I’ve chosen for you. Your friend, or I should say our friend, has decided that she should accompany you. You know she was very excited when I proposed the idea.” 

        You gave him a suspicious look to which he laughed at. “You don’t seem happy, how cruel. Are you really that concerned about spending and receiving expensive gifts?” 

        “Yes.” 

        “Fufufu~ But I want to spoil you. Don’t you want me to be your Sugar Daddy?” You felt your face begin to heat up, and you turned the other way, not able to look him in the face anymore. You shoveled the dessert in your mouth as Doflamingo laughed, opening up the balcony doors so the two of you can walk out. 

        “Ah, you so you do want me to.” He grinned, giving you a cheeky smile. 

        “I didn’t say yes.” 

        “But you didn’t say no,” Doflamingo countered, ushering you towards the railings. You blinked when you saw the beautifully decorated Dressrosa with banners and streamers. People were everywhere, children running through the streets, adults handing out food from stalls. It was like a festival. 

        “Though I would say that I already am, with how much I’m spending on you,” he spoke, chuckling a bit at your awe expression. “I was thinking that maybe I should make this a national holiday.” You turned to look at him.

        “What? Why?” 

        “It gives me another reason to celebrate my love for you.” 

---

        “AHHHH Oh, my gawd Y/n!!” Ino squealed as you flusteredly told her what had happened on the balcony. Baby 5 and Rebecca were also beside you, eyes sparkling at the beautiful story of love. Apparently, Doflamingo was a little worried about you so he had Baby 5 protect you, just in case. If anything, you think he’s being a little overprotective, but you humored him anyway. 

        “I can’t believe he told you he loved you first!” Ino sighed dramatically. “He didn’t say ‘I love you’ specifically, but still!! AHHH!!” She suddenly pulled you by the ear, opening her mouth to scold you. 

        “And you know what else I can’t believe? That you didn’t tell him that you loved him too! You just ran away like an idiot!” 

        “Ino, stop! I know, I’m an idiot!” You flail a bit before she lets go. The blonde sighs, picking up the next dress and handing it to you. The three of you were currently in one of the boutique shops in Dressrosa, and as always, it was on the expensive side. 

        You stared at the dress, feeling the expensive material under your skin. You searched for a price tag, but there was none. You bit your lip a little. You kind of liked this one. The dress in your hands was a pastel pink ball gown (it doesn't have to be this one as long as it's pink), and you smiled, it reminding of you a certain someone. 

        “Oooo~ Someone’s in love~” Rebecca cooed, wiggling her eyebrows. You smiled sheepishly at her, pushing past her to try it on in the changing room.

        Rebecca had to admit when you told her that you were now the girlfriend of the King of Dressrosa she was skeptical, worried even. That was until Itachi had explained that the man was the reason that they had fixed their broken relationship in the first place, so that had caused a small weight in her heart to be lifted. 

        Still though… Even if Doflamingo had treated you with the utmost care, and he clearly liked you, she couldn’t help but feel skeptical. She could see the happiness in your eyes, the way you would always brighten up when you saw the color pink… you probably didn’t know the man Doflamingo truly was. 

        Would you still love him even if you found out all his darkest secrets? Would you forgive him? Rebecca knew she couldn’t. The citizens trapped as toys couldn’t. If you found out you would be devastated. She didn’t want you to be broken again, and Doflamingo clearly made you happy. 

Rebecca felt so conflicted. What was more important? Your happiness? Or the long-overdue justice for the Kingdom of Dressrosa?

When you were done, you stepped out, and you heard Ino and Baby 5 gasp. You gave them a little twirl. 

        “So? What do you think?” 

        “It looks so good on you!” Ino exclaimed. 

        “I think you look absolutely gorgeous!” You gave the three of them appreciative smiles before it dimmed slightly. 

        “Yeah, I think so too, but I don’t think I’m going to take this one.” Ino furrowed her brows, remembering how happy you looked as you wore the dress, unlike the previous ones. 

        “Why?” 

        “Well… it’s a ball gown. Doffy said it was only a gala, so it’s only right to wear something like everyone else.” Baby 5 put a hand to her chin. 

        “If the Young Master put that dress in the pile then it means he wants you to wear it,” she spoke, causing Rebecca to agree with her. 

        “Yeah! And it looks great on you! There’s even jewelry with the stuff that would totally match your outfit! Who cares if it’s a ballgown? If your boyfriend doesn’t, then nobody else should have a say in it either!” 

Rebecca did make a fair argument. 

        “But it’s expensive.” Your two best friends looked so done with you as Baby 5 sighed. She had been told that you had to pick at least one of the dresses and accessories to compliment it, which was also the main reason that she had to tag along, though she would have tagged along regardless. 

        It was just that Doflamingo didn’t want you to be a cheapskate, especially when he himself was rich. That was also why he was the one who chose the dresses (though mind you, there were like 30 to choose from). 

Ino grabbed a pink diamond necklace, clasping it around your neck, before grabbing earrings to compliment it. 

        “Y/n, you’re boyfriend’s rich. It’ll be fine. If he didn’t want you wearing this stuff then he wouldn’t have given you the option.” 

        “Y/n, don’t worry. The Young Master definitely won’t mind. He really does care about you. I know it!” 

        “Yeah, and if you don’t want it, I’ll have it,” Rebecca joked, causing you to snort. You glanced between the two of them. You really did have the best of friends, didn’t you? You felt the tears coming down your face. 

        “I don’t deserve you guys!” you cried, and they immediately went to embrace you. “Everything is just happening so fast, and I… I’ve never felt so happy since my last boyfriend.” 

        “Don’t say that! You deserve everything good that’s happened.” The two of them cuddled you, careful as to not ruin the dress. Ino soon broke it when she spotted a pair of heels. She gaped, rushing over to them to inspect them. 

        “Y/n…” She turned around, eagerly holding them out for you to see. Rebecca hummed as Baby 5 squealed in agreement. “You totally have to wear these heels.” Her eyes widen. “Wait, no, I have a totally amazing outfit idea for you, oh my gosh this is going to be amazing!” 

Running over to you, she lifted up your dress slightly to help you put on the heels. 

        “It’s okay Ino, I can do it.” She slapped your hand away. 

        “I got this. And if I remember correctly from our previous conversations, this is totally going to make his jaw drop at the sight of you, if you don’t already.” Face pink, you looked away, eyes lighting up in realization when you remembered Doffy’s previous words. 

        “Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you guys- well, you already know Baby 5 -but Doffy said that he would pay for your guys’ dresses and accessories too.” Ino snapped her neck to look up at you. Her eyes shimmered a bit as her mouth hung open in shock. 

        “R-Really?” Rebecca seemed to be equally shocked as well. 

        “He actually said that?” 

        “Yeah, he said you guys should take it as a gift. I think he made Itachi and Sai get a suit too.” Ino laughed in absolute happiness. 

        “Yes! Your Sugar Daddy is the best!” You covered your face and the three of them laughed. “Aw, are you embarrassed?” Ino teased further. Rebecca and Ino exchanged glances.

        “I think she is~” 

        “He made a similar comment earlier…” you managed out, causing the two of them to gasp. 

        “Clearly he knows what he’s talking about then,” Rebecca said, and you choke on air. 

        “Guys, can we just choose your dresses?” The pink-haired girl looped an arm around your neck as Ino looped around the other. 

        “Let us tease you a little more first. I just can’t believe you actually managed to get a boyfriend though.” Rebecca’s words caused you to squirm, face red in embarrassment. 

        “Why are you guys so similar?”

Chapter Text

        “Oh my gosh you look gorgeous.” The words came out of Rebecca’s mouth like a waterfall as she watched Ino put on the finishing touches to your makeup. Giolla stood to the side watching you with a small smile. 

        “Yes dear, I have to say that those colors do look good on you. Your friend definitely has some taste.” You chuckled a bit as you saw Ino’s face erupt in a huge grin at the compliment. Honestly, you were quite fortunate that your best friend happened to be the best make-up artist. When you had asked her to do your make-up for the gala, she hadn’t been happy. 

She had been ecstatic. 

        And now you couldn’t wait to see the finished product. Ino hummed as she applied a light blush along your cheeks, smiling to herself. Setting the brush down and pushing the powders aside, she spun your chair around so that you could look at yourself in the mirror. 

        “Well?” she asked. “What do you think?” Your eyes examined the person in the reflection. Ino had given you a more natural look, sticking to colors similar to your skin color and highlighting your other features. Your eyes flickered to Ino’s reflection. 

        “What do I think?” You echoed. “I think it looks amazing Ino. You really outdone yourself this time.” You lightly touched your face as you examined the beautiful woman in the mirror. Was that really you? It had to be a dream. You didn’t look like that. 

        “Thanks Y/n! I was so happy when you said that you wanted me to do your make-up. You don’t know how much I was squealing when you called!” She laughed, helping you out of your seat. In the corner of your eye you could see Baby 5 coming out of the closet holding the dress that you had chosen at the boutique. 

        The five of you were currently in one of the guest bedrooms in the castle, not wanting Doflamingo to see them getting you ready, and also so that you ladies could spend some time together. Giolla was there to help you, but you had a sneaking suspicion that Doflamingo was having her watch you to make sure you were safe. 

        Honestly, he could be so overprotective about things. Nothing was going to happen to you. You weren’t oblivious to your surroundings. You could take care of yourself without him needing to worry about you 24/7, but you appreciated it nonetheless. It just meant that he cared about you, and that just that thought sent your face afire. 

        “Aww, Y/n’s blushing,” Ino cooed. Rebecca laughed. 

        “I bet she’s thinking about her boyfriend. I'm sorry, Sugar Daddy.” You pouted, turning your head away to focus on Baby 5 instead. Grabbing the dress, you huffed. 

        “Guys, stop teasing me.” All you could hear was their laughter as you entered the changing room. Shutting the door behind you, you heard Giolla shout, “Let me know if you need any assistance!” 

        “Okay, thanks!” You called back. Turning your attention back on the dress, you frowned. Welp, time to put it on. Slipping into the dress, you zipped it up, making sure to be careful not to ruin your make-up. Once the dress was on, you happily grabbed the heels on the floor, slipping them on as well. 

        You felt giddy wearing those shoes. Even more so when you grabbed your coat off the rack. This was going to be amazing. Draping your coat over your shoulders, you went to grab a pair of sunglasses. 

Oh yeah, you were going to rock this gala. 

        Opening the door like a supermodel, you strutted forwards, only to trip over your heels. Before you could fall to your doom, Giolla extended a hand out stabilizing your shoulder. 

        “You should be more careful, dear.” You laughed sheepishly, your face red from embarrassment. 

        “Yeah, sorry.” Meanwhile, your three girl friends were squealing at your beautiful outfit. You tilted the sunglasses down a bit, looking at them straight in the eye, before busting out laughing because of how ridiculous you felt. 

        “So? How does it look?” 

        “10/10.” 

        “Amazing.” 

        “Hot, except for the part where you tripped, but yes, hot.” You gave Rebecca a playful glare. 

        “Hey! That was an accident!” She looked to the side, hand on her mouth to stifle her laughter. 

        “Sure.” 

---

You were currently off to the side with Rebecca, Ino, and Baby 5, chatting together. 

        Doflamingo had mentioned that he wanted to introduce you to the people personally, so you were currently hiding from the public. It didn’t help that you stuck out like a sore thumb, with your choice of clothing and how stunning you looked at the moment. You tilted your sunglasses down a bit, staring sheepishly at your friends. 

        “Is this overkill?” you asked them. 

        “No, I think you look quite lovely.” You jumped, looking back to see Itachi and Sai. They both looked very dashing, both wearing black suits and ties. Sai’s tie matched the color of Ino’s dress (which was purple), and you internally gushed at how cute it was. 

        “I-Itachi!” you stuttered at his comment. You didn’t expect him to pop out of nowhere. 

Itachi’s hand reached out to brush the feathers of the coat that you were wearing. “Hello Y/n. Your outfit today is quite pink, but it suits you.” 

You felt yourself flush. “T-Thank you!” 

        “Sai! You look so handsome!!” Ino gushed at her boyfriend, really loving the gelled back look on her boyfriend.

        “Oh right.” Pulling Itachi to Baby 5, you introduced them to each other. “Itachi, this my new best friend, Baby 5! Baby 5, this is my best male friend, Itachi!” Itachi held out his hand. 

        “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Baby 5.” 

        “P-Pleasure?!” You sweat dropped. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea. 

        “Presenting, his Majesty’s, Donquixote Doflamingo!” You froze, turning your attention to the front. The people clapped their hands as your handsome boyfriend walked out, into the ballroom. Doflamingo wore a pastel pink suit along with his signature fluffy coat. It was a wonder whether it was coincidence or something else that the two of you were matching. 

        “Fufufufu~ I’m so glad that you can all join me today. I’m sure you all are rather curious as to who my special someone is.” His voice sent shivers down your spine, leaving you breathless. It was just amazing to know that he had such an effect on you. 

        Doflamingo’s eyes scanned the crowd as he spoke, a little desperate in finding you, but it was fruitless. There were too many people all wearing so many different colors. And there was so much pink. He sighed a bit. 

        “She’s quite an enigma. Very cute and shy. I’m sure she’s hiding in a corner somewhere avoiding all the socializing.” He chuckled at his statement. “It would be nice to find her in this sea of colors.” 

        Getting the memo, everyone parted, eyes scanning the crowd to see if they could spot Doflamingo’s special someone. But it was hard to find someone if they didn’t know what they looked like. 

        “Y/n, I think the Young Master is looking for you,” Baby 5 whispered. 

        “W-What? Really?” Ino and Rebecca giggled at the suddenly excited look on your face. 

        “Damn, you really like him don’t you?” Rebecca laughed. “Just seeing your face light up is all we need to know that you’re completely hopelessly in love with him.” You slapped your hands to your face. 

        “Am I that noticeable?” 

        “Definitely,” the two said simultaneously, before suddenly shutting up. You looked up at them in confusion, seeing that their eyes were focused on whatever, or rather whoever was behind you. You didn’t even have to turn around to know.

        “Y/n, I found you~” The feeling of arms wrapping around you was the first thing that you felt, and when you looked up through your tinted lenses, you saw your lovely boyfriend. His warm breath fanned your face, and you felt your cheeks burning. 

He pinched your cheeks a little, chuckling. 

        “Fufufufu~ Look at you, wearing my glasses and coat. I could ravage you right there in front of all these people,” he whispered. You felt a blush rise into your cheeks as you averted your eyes, pushing him away slightly. “Just kidding.” 

        “Doffy~” you whined under your breath, to which he laughed amusedly. Letting you go, he grabbed your hand, spinning you around so that you were facing him. He held out his hand, a charming smile on his lips. It made you widen your eyes at how charismatic he looked at the moment. It wasn’t like his grins or the playful smiles he gave you. 

This one looked so warm and welcome. 

        “Would you care to dance with me, despite our height differences, little girl?” Your eyes sparkled as you grabbed his hand, and he quickly pulled you in closer. You laughed as he spun you around a little. 

        “You don’t need to ask me, Doffy.” You grinned up at him, and he felt his heart leap. Oh how your words affected him. If only you knew how you had him wrapped around your little finger. 

        Guiding you down to the center of the ballroom, you could feel the envious stares from all around you. You bit your lip slightly, a little hesitant in continuing this. 

        Was it always so nerve wracking to have all this attention? To have all these eyes on you wherever you walked, to wear such beautiful clothes? When was the last time you actually wore a ballgown? Three years? Four? Did you look good? Was there something on your face? 

        Your heart pounded inside your chest rapidly as the two of you descended down the staircase together, all eyes upon the two of you. There were so many people, hundreds probably, especially considering the fact that this gala was a public event. You could feel Doflamingo’s grip on your hand tighten slightly in reassurance, and you felt a wave of happiness overcome you. It would be alright. You didn’t have to worry with Doflamingo by your side. 

        “Don’t worry about them,” he reassured you. “If they dare say something, I shall deal with them.” His words caused you to laugh a bit. He was so protective. Now in the middle of the ballroom, he grabbed both of your hands, placing them in its respective position. 

        “Do you know how to dance?” he asked you curiously, and you quickly nodded your head. “Good. We shall be performing the waltz.” 

Stepping back, he bowed forwards, and the music started. 

        “The waltz is a dance by two individuals, usually a couple and is set at a ¾ timed rhythm. Are you paying attention, Y/n-sama?” The dance instructor asked with a tilt of his head. 

        “O-Of course!” you responded meekly. 

        “Good. You have to know how to waltz before your wedding, of course.” The man stepped back, bowing. “Remember to curtsy,” he spoke, and you did as he said. 

        “Now take your right hand in my left-” 

        You curtsied, being mindful of the music. With the height difference, Doflamingo had to bend down a bit (let’s pretend that they can dance), so that you could rest your hand on his shoulder. You breathed in, feeling the memories pour back into your head. 

        “So you’re getting married to a man you’ve never met? And you’re telling me you don’t want to?” You nodded your head, wiping your tear stained cheeks. But no matter how much you brushed them away, more kept replacing them. Soon you were aggressively rubbing them raw, trying to get yourself to stop crying. 

        “Hey, you shouldn’t hurt yourself,” he spoke, grabbing your hands to stop your self abuse. You paused, staring up at him with blurry eyes. You could barely seem him, and you squeezed your eyes shut, letting the tears fall. 

        He brushed your tears away with his calloused hand, effectively stopping your onslaught of tears. Opening your eyes, the first thing you noticed was his red hair. 

        “You know, if it hurts so much, I could always take you away from this life. What do you say?” 

        Doflamingo took you into a dip, ending the dance. You gazed up at Doflamingo with awe. He really was beautiful. You couldn’t believe that you were here with him now. You don’t know what you would do without him. 

        Helping you back up, the room was quiet, save for your friends and the family clapping for you. Once they had begun clapping, the whole room had erupted in cheers and clapping. Your mouth dropped at all the applause, and you felt tears well up in your eyes. 

        “Ah, I guess it’s kind of creepy now that I think about it.” The red haired man laughed out loud, leaning back against the tree. 

        “Please!” He looked back at you with a raised brow. “Please take me with you! I don’t want to be here anymore!” Your hand instinctively went to clutch your shoulder as the tears spilled from your eyes once more. 

        “Hey, it’s alright, but are you sure you should be trusting me? We just met afterall. I don’t exactly want my crew thinking I’m some sort of creep.” He helped you wipe the tears from your face once more, gazing into your eyes. 

        “You’re serious. Okay. How about this. Meet me back here at, let’s say a little after midnight and I’ll take you back to my crew.” You sniffled a bit nodding. “What’s your name?” 

        “Y/n.” 

        “Nice to meet you Y/n. I’m Shanks.”  

        “You’re not bad of a dancer,” Doflamingo commented as he handed you a glass of something bubbly. You furrowed your brows at it. 

        “Not a fan of champagne?” 

        “Ah, not really… I don’t drink alcohol.” He nodded his head, grinning as he handed you a glass of what looked to be lemonade. 

        “Good thing I came prepared,” he laughed, before he paused, seeing Diamante in a corner gesturing to him. He gave you a grin, caressing your cheek. “I’ll be back. Diamante looks like he needs something. If you need someone, Trebol is by food. Make sure you get some food before he eats it all.” He gave you a wink, causing you to laugh. 

        “Alright.” 

        “And I have a small surprise for you when I come back.” You raised a brow, looking up at him curiously. 

        “What’s the surprise?” 

        “Fufufu~ Well it’s not a surprise if I tell you~” You sighed, giving him a small pout. You jumped up in surprise when he gave you a quick kiss on the lips, too fast for the both of your likings.  “Have fun my little girl~ I’ll come find you later.” 

        “Bye Doffy! See you in a bit!” You watched his retreating form with a small sigh. 

        “So you’re his new girlfriend.” Looking to the side, you were met with a handsome face. You jumped, walking backwards a bit. The man laughed, running a hand through his brown hair. “He wasn’t wrong when he said that you were shy.” 

        “W-Who are you?” 

        “Me?” He stretched his hand out for you to shake. “I’m Takahashi Akira. It’s nice to meet you.”

Chapter Text

        "He doesn't look happy," Diamante whispered to the other officers as they watched Doflamingo flip another chair, and soon enough, a coffee table. 

        “Ahh, uh Doffy, why don’t you calm down?” Trebol asked, attempting to approach the man until the furniture beside him was suddenly sliced in half. Trebol yelped a bit in surprise. Senor Pink meanwhile shook his head at the Trebol’s attempt at consoling Doflamingo. 

        That man would never understand what it means to have a lover, so how could he try to console someone like that without trying to understand? Senor Pink, plucked the pacifier out of his mouth, sighing, turning his attention to Diamante. 

        “Diamante, let’s go,” Senor Pink spoke, walking out of the room. “We’ll find her, don’t worry Young Master.” 

5 hours prior

        “Look at that grumpy expression on his face,” Rebecca muttered to Ino, Giolla, and Baby 5 as they watched Doflamingo talk with Diamante. They could tell that he was occasionally glancing over at you, who was conversing with one of the guests attending the gala. 

        “He’s obviously jealous.” Giolla frowned a bit as she watched you interact with the male guest. 

        “At least we know that he loves her,” Ino commented, tasting a few of the desserts that were set out on the tables. She moaned at the taste. It was so delicious. “I just wonder what they’re talking about. 

---

        “You know, when I heard that the King was announcing his new lover, I thought it was going to be another fling,” Akira spoke, inspecting you. “I can see now that that’s not the case.” 

        You noted that he said ‘new lover’, signifying that Doflamingo had many other lovers in the past. You gave him a small smile, a little curious as to where he was going. You watched Akira as he casted a glance towards Doflamingo, and you did the same, seeing the man occasionally glance over. 

        “Look at that, he’s obviously jealous.” Akira stifled a laugh with his hand. “Well anyways, tell me about yourself. You must be something to catch the eye of a great man.” You gripped on Doflamingo’s (well, it’s yours now) coat tightly, fiddling with it in nervousness.

        “W-Well I met him a couple of weeks ago when he came into town. I accidentally bumped into him, so I guess that’s what caught his attention..?” It came out as a question. You weren’t really sure as to why exactly you caught Doflamingo’s attention actually. Even so, you were sure that he loved you. 

        “Huh, really? That kind of sounds like a cliche love story, don’t you think?” Akira said, moving over towards the confections, and you followed suit. “But it’s cute. I like it. I never actually pegged him to be the romantic type. He seemed more of the ‘I get what I want when I want it’ type.” 

        “Ah, I get what you’re saying,” you giggled. “But he’s been pretty patient with me, and I appreciate that. All the family has been nice. I really am lucky to have him.” 

Akira hummed in response, plucking up a scone and sinking his teeth into it. Chewing a bit, he swallowed, eyes scanning the other foods that were out on display for him to grab. 

        “Well it’s good that you’re being treated well. You know, I saw your dance with the King from earlier. You’re a pretty good dancer. Who taught you to dance like that? I’m sure something like that takes time and practice.” This time, he went to grab a doughnut, taking a bite as his eyes wandered up to you. 

        “Y-You think so?” you spoke, eyes widening, before a sheepish smile was on your face. “I’m a little rusty. I took lessons a couple years back, but I never really used the practice for real until now. Was it really that good?” 

        “Sure was. That outfit you have on is pretty cool too. You match well with the King.” A massive blush appeared on your face, and you averted your eyes. Just having someone tell you that you match well with Doflamingo set your heart afire. Akira laughed at your reaction, running his hand through his brown locks. 

        “Your reactions are cute, princess.” You froze slightly at his words. 

        “Your reactions are cute, princess.” 

        “Hey, you alright?” You blinked slowly, eyes wandering up to meet his own. You shook your head, trying to clear your thoughts. “You’re not okay?” 

        “N-No! I just- Sorry, I just remembered something.” He frowned down at you, not buying your words for a second. 

        “Well, if you’re sure, but if you’re not feeling alright, please let me know.” You smiled gratefully up at him. Akira was such a nice guy. You were sure someone like him was quite popular with the ladies. He was such a kind person. 

        “Thanks- EEP!” you yelped a bit when you felt arms wrap around your torso, and a chin resting upon your head. You didn’t have time to react when you were brought into a kiss. Your eyes wide open, you could see a familiar pair of sunglasses as his tongue started to dominate your mouth. 

It was your boyfriend. 

        “Little girl, are you trying to cheat on me?” he asked, breaking off the kiss. 

        “N-No! I-I!” He cut you off with a laugh, his chuckles vibrating his chest pleasantly. Oh it was so beautiful; it was absolutely music to your ears. 

        “I know you wouldn’t, but dear baby, I can’t help but feel a little jealous that you decided to find another man while I was away, especially when that same man made you blush.” You froze. “You know how unhappy that would make me, don’t you?” 

Your eyes glanced over at Akira who had a flushed face, and you realized that the two of you kissed in front of him. How embarrassing! Oh shit, wait, you had to clear this up before Doflamingo kills him. 

        “D-Doffy! It’s okay! I just blushed because he was talking about… uh…” You twiddle your fingers nervously. “Um.. he was talking about…” 

        “We were talking about you, your Majesty,” Akira spoke up, with a sly smile. “You know she blushed every time I mentioned you. She’s obviously madly in love with you. I can see why you like her.” His words caused you to blush furiously. 

        “Whaat?! N-no…” 

        “See? Even now she’s blushing.” Doflamingo hummed, leaning down to scrutinize Akira. 

        “Fufufufu~ You know exactly how to get on my good side, don’t you?” Doflamingo spoke, a grin breaking out on his face. “But you know, I’ll have you know right now that I don’t like you. I’ll warn you right now, stay away from my girlfriend, or else it’ll be your head.” 

        “Got it,” Akira spoke quickly, giving you a side glance. Your mouth gaped open at Doflamingo’s possessiveness. He didn’t have to go this far did he? And he wasn’t serious about that threat, right? 

        Before you could say goodbye, Doflamingo had already started to drag you away from Akira. When the two of you were a good distance away, you wrenched your wrist from his grip.  It was rather difficult since he was quite obviously stronger, but he decided to release his hand in the end. 

You gave him a glare. 

        “Doffy! That was rude! You didn’t have to threaten him just because you’re jealous!” Doflamingo crouched down on one knee to get to your level, but even then he was towering above you. Despite there being a grin on his face, you could tell that he was anything but pleased. 

        “Young lady, it was rather rude for you to converse to another man while I was away. And within my sight! Do you expect me to not let him off with a threat?” You crossed your arms, a frown on your face. 

        “Oh, so you expect me to not converse to any man at all?” You pinched the bridge of your nose, breathing in sharply. 

Deep breaths, Y/n. Deep breaths. 

        “Look, I get that you’re jealous, but it’s not that I’m going to fall for him or anything! You’re too overprotective! Can’t you at least give me a little freedom?” Doflamingo laughed, shaking his head. 

        “Oh little girl, it’s not that I’m worried about.” 

        “Then what are you worried about?” 

---

        “This is ridiculous!” you spoke to yourself as you stormed away from Doflamingo. What the heck was wrong with your boyfriend?! First he tells you that it’s rude to talk to other men, then he tells you that he’s worried, but he doesn’t even tell you what exactly he was worried about! 

        Like, what the hell? Why couldn’t he just tell you what was on his mind instead of just keeping it to himself? Did he think that you were just going to accept the fact that he told you to stay away from Akira just because he didn’t like him? 

        Then after your argument he tells you that you should go mingle with the guests while he goes to tend to something? Like, seriously? Didn’t he just tell you not to talk to other men? Why was he being like this right now? 

        You groaned in frustration, clutching your head as you walked down the hallways. Seriously, you loved your boyfriend sometimes, but this was ridiculous. And also… you frowned a bit. That had had to be your first argument as a couple. And on the day of him officially announcing you as his girlfriend (quite unnecessary, but yes). How ironic. 

THUMP

        You jumped up a little in surprise at the sudden noise. Where was it coming from? You twisted your head around you, seeing no one in the halls. Before long, another thump sounded, and you turned your head to the side. It was coming from the room beside you. 

        Tentatively, you placed your hand on the knob, twisting it. It was locked. Furrowing your brows, you placed your ear against the door, trying to hear whatever was coming from inside. You could hear a muffled voice, and another thump. 

Was… was there someone inside the room? 

        “HELP!” You froze, recognizing that voice. 

        “Akira?” you whispered, hands going to cover your mouth. What was he doing inside that room? Was he… was he trapped? But how? Why- Your eyes widened, before your hands curled into fists. 

        “Doflamingo,” you growled, before scanning the area, looking for something, something to break the door down with. How dare he? How dare he? You trusted him! And this is what he does behind your back? Is this how far he’s willing to take his jealousy? 

        A glimmer of light caught your attention, and you were suddenly gazing at a sharp axe that was hanging on the wall. Eyes flickering in determination, you placed your hands on the handle, slowly and carefully picking it up. It was heavy, and you almost let it crash to the floor. 

        You sucked in a breath, as your eyes widened. You didn’t let it fall to the floor. That was good. If you did, you probably would have caused a loud enough commotion for someone to hear. Not that breaking down the door wouldn’t either, but you needed more time. Looking back and forth, you gripped the axe, before holding it up over your head, swinging it down with as much force as you could muster. 

        The wooden door cracked loudly as the axe broke through with eaze, and you grinned in triumph. First time using an axe and you already mastered it. Well, not mastered, but whatever, you still accomplished your mission. Quickly pulling out the axe, you set it aside, before attempting to break the door a little more with your foot. 

        You had to hurry. It wouldn’t be long until someone discovered you, and you definitely knew for a fact that Doflamingo would not be very happy at all. In fact, you bet he would be furious by the time all this was over. But it would be okay in your heart. If you had used it to save someone, it was all that mattered. 

CRACK

CRACK 

CRUNCH!

        You let out a silent cry of triumph when the hole was big enough for you to step through, and you quickly did so, wincing when you felt a few of the wood pierce your skin. Shaking it off, you continued through, stopping only when your dress was caught in the splintered parts of the door. With a frustrated grunt, you ripped the dress, allowing you to move further in the door. 

        “Y/n?” Akira called out, his tired eyes finding your own. His body was on the ground, stomach first, and his hair was in a mess. There was a cloth around his neck that you deduced had been used to gag him, and he was restrained by thin strings that seemed to be digging into his skin. There was a small pool of blood around him, and the scene only fueled your anger. 

Why would Doflamingo do this? How could he have done this? 

        Rushing over to his side, you panicked, eyes scanning the room to find something to cut the thin threads with. There were cuts all over his wrists and a red mark that looks eerily like a hand on his neck that was started to turn dark purple, almost black even. Running around the room, you were desperate to find a knife, and you breathed a sigh of relief when you did. 

There was a small pocket knife in one of the drawers in the room, and you quickly picked up, proceeding to cut the strings loose. 

        “It’s okay Akira, I’ll make sure you get out of here,” you promised, releasing him. He winced as he felt his wrists, gingerly rubbing them, careful as to not touch the cuts. 

        “You’ll get in trouble.” You gave him a determined smile. 

        “Don’t worry, as long as it means helping you, then I’ll take any punishment that comes my way. You shouldn’t be treated like this, you know?” His eyes grew wide as he stared at you, his mouth agape slightly, before it curled into a small smile. 

        “You’re too kind. We’ve only met for a brief moment and you decide that you want to help me? Not even I would do that.” You shook your head as you helped him get up, surveying the room. It looked to be an office of some sort, with papers neatly stacked up on top of one another on a mahogany desk. 

        It must have been Doflamingo’s office. If that was the case, then the two of you had to get out of here quickly. You turned to look back down at Akira. 

        “Well, you might change your mind when given the chance,” you spoke. “Come on, we have to get out of here.” The question was how exactly. The castle was hundreds of feet above the ground, and there was absolutely no way on how to get back down unless the two of you use the stairs that Pica had made, and that was an absolute no go. 

        Approaching the window, you threw it open, and you looked down. The two of your were on the second floor, but it was a pretty good drop down, roughly fifteen feet or so. You didn’t know what to do. 

        “Ugh!” you clutched your head. You were so stupid! Akira approached your side, his gaze on the sight of the drop, as well as how far up the two of you were. He hummed to himself, having an idea on how to do this. 

        “How about we disguise ourselves to get past security?”

Chapter Text

        You were currently wearing a mustache and a monocle, clothes now changed into a suit. Holding onto your arm was Akira wearing one of your dresses, his brown locks hidden by a blond wig. You even gave him a small make-over, just some blush and some lipstick, but he already looked like a girl. 

        One of the good things about this gala was that it was public, meaning that most of the people inside weren’t being kept track of. They were mostly all citizens. If the two of you blended in with the crowd, you could easily get away. 

Well, that was the plan anyway. 

        People parted for the two of you, giving you odd looks as you both passed. The two of you must have been an odd couple. A short old man (at least, that was what you were going for), and a much taller and more youthful woman must not have been very common. Well, you could always tell people that you were ‘her’ father. 

        Blending in with the crowd may have seemed like the easiest part, but it certainly was anything but. Especially when you realized that among the crowd was a few of your friends. That being Deidara and Sasori. 

        “Haha! Oi, Sasori-dana, look at that weird couple! Do you think that counts of pedophilia?” Sasori sighed at his friend’s stupidity. 

        “You idiot, that’s obviously her father.” 

        “You know she’s quite attractive. I think I’m going to go talk to her,” Deidara said, leaving his fellow artist’s side. 

        “Fine, go do whatever. Don’t come crying back when she rejects you because of your ugly face,” Sasori said as he noticed your best friends coming towards him. 

        “What did you say?!” Deidara yelled, causing several heads to turn. 

        “You heard me. Now quiet down, we’re not here to make a scene.” Deidara’s hand clenched into fists as his nails dug into his skin, his body shaking in anger. 

        “Why you-” 

        “Have you guys seen Y/n?” Ino asked the two of them, consequently interrupting Deidara. Rebecca and Baby 5 followed behind, worried looks on their faces. Your eyes briefly met Ino’s for a second, and you swore your heart stopped as she stared you down. That was until you remembered that you were wearing a disguise, and that there was no way in hell that she would recognize you. 

You nodded your head a little to her, before nudging Akira along with you. You had to get out of here before your friends get suspicious. 

        “Ino?” Rebecca called as her rival in friendship was distracted when they should be finding you. 

        “Sorry, I thought I saw Y/n for a second.” Yeah, it must have been a figment of her imagination. Why in the world would you be disguising yourself as an old man anyways? “It must have been my imagination.” 

        “Why are you two searching for that brat?” Sasori asked, quirking a brow. “Wasn’t she with you?” 

        “She was, but she suddenly disappeared.” There was a desperate look in Ino’s eyes now as she scanned the crowd. “Itachi and Sai are currently looking for her, but they haven’t seen anything yet. She isn’t even by the food!” 

        “Are you sure she isn’t with her boyfriend?” Sasori grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Look, he’s not here either. I bet they’re fucking each other, or whatever couples do.” That was true (not the fucking part XD), Doflamingo was in fact, not present in the room. Ino furrowed her brows at his assumption. She was about to speak her mind when Rebecca spoke up. 

        “Y/n wouldn’t do that. She’s far too innocent to be getting it from her boyfriend. She can’t even handle kisses.” Rebecca crossed her arms, and Baby 5 nodded her head in agreement. 

        “And the Young Master wouldn’t do it without her permission! I swear it! He cares about her too much to do that!” Leaning against the wall, Sasori sighed as Deidara was standing beside him with a confused look on his face. 

        “If she isn’t getting fucked, then what is she doing-un?” Deidara wondered. “You think she disguised herself to escape the party or something?” The group laughed. Why in heaven’s name would you even bother to do that? You were most likely with Doflamingo, having some together time. 

Little did they know Deidara’s assumption was on point. 

---

        “Alright, now we just have to make it through Pica,” you spoke, eyes drifting over to the man himself as he stood at the edge of the massive and long staircase that he built so that people could come and go. Breathing in deeply, you glanced over at Akira, checking in on the woman, er man. 

        As of now, it was currently around ten pm, with the sky dark because it was nightfall, and only the moon illuminated the area. It couldn’t be more of a perfect condition for the two of you to sneak out. The dark would hide your faces better, and better was better than nothing. If it still had been light out, you were sure the two of you would get caught. 

        “Let’s go.” It was nerve wracking to walk past Pica, even more so when the two of you met eyes. You held in a breath as you nodded towards Pica, before descending the stairs with Akira. Your heart stopped when he called out to you. 

        “Wait,” he spoke in his high pitch voice. You were glad that you warned Akira beforehand or else he would have been too caught off guard. The two of you looked back, trying to hide your surprise as he watched you with narrowed eyes. Before long, he nodded his head. “Have a good rest of your evening.” 

        Akira gave him an appreciative smile that was a little strained, and the two of you stiffly turned your back to him, descending the stairs once again. When you were a good distance away, you exhaled heavily, sweat dripping down your face. 

        “Oh god that was terrifying!” you whispered. “I thought we were going to get caught!” Akira grinned from beside you. 

        “But we didn’t~ I guess that means our disguises work well!” He patted your back, eyes glimmering with amusement. You laughed a little, hushing your voice a little when the two of you passed a couple. 

        “You have pretty good ideas, Akira.” He gave you a sly smile. 

        “Well, maybe I was just meant to be a woman.” You giggled. “I’m just a complete natural. Did you hear that blond-haired man earlier? He said that I was ‘quite attractive’.” A bubble of laughter escaped his throat. “Can you believe that?” 

        “Well, you are a bit attractive.” He raised a brow. 

        “Oh? Are you flirting with me? Don’t you have a boyfriend?” You laughed a little, hiding the doubt in your mind. Did Doflamingo really love you? Was this all just an act? He never officially said that he loved you, so he could just be pretending, especially when you didn’t know his feelings. You knew he wasn’t a very open person, but seriously, all this thinking was messing with your head. 

        “Well… my boyfriend isn’t a bit attractive.” You hummed a bit as you looked over the edge of the long stone staircase. “He’s hot.” Akira snorted. 

        “Ah right, the same boyfriend who kidnapped me, locked me in a room, cut my wrists, bound me down, and was beating the shit out of me is hot.” There was a look in Akira’s eyes, before he grinned. “Well, I guess you’ll see him as hot if you’re the kinky type. I’m not into ropes and BDSM, but you do you.” 

        “W-What?” He blinked. 

        “You don’t know what BDSM is?” You shook your head, and he sighed. “Tsk tsk, you poor virgin soul. I bet you haven’t even had sex yet.” Your face burned bright red. “Well, at least it shows he has self control.” It was silent for a moment before you broke it, asking a question because you were a tad bit curious. 

        “What’s BDSM?” He snorted, covering his face as he stifled his laughter. 

        “You want me,” Akira pointed to himself. “to teach you, what BDSM is?” At his words, his jaw dropped and he burst out laughing. “Oh god, that sounds so wrong.” Patting you on the shoulder, he chuckled. “You should ask your boyfriend to teach you that.” 

        “Oh. Are you sure?” you asked. He nodded his head, a weird look on his face. 

        “Yep,” he spoke, popping the P with a mischievous smile on his face. “Well, only if we get out of this situation alive that is.” 

---

        “Have you seen my little girl?” Doflamingo asked Trebol with a small frown. 

        “Behehehehe! Don’t tell me you lost her, Doffy!” Trebol laughed his obnoxious laugh, the snot hanging from his nose swinging back and forth as he did so. “Didn’t you want to show her the town right about now? Behehehe~ Did you check with her friends?” 

He did not check with your friends. That would be a good start. 

        “Behehehehe! Look at you, getting all antsy. You’re not normally like this, Doffy.” With a laugh, Trebol turned to walk back to the party hall. “Well, you’re not going to find her by just standing there, are you?” He sighed. 

        “No. Let me know if you find her.” 

        “Behehehe! Of course, Doffy!” Opening the doors to the ballroom, his eyes scanned the room for any sign of you. It should be easy, spotting someone wearing a pink dress with his coat on their shoulders, but it was anything but. He could see your friends, but you weren’t with them. That caused him to frown. 

Perhaps you needed to relieve yourself. 

        Nevertheless, he strided over to them, and he noticed they seemed to be having a serious conversation. The ones he knew that were in the group was Baby 5, Rebecca, and Ino. He recognized the other two (the blond and the red-haired man) from the dango shop that Itachi owned. 

Deidara and Sasori were their names if he recalled correctly. 

        Ah, well how could he forget them anyways? They were the ones who made you fall into his lap, so he should feel grateful for their destructiveness. Not should, he did. When he was within their range of sight, they waved him over, big smiles on their faces before it had transitioned to furrowed brows and confusion. 

        “Where’s Y/n Young Master?” Baby 5 asked. Doflamingo widened his eyes. They didn’t know where you were?

        “What do you mean? She isn’t with you?” This had to be some joke right now. No way in hell were you missing from the party. Perhaps you were taking a stroll around the castle. That would have sounded reasonable if you actually took strolls around the castle. 

        “What? Wait, so she’s not with you either?” Ino asked hurriedly, worry evident in her tone. She cupped her hands together over her mouth. “Oh my god, is she missing?” 

        “Doffy! Doffy!” Diamante yelled, running into the room. By the time he was standing before Doflamingo, he was huffing and puffing, out of breath from having run from the other side of the castle. “H-He.. He escaped!” 

        “What.” Doflamingo’s face outstretched into a sinister grin, veins starting to pop on his forehead. “Diamante. What do you mean ‘he escaped’?” 

        “He’s gone! The door to your office was broken down by one of the axes on the wall, and I f-found this.” Diamante held up a pink feather, the same feathers that were on his coat. Doflamingo was about to retort that it could have been one of his own when Diamante held up something else. 

It was a pink piece of cloth. Doflamingo recognized it. 

        “It was stuck on the splinters of the door, I think it must have been accidentally torn off.” 

        Your friends exchanged glances as they watched Doflamingo and Diamante’s exchange with wide eyes. They also recognized that piece of cloth, especially Baby 5, Rebecca, and Ino because they had gone to choose a dress with you. Did you… did you perhaps get kidnapped or freed whoever the two men were talking about? But why? 

        Doflamingo clenched his jaw. “Search her room. Search the castle. Now.” By now the whole room had gone silent as they were watching the exchange. Doflamingo couldn’t care less if he was making a scene right now. 

        “Y-Yes Doffy! I’ll have our men search the castle right now!” He pulled out a transponder snail, rushing out of the room. “I want all available men to search the castle for Doflamingo’s girlfriend. If you need a reference, she has [Hair Length] [Hair Color], about [Your Height] with [Eye Color] eyes.” 

        “And tell Pica to destroy the bridge. No one is getting out until we find her.” 

Present Time

        “Do you think Y/n’s going to be okay?” Ino whispered in a hushed voice as she and the others sat on a few chairs in the room, watching Doflamingo flip another table. 

        “...” They were silent. They didn’t know. They didn’t know if you would be okay or not. 

        “Young Master!” Giolla cried as she slammed the door open. “One of the suits that you purchased for Y/n’s male friends are missing! And so is one of her dresses!” Your friends that were sitting huddled in the office widened their eyes. 

        “What?” Doflamingo spoke, turning around. 

        “It was one of the smaller suits and a [insert some random ass color] one.” What? Why would some of the clothes be missing? Unless? 

        Ino’s mouth dropped open as she remembered the old man that she swore looked like Y/n for a second. Those clothes were definitely a few sized too big and the woman beside him was wearing the same colored dress Giolla had described that was a few sizes too small. 

No way. No way you actually.. It wasn’t like you. What the hell were you thinking? 

        “Your Majesty…” Ino spoke, eyes wide. “I think… I think Y/n disguised herself as an old man and left the castle with the guy you were talking about.” It was silent until Deidara snorted. 

        “Yeah right, un,” he spoke after he was done cackling. “You’re saying that Y/n would actually do that? Something I joked about earlier?” 

        “I saw an old man wearing a suit that was too big for him holding onto a taller woman with more masculine features, wearing the exact dress Giolla described. It has to have been them.” Doflamingo’s features didn’t change from the grin on his face. 

        “And how long exactly has it been since you saw those two?” 

        “T-Two hours.” Doflamingo clenched his jaw, stomping over to the window to throw it open. Once he did so, he leaped out, using his Devil Fruit to ride the clothes. He should have just searched for you earlier, damn it. And here he thought you’d still be in the castle. 

Two hours. That’s plenty of time to get you to the edge of the city. But is that really where the two of you would go. Damn, you were really a handful. You were going to be in serious trouble when he got you back. 

Pulling out a transponder snail from the inside of his jacket, he turned it on. 

        “I want all available units to search the city for my missing girlfriend, an old man wearing a baggy suit, and a woman with masculine features, wearing a [color] dress.” Pica blinked when he heard the transmission. Those descriptions… He was pretty sure he saw those guys earlier descending down the staircase. 

        “Doffy,” he spoke into the transponder snail. “Those guys passed by almost two hours ago. Do you want me to search for them down below?” 

Doflamingo clenched his jaw. So Ino really was telling the truth. 

        “Yes, and Diamante and Senor Pink as well. Trebol, and everyone else, stay at the castle until further notice.” 

Oh when he finds that man who stole you away… 

        “I saw an old man wearing a suit that was too big for him holding onto a taller woman with more masculine features, wearing the exact dress Giolla described.”

Doflamingo grinned evilly as veins popped onto his forehead, laughing to himself as he soared through the skies.

        He was going to make sure that man pays for ever touching you. He was going to make sure he amputated his arms so that he’ll never dream of touching you again. And even then, that would be too merciful, wouldn’t it?

Wouldn't it be funny if I just ended the story next chapter? 

Chapter Text

        “Woah, I’ve never been to a festival before,” you spoke in wonder as the streets were littered in lights and the smell of food. You had taken off your disguise and swapped clothes with Akira in a nearby bathroom, and was now comfortably wearing your own dress while Akira had to deal with the suit. 

        “What is that weird red thing thing on that red stick?” you asked, pointing to the candy apple stand. Not only were there candy apples, but carmel apples as well. Akira raised a brow. 

        “You’ve never had a candy apple before?” You shook your head, looking back up at him, before your eyes wandered to everything around you. Akira looked in thought at the moment, before he smiled. 

        “Hey, how about I get you one then?” Widening your eyes, you shook your head dismissively. 

        “No, it’s alright. You should save your money.” He hummed with a frown. Seeing the disappointed expression on his face, you tried to fix your answer a little, stumbling over your words a bit 

        “W-What I meant is that we have to get you out of here before my boyfriend catches us!” you spoke waving your hands frantically, before sighing. “The question is… how?” You were sure they would recognize your faces if you went out in public like this. This was a little frustrating. 

        Akira put his hand to his chin in thought, leaning against the alleyway wall the two of you were currently in. In his left hand was the fake beard and mustache, and in the other was a blonde wig. He thought to himself with a hum. 

        The two of you could make do with the beard and mustache, but the wig was a little messed up, and probably wouldn’t do much good. His eyes trailed to the fans that were on display at a nearby stand, and he grinned. 

        “Hey, I’m going to get us one of those fans. You can use it to hide your face while I use the mustache.” It was a good idea and the two of you nodded your head in confirmation. 

        “Alright, sounds good.” You watched as Akira quickly put on his disguise walking out into the street to talk to the man running the stand. Hiding and running from people… it reminded you of the first time you met Shanks when he helped you escape from your marriage. 

The laughter, the jokes, the disguising… it was all so nostalgic. 

        It was because of Shanks and the choices that you made that got you to where you were. You were the official girlfriend of Doflamingo now. Even though you loved him very much, it hurt your heart to see that he attempted to torment and most likely kill a man you had only met for a little over ten minutes. 

You didn’t know what to think of him right now, especially with all your thoughts all clouded with uncertainty. You just couldn’t help but wonder,

Did he really love you? 

---

        “Big News! This is definitely big news indeed.” 

Morgans laughed to himself a little as he quickly jotted down notes and information concerning the gala. As one of the emperors of the underground world, as well as the president of the World Economy News Paper, this was definitely going to be a big story. 

The albatross hybrid chuckled as his eyes scanned the crowded room of citizens, occasionally snapping photos with his cameko. 

        Yes, this story was going to make headlines. He could just imagine it now, ‘Doflamingo’s New Girlfriend is Missing’. He was originally going to post a story about who his new girlfriend was, but this turn of events was everything he had ever dreamed of. Oh, and that wasn’t the best part. 

The best part was who the girlfriend was. 

        He thought you looked familiar, with those [Hair Length] [Hair Color] locks of yours, those eyes and the timid look on your face. He should know, he had went to the wedding himself and posted an article about you. 

‘The Runaway Bride’ he had titled it. 

        The soon to be wife of one of the strongest and most influential people in the world, the person who had mysteriously disappeared one fateful evening. And with that thought in mind, Morgans realized that he should title his new article with more eye catching words. Soon the world will come to know that the lost bride was the new lover of the shichibukai, and Morgans could just imagine how much his papers would sell. 

        With a grin, Morgans sneakily escaped the ballroom through one of the doors, and was now running down the halls. Well, the only way he could get his papers selling is if he gets more of the details. It was very lucky for him that he had overheard the discussion between Doflamingo and one of his top officers. 

If he didn’t then he would have had to do more digging to get a good scoop. 

        “Behehehehe! You shouldn’t be in the halls, Morgans.” He froze. “Turn around Morgans, Doffy needs you for a little something, and he doesn’t want to let you go just yet.” Slowly turning around, he began to sweat bullets as he saw one of the top officers before him. 

        “Behehehehe! Look at you! You look like you’re going to piss your pants!” Trebol laughed obnoxiously, the snot hanging from his nose swinging back in forth in a gross pendulum motion. “Ne, ne, are you going to piss your pants? Doffy won’t be happy if you ruin the floor! Behehehehe!” 

        “No. I’m going to get this scoop if it’s the last thing I do!” He was determined. He needed to make that moolah. No, not just the moola, but his pride as a journalist was on the line. 

        “Ne, you really have no regard for your own life?” Trebol spoke in disbelief when he heard those words come out of the bird man. “Eh, well we can’t have you running your mouth. Baby 5.” 

A cannon ball shot out of nowhere, hitting Morgans square in the chest before exploding. 

        “We can’t have you ruin this for the Young Master.” Trebol nodded to Baby 5, a pleased look on his face as the dust cleared to reveal an unconscious Morgans. “Good work Baby 5! Behehehehe! Doffy would be pleased!” 

        “Tch, I’m only doing this for Y/n’s sake. Not his.” 

        “Whatever you say, behehehehe!”
---

Your group of friends were currently hanging their heads in a very depressed manner, the gloom in the room so thick that it was suffocating. 

        “I feel so useless right now,” Rebecca mumbled, leaning against the couch tiredly. “Even Baby 5 is doing something. This isn’t fair at all.”

        “Don’t talk about feeling useless right now, un!” Deidara snapped, his face looking very unhealthy pale. “I called a crossdressing guy attractive! I don’t swing that way!” Ino slowly bored holes into his head. 

        “Really?” she asked. “With the way you and Sasori are, I thought you two were a couple.” Sasori looked like he was going to puke. 

        “Why the fuck would I want this exploision idiot as a partner?” Sasori growled. “Have you seen his face? He looks so damn retarded it’s not even funny. He’s a disgrace.” 

        “Calling someone retarded isn’t very nice,” Sai spoke, giving Sasori a smile. “Only retarded people use such a word.” 

        “You damn brat!” 

        “HEY! DON’T HIT MY BOYFRIEND!” 

        “He won’t be your boyfriend for long when I’m through with him,” Sasori spoke, glaring daggers at Sai. “He’s going to be my personal puppet.” 

        “Guys, we should be focusing on Y/n and what we can do to help her!” Rebecca yelled, trying to get her voice to the others. 

        “That brat probably freed him with her own free will,” Sasori said as he dodged a hit from Ino. “If anything, she probably doesn’t need help right now, with her willingly disguising herself as an old man. The real thing we should be focusing on is whether or not the man she is with is a good person, or what her boyfriend plans to do when he gets the two of them back.” 

Sasori sighed, eyes narrowed as his eyes were on the window Doflamingo left through. 

        “That is, if he doesn’t decide to kill him.” Ino’s mouth gaped open. 

        “W-What are you trying to say?” 

        “Did you see how jealous that fool was for her?” Ino blinked. Oh shit she did. But what did that have anything to do with this? “He probably locked him in that room because he didn’t want him to be getting close to her.” 

        “Wait wait wait, but how does this relate to how we should focus on if that man’s a good person or not? For all we know, Doflamingo could just be jealous, and that the man just kept making one too many advances.” Itachi shook his head, understanding what Sasori was getting at. 

        “Doflamingo is possessive, but he’s usually level headed. We’ve only seen that man converse with Y/n once, so Doflamingo must know him, or know of him, especially with the cold look he was giving him and the continued glances,” Itachi mused. “Doflamingo understands Y/n well enough to know that she wouldn’t cheat on him, so that justifies my statement.” 

        “Finally, someone gets it,” Sasori said, sighing. 

        “So you’re saying that the person that Y/n’s with isn’t a good person?” Ino questioned. With the unchanging look that Sasori was giving her, her mouth gaped open, and she covered it with her hands, tears starting to fall from her face. “T-Then we definitely have to help her!” 

        “No, I’m sure the King will have this handled,” Sasori said, waving her off. “All we can do now is wait. It’s been two hours since she left, she’s obviously made it close to the city’s edge, assuming that’s where they’re heading since this is an escape.” 

        “But how don’t you know that Doflamingo’s just down right evil and is doing this for his own entertainment?” Rebecca asked, furrowing her brows. “How do you know that for sure?” 

        Sasori rolled his eyes. “For a person who talks a lot about love, you’re pretty fucking clueless. I don’t even know much about love, and I still understand it. You should be ashamed of yourself.” 

        Deidara chuckled a little bit, trying to find amusement in the worst situation. He wanted to lighten up the mood, if just a bit. “Sasori-dana, who ever knew you knew so much about love?” 

        “Idiot, I don’t. I just watch, and that man we call King just happens to be giving her the googly eyes that practically everyone in the country does to each other.” Sasori scoffed. “It’s not that difficult to see. Frankly, I find it pathetic.” 

        “Haha, wouldn’t it be funny if that man was actually a good person, and your facts are just all wrong?” Sai asked, before getting punched in the head by his girlfriend. 

        “Sai! Don’t joke about things like that! If all the smart people in the room are saying that he’s bad, then he’s obviously bad! Stop making me second guess my thoughts!” Sasori watched Sai thoughtfully. 

        “Well, there is a chance of that happening, but it’s highly unlikely.” 

---

        Maybe if it were under better circumstances you would have enjoyed the festival. There were just so many bright lights and delicious scents of food wafting through the air that you couldn’t help but let your eyes wander. 

        Never had you ever seen the streets of Dressrosa look so lively this way, but you’ve only been living there for two years, so maybe it wasn’t long enough. 

        Occasionally, children would brush past you, laughing in content as they chased each other down the streets. This peace, this happiness- it was what you wanted. You wanted to experience this festival for yourself. No, you wanted to experience it with your boyfriend, but would you still be able to, with what you were doing behind his back? 

        Surely he would have discovered what you were doing by now? How pissed would he be? Especially when you had ignored his words? Hell, you both even got into a small fight because of Akira. 

Maybe he didn’t want you back after this. 

        That thought made your heart clench. Maybe he didn’t love you anymore because of this- maybe he thought you were cheating on him and running away with Akira.

        You squeezed your eyes shut as you felt the tears beginning to form in your eyes, using the large fan that Akira had bought you to cover your face. Would Doflamingo actually do that? Would he think that you would actually cheat on him? 

        Thinking about it more, you realized that maybe he would believe that you were cheating on him. You never really told him you loved him despite being a few weeks into the relationship, but it was hard to find the words you were trying to convey to him. Just thinking about saying something so intimate to him made you feel all hot and bubbly inside. 

        The words you used to say all the time to Shanks was just so difficult to say now to Doflamingo. Maybe it was because of the lack of courage that you had developed through your break up, but you wanted to let Doflamingo know. 

        But maybe you would never get the chance to tell him, now that he probably thinks you ran away from him. Away from the party that he so carefully planned for several days. 

        It made you feel extremely guilty. No matter what happened, you were going to go back to the castle, but you knew that Doflamingo’s hard work was probably wasted because of you. His careful planning, the expenses and everything.. 

        Maybe you just didn’t deserve having him as your boyfriend. Maybe the world was just taunting you and flaunting you all the things you could have but never will. 

This world was cruel after all, you experienced it second hand. 

        “Princess?” Akira’s voice broke you out of your internal turmoil, and you gave him a nervous smile. 

        Looking around, it was then that you realized that the two of you had made it to the edge of Dressrosa. You breathed in, taking in that familiar salty ocean air. Your eyes then flickered to Akira. Well, you supposed that this is where the two of you parted ways. 

You wondered what was going to happen to you when you got back to the castle. 

        You shook your head a little. You shouldn’t be thinking of things like that. You had Akira to take care of before you could worry about yourself! Giving the man an encouraging smile, you said your goodbyes. 

        “Stay safe, Akira.” The man nodded his head, before his eyes flickered to something behind you, widening in surprise and horror. 

        “Watch out!” he yelled, but it was too late. 

Feeling a harsh pain in your head, your vision faded to black.

Chapter Text

        The first thing you realized when you woke up was that you were cold, and that your head was throbbing horribly. Opening your eyes groggily, you studied your surroundings, finding yourself in a room made of stone. A shiver ran down your spine as you remembered seeing the look of horror on Akira’s face before darkness had befallen you. 

        Already realizing that you were beginning to hyperventilate, you attempted to steady your breathing. It wouldn’t do you any good if you suddenly had a panic attack here. Once you had managed to calm yourself down, you squeezed your eyes shut. 

Where were you? What had happened to Akira? Was he okay? 

        So many questions left unanswered. And with that, you were stuck in a cold empty room. No, it wasn’t a room. From the looks of it, it seemed to be a cell with a dirty toilet in the corner. Steel bars made up one entire wall as well as a door, and you realized it meant that if you were to use the bathroom, you would be exposed to whoever decided to walk by. 

        The cell you were in was dark. There was no lighting that allowed you to see besides the lamps in the hallway. The smell in the room caused you to wrinkle your nose in disgust. The place reeked of iron and a public bathroom. Attentively placing your bound hands on the floor, you reeled back when it felt wet. 

This place was grosser than a one star hotel. 

        You felt yourself tense when you heard footsteps echoing from down the hall. The footfalls were in time with the water dripping from the ceiling, and you held your breath in anticipation. Who was it? Who kidnapped you? What were you doing here? 

Oh god, what if the person who kidnapped you was your boyfriend and he decided to punish you for helping Akira escape? 

        No no no. You shook your head, desperately trying not to believe that he would actually do such a thing to you. Doflamingo wasn’t that kind of person. He was good to you; he wouldn’t actually do something like this to you. He just wouldn’t. 

Would he? 

        Biting your lip, you could feel the tears in your eyes as you saw a shadowy figure stop in front of the cell door. They dug their hands in their pockets, and you heard the jangling of metal clashing together: A key. Shoving the key inside the lock, they turned it, unlocking the door and stepping inside. 

        “Look at who I have here.” It was a masculine voice, but it wasn’t Doflamingo. He was also shorter than your boyfriend, and you realized you should have taken notice of that first. That eased your nerves just a little, before it skyrocketed back up. You were so going to die here. He approached you in long strides, and you squirmed back enough to hit your back against the dirty wall. The man laughed. 

        “Look at you all scared. Are you going to call for your boyfriend?” he mocked. “Well your boyfriend isn’t coming to save you anytime soon, you runaway bride.” 

You flinched at the familiar name.

        “Aww you poor thing, I bet you’re so scared. You’re even shaking. And- Oh?” He leaned forwards a bit, and you pressed your back against the wall, trying to escape from him. But it was futile when you had nowhere to run. “Are you crying? Fuck, this is too good!” He was wheezing, laughing so hard at your predicament. 

You didn’t see what was so funny about you crying. 

        Gathering all the courage you can get, you glared at the man. You could barely see his features, but he had dirty blonde hair and sparkling emerald eyes. 

        “Where’s Akira? W-What did you do to him?” He laughed at your concern and attempt to give him defiance. 

        “That idiot? Well. You can talk to him yourself, can’t you?” You blinked in confusion.

What? 

        You watched as someone else walked into the room, and you paled considerably when the two of you met eyes. It was Akira, standing tall and giving you a wide cheshire grin. 

        “Hello there Princess.” 

---

        The moment Doflamingo had arrived at the outskirts of Dressrosa he had a very bad feeling. His footsteps echoed all around the empty streets as his eyes scanned the area. He was cautious, but not too cautious. He knew that he could handle himself if need be- he was a shichibukai for a reason after all. 

But he was worried. Extremely worried. The frown on his face should have said everything. 

        He knew he shouldn’t have gotten in that petty argument with you. He knew he should have straight up told you to the truth instead of telling you to stay away from him. Doflamingo knew it was partially (if not all) his fault. But was it really wrong to just want to see you enjoy yourself instead of looking around in fear? 

        Doflamingo’s footsteps came to a halt when he noticed specks of blood on the ground. Squatting down, he inspected the blood closely. His frown worsened as he realized that it was still fresh. 

        Looking around more frantic, his eyes scanned for a sign, anything to tell him that you were okay. When he couldn’t find anything, he clenched his jaw, pulling out his transponder snail. 

        “Trebol,” he growled into the receiver. “Where is she?” 

        “D-Doffy,” Trebol responded, a little nervous with how terrifying Doflamingo sounded at the moment. “Did something bad happen?” Doflamingo had to tell himself to breathe calmly or else he would have yelled at Trebol. 

        “I found blood.” His eyes scanned the area before his eyes caught something white. It was a piece of paper. Narrowing his eyes, he picked it up, reading the contents. When he did, he ripped the paper to shreds. 

        “What did you find-”

        “Give me her location. Now.” 

        “The signal is still weak-” 

        “Trebol. Did. I. Stutter?” Trebol gulped at the threatening tone in Doflamingo’s voice, and he was gesturing to Baby 5 and Gladius to hurry up and get the fucking signal before the man decides to fuck them all over. 

        He breathed a sigh of relief when Baby 5 gave him the thumbs up. The signal had connected to the tracker embedded inside you. Oh god, he felt so relieved when it did. 

        “I have her location. I’ll have Pica, Diamante, and the others get there as soon as they can.” 

        “Good.” The snail shut off. Doflamingo made no move as the moonlight beamed down upon him, bathing his skin in a moonlit glow. He was being reckless, he knew it that much, but he could help but feel this insatiable hatred that was growing inside of him. 

How dare he. 

How dare that Akira take you away. 

        He clenched his teeth, and he felt the corners of his mouth pull into a large grin. Oh he was pissed. He was so fucking pissed. How dare they. Did they think that they could use you as a bargaining chip? Were they really that stupid to think that he wouldn’t find you and kill them? 

Oh they were so going to fucking regret this. 

        Pointing one finger up in the sky, he took off. He needed to get to you quickly. You could be suffering from torture for all he knew. And right now, he knew you were hurt. 

The wind picked up, scattering the pieces of paper in the wind. If someone had gathered them all and put them back together, it would reveal a message specifically for Doflamingo.

You’ll never see your beloved again. 

---

        “ARGH!” you cried out in pain, when you received a kick to the jaw. Occasionally, your eyes would glance over at Akira, seeing the wide smile on his face never changing. Except it looked so fake, so eerie. 

        “You don’t know how much trouble we went through looking for you these past two years,” the man said, pulling you up close to his face. 

        “Malice, you shouldn’t mess up her face,” Akira spoke, pulling the man off you a little. “You know what will happen if they catch wind that you hurt her face. Besides, she’s my ticket home.” He smacked Akira’s hand away, growling in his face.

        “Shut the fuck up you degenerate. You’ll get back to wherever the hell you came from either way.” Akira’s eyes bored holes into the man as he slammed his foot over your stomach, leaving you gasping for air and in pain. Tears were leaking from the corners of your eyes at the feeling of betrayal and pain. 

Doflamingo was right. You should have stayed away from Akira. And now you weren’t sure if you were going to live to apologise to his face. 

        “I’ll be back. I’m sure those pirates would love to know that their bride has been retrieved.” You watched warily as the man retreated, and you were left with Akira. You trembled under Akira’s intense gaze. It was like he was a different person. 

        “W-Why?” you croaked out, wincing in pain at all the bruises you were sure you were going to receive. Akira chuckled, crouching down to look at you. 

        “You don’t know a thing, do you?” he whispered, his eyes suddenly looking so melancholy and sad. His hand went to caress your cheeks softly, and for a moment you saw the Akira who laughed with you before. The one who was kind to you. 

Only for a moment, though. 

        His eyes soon grew hard and cold, and he roughly grabbed your chin to force you to look up at him. A snarl escaped him as he applied more pressure to your skin. 

        “I can't fucking believe it. They never told you. They never told you just what you are. Those fucked people. How dare they call you their family.” He was spouting out nonsense now. 

        “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about-” 

        “Princess, don't play dumb with me. I know what you are.” Akira was laughing now. “We’re the same, I can see that now. We come from the same place. You know you’re different. You know people treat you differently and you don’t know why. Well, I know why. I had to deal with it for years.” 

He leaned closer so that his lips brushed against your ears. 

        “Instinct,” he whispered softly. “They feel that you’re different and they don’t want to associate with you. They know that you’re strange and they don’t want to affiliate with you. But…” 

You jumped in surprise when Akira slammed his hand beside your head, and you heard the stone wall crack behind you. 

        “Why the hell is it that I was even brought here for?! Why did we have to go through all of this? I just want to go back home! To when we were all just a happy family. I didn’t ask to be here! I didn’t ask to be this-” he gestured to himself, “this- this thing!” 

        You were speechless as you watched Akira run his hands through his hair, eyes wide and frantic as he looked around him before his eyes found you once more. There were tears streaming down his face as the two of you stayed that way for a few minutes. 

        “Do you know why I was given the name ‘Akira’ when I came here?” A bubble of laughter escaped him as you could only watch in terror. “When spoken in English, it can be heard as A killer. And that’s what I was meant to be. A killer. The antagonist. The one up against you. My own-...”  The words died in his mouth. 

        “I-I don’t understand…” Akira sighed, leaning his head so that his forehead pressed against your own. 

        “You know I don’t want to hurt you.” His voice was soft, quiet. “I don’t want to go back with you knowing that I dirtied my hands for it, but I have to. They need me. I don’t know how long I’ve been gone, they could've died for all I know, but I have to see them again. They’re my family. You-” He his head, his hands running through his hair frantically. 

        You flinched when a scratched-out memory began to play in your mind. You couldn’t see their face, and their voice was distorted in ways that made it unrecognizable. And yet despite that, it felt familiar.  

        “See, Y/n? He’s not so bad, isn’t he?”

        “They promised me a way back home if I brought you to them. But-” Akira laughed bitterly, his voice going hoarse as he did so. “I know how this is going to end. They’re going to use you for their own gain.” Breathing in deeply, he sighed. 

        “I don’t want to be the bad guy,” he whispered. “I don’t want to live the life that was determined for me. How did you do it? How did you change your fate? How are you able to do the things you do? Are we that different from each other after all?” 

        Akira cried before you, and, despite knowing that he was the one who got you here, your heart reached out to him in his moment of vulnerability. He was hurting. He was hurting just like you. Wrapping your arms around him, you gave him the stability he needed, rubbing circles into his back, even if the action physically pained you to do so. 

Your rib cage hurt terribly. You wondered if you broke a few of them. 

        “Wh..What was your sister like?” you couldn’t help but ask. Akira hiccuped a bit, smiling softly, most likely remnicising in a nostalgic memory. 

        “Sh-She was young, not even five yet.” He laughed a bit, remembering the memory. “She was stubborn but very timid. She didn’t like tall people all that much.” He paused, eyes scanning your face. “Innocent and naive. And caring for people who are hurting. She would always hug me after a hard day of work, happy that I was home. I always wondered if she was still alive.” 

        Shouts and screams echoed from down the hallway, causing you to tense up. That didn’t sound good. A sudden explosion shook the ground, causing you to hold onto Akira more tightly.

        “I know I’m going to die here.” You snapped your eyes up to stare at him, jaw-dropping slightly. 

        “What?”

        “I’m meant to die here. I knew this mission would fail,” he spoke, pressing his chin on your shoulder. “I hoped that maybe I would actually be able to go home. I was planning on bringing you back with me.” 

        “W-Wait!” you said, tears beginning to form in your eyes. “What do you mean?!” 

        “If it were under different circumstances, I’m sure things would have turned out differently, Y/n.” The tears were coming out as waterfalls now as Akira spoke. This couldn’t be goodbye. Akira was a good person who cared about his family. He couldn’t just… die. Sure he made some bad choices, but that was only because he was desperate and needed to get back to his family. 

        “Akira-” You stopped when you heard voices echoing from down the hall. You could feel Akira tense from above you, frantic and wide eyes darting around for a weapon. In this moment, with the moonlight streaming in through the small window, he truly looked crazed. 

        Hurried footsteps came to a stop beside the cell, and you widened your eyes when you recognized it to be the same man who had abused you from before. Terrified tremors shook your body as your gaze was locked on him. 

        “Akira!” the man hissed. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?! They’re fucking here and tearing up the place into shreds!” Something glinted in his hand, and your blood ran cold when you realized what it was.

A knife. 

Akira held you in a protective manner, glaring into the man’s eyes. A growl left his throat as he held you closer. 

        “Get the fuck away, Malice.” Malice, tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing sharply. His head turned towards the hallway he came from, his fingers twitching in anticipation. They would be here soon, and by then, he would be dead. 

        “Akira. Did you forget who took you in?” Malice snarled. 

        “Don’t make me repeat myself, you bastard. I won’t let you touch her anymore. She’s not going to get married to those people who would use her for what she is. She will go back to Joker.” He breathed in, eyes glowing a dangerous red hue. "And it's not fucking 'Akira'. It's Oliver." 

Malice chuckled, holding the knife in a threatening manner at Akira as he took a step inside the cell.

        “Really? Oliver?" A chuckled tore at his throat, and you could see the insanity in the man's eyes. "Well tell me, Oliver, how do you know that that man wouldn’t do the same?” he asked, not really wanting an answer as he continued with a sigh. “You honestly are a fool, choosing the worst time to rebel. I knew you would always defect into a traitor someday, but is this really the time? We both know we’re going to die by that man’s hands if you don’t give her up to me.” 

        Before long, Malice was a foot away, the blade pressed up against Akira- Oliver’s neck. You clung to Oliver tighter as you watched with terrified eyes. Malice’s eyes flickered over to you for a brief moment, a maniacal grin spread upon his face. 

        You looked up to gaze at Oliver, terrified for his safety. His eyes were closed as he took a deep breath in, probably to calm his nerves. He was mumbling curses under his breath, something about being low on energy. You couldn't hear much more when he suddenly snapped them wide open, quickly pushing you down. You watched as he swiped his feet to the side to knock Malice over. Malice cursed as his hold on the knife slipped, dropping to the cement floor. 

        Oliver picked up the knife off the floor quickly, his back turned to Malice for a brief moment. It felt as if time were moving in slow motion as you watched the man pull out a gun from his pocket, aiming it at the unsuspecting Oliver. 

        “OLIV-”

BANG

        Crimson blood splattered to the ground, and it took Oliver a moment to register the pain. A wet feeling was beginning to develop in his abdomen, and that was when the pain hit. 

        “Ha, pathetic. And here you’re supposed to be strong. I guess you just really aren’t the chosen one.” Malice turned his attention to you, his eyes predatory as he cocked the gun in your direction. He wasn’t going to kill you. He just needed to cripple you so that you wouldn’t be able to escape. 

Coughing up blood, Oliver's eyes frantically darted to your form. 

        He had to protect you for Doflamingo. No, not only for Doflamingo, but for himself. It was the only way he could redeem himself for all the things he’s caused. It was his destiny, he could feel it. If he didn’t do it, then it would end. Everything would end. 

Your life would end. 

        “Don’t you fucking dare!” 

        Running to you with the little strength he had, he grabbed Malice in a choke hold, wrenching the gun out of his grasp. A shot to the head was all it took for Malice to die, and Akira chuckled in cold blood at the irony. 

He really was a killer. 

        Dropping the gun, he grunted, feeling more blood gush out of his wound. Damn it. Falling to the ground ungracefully, he groaned as he pushed himself up to prop himself up beside you. He cracked a small smile at your stunned expression, muscles stiff in fear. 

        “Come on, Princess. Where’s your smile? You know you're never fully dressed without one.” You blinked your eyes slowly, staring at Oliver in shock. 

        “Come on, Y/n. Tell me this guy isn’t not cool. Just check out his teeth! Sharp and yellow, just like a monster- Oh hey, don’t cry. Oh shit- I am so sorry. I guess this really isn’t for kids for a reason.” 

        “You… Who-” You were at loss for words. There was so much that had happened in the span of less than 24 hours, and just seeing someone die- hell, you were going to see another person die -was just… it didn’t settle right. 

You were kidnapped, enslaved, kicked, abused, shanked, saw people die- yup, you were totally traumatized from this amazing experience. 

        Tears pooled out of your eyes like waterfalls and you sniffled, before breaking out into a full out sob. Everything that had happened was just too much. Oliver being a bad guy, now he’s a good guy, not sure what the hell is happening right now, Doflamingo, the party; God, there were so many emotions running through you you didn’t know what you were feeling. 

All of them combined just made you want to cry. It was too much. 

        “Hey, Princess?” He lifted his head to stare at you in the eyes. “You know the first time I saw you, I was sure I was dreaming. I was so sure that it was a hallucination, a sick fantasy… It was probably when you escaped from that wedding with that red-haired man.” Oliver coughed, and you put a hand on his shoulder, silently telling him to stop speaking. He waved you off with a smile. 

He needed to tell you this. 

        “You probably don’t remember me… hell, it’s been so long. I didn't even recognize you at first at the gala.” He breathed in, wincing when he felt a sharp pain from doing such a simple action. “Fuck, I looked everywhere for you... I… I just wanted to see you again… Our destinies were different… but, I’m glad that I was the one who got the short end of the stick.” 

        “W-What are you talking about? What did you mean that you were 'Oliver'?” You could hear a loud voice, one you recognized, from down the hallway. It was Doflamingo. 

        Oliver slumped down into your lap, gasping slightly, before smiling up at you. “Oliver is my real name, the one mother gave me." He closed his eyes. "You know you always followed me around like a lost puppy. I was worried that you would never get any friends. Just... seeing you now makes me... glad that everything turned out alright for you.” 

        “My little girl.” You jumped, turning your head to see Doflamingo’s eyes on you. There was a large grin on his face, and it was quite clear that he was displeased. His gaze flickered to you, Oliver, and the dead body on the floor, summarizing what had happened. 

        Stepping inside the cell, you could see the Diamante and Pica behind him, worried looks in their gazes. Doflamingo kicked the dead body of Malice with all the frustration he could pour into it. You flinched when you heard the crackles of breaking and splinter bones smashing through the wall and effectively bringing it down. 

        You held onto Oliver tightly in a protective manner as Doflamingo approached. When he was just mere feet away from you, he crouched down low, taking in your battered form and Oliver who had his head on your lap. 

        Oliver gave the man a grin through the pain he must have been experiencing. “Hey… sorry I took your girlfriend. Granted… I didn’t really approve of you from the start. I liked the red-head a little better.” Doflamingo raised a brow, veins popping in on his head. 

        “Oh? And who are you to approve of our… relationship?” he growled. Oliver laughed, coughing and sputtering through his pain. 

        “As her older brother…, I think I have all rights.” You froze. What? Furrowing your brows at Oliver, you stared him down long and hard. Sure you had a brother, but your brother didn’t look like this. Your brother wasn’t named Oliver. “Even… if she… doesn’t remember…” 

You knew Oliver wasn’t your brother. So why were you crying harder than before? 

        “...Y/n.” His voice was soft. He was dying, beyond saving. Time seemed to slow down as you stared into each other’s eyes. You saw everything. His sadness, his struggles, his pain. And most of all… his remorse. “...call me by my nickname… just one more time… please? Before I see mother again…” 

        The light in his eyes was slowly dying out, and you wracked your brains to remember what it was that he wanted. You couldn’t remember. You didn’t. 

        He laughed bitterly. “...you don’t remember… it’s okay. Makes me a little sad… I wish I was there for you… that I found you sooner… There’s a lot you don’t understand in this world… why you’re here, what your purpose is.” His eyes flickered to Doflamingo who had a frown settled on his face. 

        “And you… make sure to keep her safe. Teach her before it’s too late… oh yeah, and use protection. That’s very important.” Your face flushed. Apparently your brother had a sense of humor even on the brink of death. 

        “I will.” You choked on air when you heard the serious tone that Doflamingo used. If possible, your face grew a few shades darker. Doflamingo grinned slightly, before placing a hand on Oliver's shoulder. “This would have gone differently however, if you had just told me what you wanted instead of leaving me to pick up the puzzle pieces.” 

        “It was my time.” 

        “Haha, you so funny!! Lookie! Nugget lookie! One, two, threes!”

        “Nugget.” He froze. 

        “...what?” he breathed, eyes wide as he stared up at you. He squinted to see your face, his eye sight beginning to blur at the amount of blood he was losing. 

        “That was my nickname for you,” you croaked out, remembering bits and pieces of a life you didn’t remember. Doflamingo positioned himself to lean against the wall so that you could rest your head on his arm. 

        “..ha… you dork…” Akira spoke, cringing as he could no longer feel his body. No longer move. It was a struggle to even speak anymore. “...I guess I can finally go… happy…” Your throat clenched as you saw the light finally die out of his eyes. He was gone. The brother that you never knew you had and had finally reunited with was dead. 

        You were the sister he was looking for. The one he lived for all his life. The one he cared about more than anything in the world. With teeth clenched, you screamed. You screamed at the world, at all the things that had happened to you. You didn’t realize you were throwing hits at Doflamingo until you calmed down slightly, leaning your forehead on his chest. 

You were so tired. Everything hurt. Your ribs, your head, your heart. Before long, you passed out, right there in Doflamingo’s arms

Chapter Text

        He knew the feeling you were feeling. The anguish, the agony of the loss of someone he loved dearly. He was well acquainted with it after all; something that he felt when his mother died. 

        Doflamingo sympathised with your pain. No, he empathised. To have someone die before you, especially when you were such an innocent soul, must have been heartbreaking. Everything that you went through… it must have been so hard on you. He gritted his teeth together as the doctor before him listed off the injuries he diagnosed you with. 

        “...a fractured skull, several rib fractures as well actually with one broken,” the doctor spoke as he examined your unconscious body, hands gliding over your body gently to inspect other areas of damage. 

        “A twisted leg and a broken wrist... My dear god, Your Majesty, it’s a miracle that you didn’t find her passed out because of the pain. The adrenaline did her good to mask it, but I’ll prescribe some pain killers to help her cope with the pain.” 

        Doflamingo sighed as he let his hands run through your hair, scrutinizing the man’s every move as he scribbled a few notes down on paper. Even if they did a full background check on the Doctor, Doflamingo couldn’t help the feeling of distrust in him. Trauma does that to you. 

        “She’ll be fine after a couple months, physically at least,” the doctor said, lifting his gaze up from his clipboard to meet Doflamingo’s. Quite a brave man, Doflamingo would commend. “I’m quite sure she’ll have some mental issues, so please do let me know when she awakes, Your Majesty.” 

        “Very well, thank you Doctor Aeson.” 

The man bowed, before turning to leave. Placing his hand on the knob, he paused, turning his head around to look back at Doflamingo. 

        “Make sure she gets plenty of rest and doesn’t exert herself. Ice her broken ribs daily, until I come back to check on her.” Doflamingo nodded his head, his gaze more focused on your face rather than the doctor.

Taking that as his signal (and permission) to leave, the doctor left, shutting the door behind him. 

        Doflamingo let out a small sigh, accidentally nudging your body. He frowned when he watched as your face contorted to a small frown, pain displaced on your features. He caressed you softly, murmuring a small apology underneath his breath. 

        It hurt his heart terribly to see you in pain. He’s never felt this way before to anyone else (besides his Family), and it makes his heart heavy. If just seeing you sleep, knowing that small movements would cause you pain, then he didn’t know what he would feel when you wake up. 

        His eyes drifted to the bruises all over your body, and he could feel his blood pressure rising, especially when his gaze lingered on the hand like marks around your neck. It was incredibly infuriating to see the abuse clear on your beautiful skin. He was supposed to be your protector, and yet he couldn’t even do that one simple task. 

He didn’t even get to show you the festival and do all the things he wanted to do with you yesterday. 

        Maybe all this could have been avoided had he told you the truth sooner. If he had told you that he recognized Akira (or Oliver, now that he thought about it), then it wouldn’t have come to this. You wouldn’t be sitting in the bed that you both shared all hurt. You wouldn’t have had to experience all the abuse, and especially not your (apparent) brother’s death. 

        In a way, Doflamingo knew this was his fault to begin with. If he had satiated your curiosity, none of this would have happened. He had no one else (who wasn't dead at least) to blame but himself. 

He hoped that maybe you would yell at him when you woke up. 

---

        “Y/n~ Guess who?” You let out a soft giggle as you feel hands covering your eyes preventing you from seeing. Despite that, you recognized the voice. 

        “Nuggets!!” you practically screamed out, turning around to attack your brother. Your arms tangled around him, ensnaring him in your clutches. There was a joyous smile playing on his lips as he gazed down at you, affection evident in his eyes. 

        “Look at you,” he cooed, bending down to your level. Pinching your cheeks, he said, “all happy to see me, your favorite brother.” He paused, for a moment, thinking. “Well, I guess I’m your only brother.” 

        Picking you up, he slung you over his shoulders, marching over to the couch, just to toss you in it. You landed with an “oof”, bouncing up slightly as Oliver dive bombed right after you. 

        “Hey!” you shouted as he let his whole weight sag on top of your smaller frame. “You heavy!!” you whined. “Nuggets!!” Oliver rolled his eyes, getting up so that you could breathe. 

        “Really Y/n? When are you going to stop calling me Nugget’s and call me by a cooler nickname, like I don’t know, uh- Wendigo. Nuggets is like, so not cool,” he teased, tickling your sides. Well, he supposed that he couldn’t expect much, especially for a four-year-old [almost five]. 

        “Nuggets is cool!” you spoke with a pout. “Chicken Nuggets are my f-favite. Oliver is my favite! So you are Nuggets!” He rolled his eyes, scooping you off the couch so that he could cuddle you. 

        “Awe you’re going to make me cry!!” Oliver said, rubbing his cheek against yours. “Waaaa!! What a cute little sister I have!! But Y/n, it’s not ‘favite’, it’s fa-vor-ite. Favite is a coral.” 

        “Favite!” 

        “Eh, close enough.” He paused when he saw the T.V. flicker on. “Hey you little brat, did you turn on the T.V.?” He turned his attention to you and you shook your head. He furrowed his brows as the opening of his favorite show began. 

        Except when it did, a flash of white light enveloped the two, causing you to scream and cry out. The light seared your eyes, coating your skin in an unfamiliar warmth. In the distance you could hear Oliver screaming, before your world was dark. 

---

You jolt yourself awake to Oliver’s scream. You closed your mouth, breathing heavy. No, not Oliver’s scream; your scream. 

        It took you a moment to register where you were. And another to remember why you were hurting all over. When you did, you had shot up from the bed you shared with your boyfriend, looking around frantically. The action itself caused you to grunt in pain that was blossoming in your… well, everywhere. 

        The familiar room you were in was what had calmed you down. It had been a dream. Everything had been a dream. It had to be. Nothing you experienced could have been real. But if that was true, why were your ribs hurting so bad? Why was there a pounding in your head? Why did your jaw feel like it received a kick? 

Then there was Oliver. 

Your eyes filled with tears as you remembered him. He wasn’t just a nameless nobody, he was your brother. Your flesh and blood. 

        He didn’t deserve to die. He was just desperate to see you again. Any protective older brother would do anything to make sure that their sibling was alright. It must have been really hard to have been separated from people who needed him- you who needed him. He was hurting badly. And now you would never be able to see him again. 

        You wouldn’t be able to ask all the questions you had on your mind. You wouldn’t get to have that brother/sibling relationship that you yearned for all these years that your apparent family had denied you. 

        Before you knew it, you were bawling your eyes out on the bed. Eventually the door to your shared room slammed open (from your earlier scream or the crying, you didn’t know), revealing your boyfriend. If anything, the sight of him made you cry even harder instead of being reassured. 

        He was beside the bed within a minute, hands gently wrapped around your torso as he let you cry on his shoulder. Doflamingo rubbed gentle circles on your back, afraid that even that action would cause you pain. It was silent for a few moments with only the sound of your ugly sobs and hiccups. 

        Soon, you had calmed down enough to breathe properly. You shut your eyes tightly, hearing Oliver’s voice echoing in the distance; those familiar words flooding into your brain. 

        “Do you know why I was given the name ‘Akira’ when I came here?” A bubble of laughter escaped him as you could only watch in terror. “When spoken in English, it can be heard as A killer. And that’s what I was meant to be. A killer. The antagonist. The one up against you. My own-...” 

Sister. My flesh and blood. 

You didn’t know what he was getting at until he told you, and now everything made sense. It all made sense now. 

        “Doffy… why am I crying over someone I can barely remember?” you whimpered, leaning your head against his chest. “Why does it hurt so much…?” You breathed in a shuddering breath. 

        “I think I’m s-scared…” 

        “Of what?” he whispered soothingly, caressing your cheek with his thumb. Your eyes flickered up to his own, sunglasses tossed to the side, and he could see the raw emotion within.

        “I don’t want to lose you too.” If it were possible, Doflamingo felt his heart crumble at just how vulnerable and desperate you sounded. There was no happiness, no playful banter, it was just pure raw emotion. 

You were hurting. 

        He was there before, but he had no one to depend on besides Trebol, but even then he wasn’t very good emotional support. But you, you had him, and Doflamingo wanted to make sure that you got what you deserved. That would get everything that he didn’t get to have. 

        Doflamingo hoarsely chuckled, leaning forward to kiss your forehead. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re not going to lose me, little girl.” Sitting up straighter, he cuddled you against his chest. 

        “I’m sure you’re starving,” he whispered into your ear. “I’ll have Baby 5 bring you some food.” You could only nod numbly at him, causing the soft reassuring smile on his lips to twitch down into a small frown.

        Moving to get up, he hesitated, feeling your hand gently clutch against his shirt. His eyes shifted to gaze at your tired expression, dark bags under your eyes and mussed up hair. You look like you went through hell and back, which wasn’t that far from the truth.

        “...please stay... “ you whispered, on the verge of crying again. “...I don’t want to be alone…” 

        Watching you with contemplative eyes, he pushed you down onto the bed gently, his other hand moving to his coat pocket. Pulling out a transponder snail, he turned it on. 

        “Baby 5. My precious girlfriend needs food.” It was silent for a moment before Baby 5 responded back. 

        “On my way, Young Master.” 

        Doflamingo set the snail aside before moving off the bed. Your eyes grew wide at the thought of him leaving, but he didn’t. He stayed, pulling the covers up and over you, shuffling gently beside you. You could feel his hands moving to your waist, hesitating for a moment, before gently moving his body forward so that he could spoon you. 

        It was silent save for your breathing and his own breath, fanning over your neck as his hands gently found places to caress. He was being careful, that you could tell. You winced and tensed under him when his fingers ran over one of your ribs. 

Immediately, his reaction was to recoil, moving to settle on your waist. 

        “...I apologize.” You shook your head, opening your mouth.

        “It’s okay…” you croaked out. “...It only hurt for a second…” You felt his lungs take in air, expanding before releasing into a deep sigh. His presence calmed you, and you felt yourself begin to succumb to the clutches of sleep once more. 

        “... I’ll protect you better. I promise.” He kissed your forehead, intertwining his larger hands with your smaller ones. “First, I have to deal with a small pest.” 

---

        “Is she okay, Young Master?” Baby 5 asked when Doflamingo had left the room, shutting the door behind him. 

        “Yes. She’s just slightly disoriented. Her injuries aren’t exactly light.” Doflamingo hummed a bit, remembering what the doctor had told him. Two fractured ribs, a fractured skull, and a twisted leg, but no broken bones, which was a major relief. He was about to walk off before he paused, turning back to look at Baby 5. 

        “Remember what we discussed.” She nodded her head. 

        “Of course.” Grinning in approval, he stalked off. 

        Walking down the halls, he made his way towards the guest bedrooms. Your friends had spent the night, too worried about you to leave to their own homes. The people who had attended the party were allowed to leave once he had returned with you. 

His eyes traveled to his office down the hall, the door already replaced. 

        Right. Morgans was still tied up in his office. He had been in quite a rush to get to you when he heard your crying that he had completely forgotten about the bird man. Not that the man really mattered. 

Well, he did in the underworld, but not to Doflamingo. 

        Opening the door with a hum, he greeted Morgans with a menacing grin. “Hello Morgans,” he spoke threateningly, sending shivers down his spine. “I believe we have some unfinished business.” 

        “Ha, and what would that be? If you kill me, my allies in the underground will-” 

        “You’re not in a position to bargain, Morgans,” Doflamingo said, cutting him off. “Your allies won’t dare to touch me unless they want to have to deal with the wrath of Kaido.” Morgans paled underneath his feathers. 

Doflamingo chuckled. “It seems like you’re beginning to comprehend your situation.” 

        “What do you want?” 

        “I want you to not publicize the event that took place here.” Morgans’ jaw dropped as Doflamingo took a seat in front of him, folding his hands together. “If you do, well, I can’t guarantee that you’ll leave alive.” 

        “You want me to not publish such a compelling story?! What do you take me for?” 

        “A fool if you don't cooperate.” Morgans looked contemplative, and Doflamingo grinned. “You know, I’m feeling awfully generous today, considering the fact that my precious girlfriend was involved in a kidnapping.” 

The man tied up before him swallowed loudly.

        “I’m planning on doing a little… something to cheer up my Queen. I wouldn’t mind if you… tag along and be the first one to have an article concerning the topic.” The man tensed, twitching, just itching to get a story. “I can see the want in your eyes. So, what do you say?”

Chapter Text

        “Ms. Y/n, I was informed that you had awakened a few hours ago.” 

        You nodded your head as Doctor Aeson placed his hand on your head, checking for any signs of a fever. There were none, luckily. Next he checked your bandages, making sure that you were okay. When he deemed you good, he sat up, lifting his index finger.

        “Now, I need you to focus on my finger. I need to check for signs of a concussion.” You lifted your eyes to gaze at his finger, but it strained your eyes and head just to do so. You were beginning to feel nauseous, and you just closed your eyes, shaking your head in response. 

        “I can’t do it. I’m sorry..” Aeson hummed, writing something down on his clipboard.

        “It’s not your fault. Close your eyes if you will. I will be asking a few questions that I need you to answer honestly.” You nodded your head in response, head hung low as you stared at your blankets. 

        “How have you been feeling? Mentally, I mean.” 

        “...I… I’ve felt tired. Confused I guess. I didn’t know I had a brother…” You tilted your head up to look at him through squinted eyes. “I-Is he really… are-are we really…?” 

        “Related? Yes. DNA samples had been taken and you are both biologically related.” 

        “Oh.” That was all you could say. You didn’t know what else to do. All your life you had thought you had been adopted, but then out of nowhere, your brother just shows up, kidnaps you, and dies as he tells you he loves you. How else were you supposed to react? 

        “Is… Is it weird that I feel sad?” He was patient with you as you spoke, his kind old eyes filled with sympathy. “I.. It’s just... I don’t remember him, but he-” Your voice cracked and you winced, coughing out a bit. “He remembered me and I just felt bad that I didn’t know who he was.” 

        “All-All I know of him is that his name was Oliver and that he cared about our family. But I don’t even remember what that was. I don’t know what happened… And I feel so bad… So bad.. I-I practically killed him,” you whispered. “He died because he was trying to help me… an-an-and it’s all my fault…” 

        You began to break down into tears, crying as your chest heaved. You began to cough as your ribs began to ache terribly, causing you to cry even more. Doctor Aeson placed a hand on your shoulder, pushing you back down on the bed, attempting to calm you down or else you would hurt yourself even more. 

        “It’s not your fault. Oliver died to protect you because he loved you.” Grabbing the pitcher and cup off the nightstand, he began to pour you some water. Setting the pitcher aside when he filled the cup, he handed it to you. “It was his choice to save you. If you don’t use the life he gave you to the fullest, what would become of his sacrifice?” 

You hiccuped, spilling a little bit of water on yourself and soaking the bed. You averted your eyes in embarrassment. 

        “S-Sorry…” The Doctor handed you a towel, and you let it rest over your shirt- or, Doflamingo’s shirt as it seemed. 

        “Right now you need rest. To take care of your body as you heal.” He frowned a bit when he saw a bit of dirt on your face. “And perhaps a bath. We couldn’t clean you much without causing you pain. You should be healed enough now to take one. I shall notify his Majesty.” 

        You watched with squinted eyes as he approached the door. He turned back to you with a soft smile that reminded you of Oliver before he died. “Make sure to stay hydrated,” he said, before he shut the door with a soft click. 

---

        “Can you stand?” You shook your head at the silly question. Of course you couldn’t stand with a twisted ankle. Doflamingo realized this as well, hands immediately finding your waist to support you as you stripped. 

        You fumbled with his shirt you were wearing, and in the end, Doflamingo ripped it to shreds. What was one shirt to the hundreds inside his closet? You leaned against him, feeling light headed. Your ankle throbbed, and chest ached; you just wanted to get this over with. 

        Doflamingo said nothing as he unclasped your bra, and used his strings to pull down your lower garments. There was a serious expression on his face as he guided you to the large bathtub. Water already filled the tub, steam being released into the air. It was a bathtub, but it seemed as though it were a shallow pool instead. 

        It sank into the floor like one of those public pools, and was about three-foot deep (he didn’t want to risk drowning after all). Your boyfriend had you sit on the ledge as he stripped from behind you, unbuttoning his shirt quickly before tossing it to the side. His pants and undergarments left next, and then his sunglasses, which were neatly placed on the ledge as he stepped into the tub. 

He stole a glance over at you.  

        Your eyes were downcast as you stared into the steaming waters, exhausted from the looks of it, and in desperate need of a bath. Your hair was oily and filled with dirt, and it just made him feel frustrated with how easily you had slipped from his fingers. How careless he had been. 

        This wasn’t his preferred way of sharing something intimate with you. He would have enjoyed it much more when you were mentally present with him, and looking all blushy mushy and adorable as he teased you. He let out a small sigh, hands reaching out to grab your waist, gently pulling you into the waters. 

        He let your head rest against his chest as he moved to a more shallow part of his abnormally large bathtub. When he did, he gently set you down, careful to prevent you from hurting too much. 

        With his devil fruit, your broken wrist was easily suspended in the air, and he made sure you were carefully secured before he made a move for the soap. He didn’t need you drowning right now. With a flick of his hand, the soaps came flying forwards on strings, dangling in the air as he moved through each one.

        Eyes landing on the shampoo, he decided to wash your hair first. Squeezing the soap out, he began to lather your hair gently, undoing knots that came his way. 

        “Doffy?” It was the first time you spoke to him since he had left you to sleep. He didn’t pause his ministrations as he answered you. 

        “Yes?” 

        “Where-Where is he?” He. He mused. You must have been referring to Oliver and where his body was at. 

        “I assumed you wanted him to be buried properly,” Doflamingo spoke. “I have a few people preparing for his burial.” You were silent and Doffy let you process his words. Before he knew it, you were crying again. 

        One hand covered your eyes as your body shook, and he let the hands in your hair fall down to your shoulders. It was a brief sob; most of your energy had been expended and you were still recovering. 

        His hand slowly came up to cup your cheek, swiping the tears away. You hiccuped, cracking your eyes slowly to stare up at Doflamingo. Your breath caught in your throat as he brought you to a gentle embrace. Your cheek pressed up against his chest as he pushed you closer to him, and you couldn’t help but feel… safe. 

Safe and fine, like everything would be alright. 

        “Doffy?” you spoke softly as you leaned against him. His hands were gently washing the soap suds out of your hair as he hummed softly. 

        “Yes, little girl?”

        “I… I-I love you.” You could feel his muscles stiffen from underneath you. “A-And… I’m-I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to worry you, I just thought that-” He cut you off by gently pressing his lips against your own, nibbling the soft flesh gently. 

        “Shh…” he whispered huskily. “I know. Fufufufu~” He chuckled, chest vibrating with every laugh he let out. “If you weren’t so injured, I would have taken you right here and now.” He cupped your cheek, kissing you deeply once more. 

        It was then that you realized that the two of you were very naked in his bathtub. And that you were very close together. You made a move to cover yourself, which was practically useless, considering he was the one who helped you get into the tub in the first place. But you did it anyways. 

        A shoot of pain coursed through your arm when you realized you had tugged down on the broken wrist that had suspended in the air. Before it could fall to the water, Doflamingo caught your arm, holding it delicately as if it were glass. 

        “So eager to touch me, hm?” he teased, but inspected your wrist worriedly nevertheless. You blushed furiously, and he laughed, kissing the top of your head. “I like you better with that face.” 

You hid your face with your nondominant hand (the unbroken one). 

        “Why are you… Why are you so kind to me?” you whispered, causing him to tilt his head. “I ran away to help him, and got hurt, and now everything you had been preparing for has gone to waste. You didn’t even get to take me to my first festival.” 

        You could help the tears or the sob that escaped you; you were just feeling so damn guilty, guilty for everything. Guilty for Oliver’s death, guilty for the fact that you caused your friends and family all such worry; why did you even deserve them all for all the pain and terror you probably caused them? 

        “Why can’t you just yell at me or something?” you cried into his chest. “Why can’t you just punish me or something instead of being so gentle and nice?” 

His hand pushed against your back, and you could feel his chest vibrate soothingly as he spoke. 

        “Is it wrong to be kind to you?” he asked, tilting your head up. “I will admit, the thought did cross my mind, but I don’t believe that I’d ever be able to bring myself to do so.” You sniffled. 

        “Why?” 

        “Would you hurt someone you care about, Y/n?” You shook your head slowly, and he gave you a soft smile. “Then there is your answer.” It wasn’t spoken aloud, but you could hear the intent behind his words.

I love you. 

        And somehow just him trying to show you his love was enough for you to feel warm and tingly inside. He was trying, and just the thought of it was enough. He cared.

        “You always somehow make me feel a little better,” you muttered. Leaning against his chest, you closed your eyes, and fell asleep. 

---

For the first time in years, Dressrosa received rain. 

        It did not come down in small sprinkles; it came down in a torrent of cats and dogs. The rain was hard and heavy, as if even the heavens were crying for your loss. Thunder cracked over head as the funeral director said a few words that you could barely even hear. 

        You thought that all your tears had been dried up, but you were wrong. You still had plenty to shed; it was evident as you were allowed to share a few words for the man. Doflamingo held an umbrella over your head as you stared at the few who gathered for your brother. 

        Just looking at the small gathering of people made your heart break. They were all just people who had never met the man personally, just your friends and the family. 

Oliver didn’t even have friends to gather around his casket. Maybe his friends didn’t even know that he died. 

        That thought made you sick to the stomach, and you swallowed to try and get rid of the nausea. Doflamingo nudged you with his elbow, and you took that as your cue to speak. You cleared your throat, taking a deep breath. 

        “Oliver… was my brother. I-I didn’t know him very well, only that he cared enough to do anything for me. He risked his life just so that mine would continue, and just that action makes him a good person.” You breathed out a shuddering breath.

        “He didn’t- He didn’t deserve the death he received. He was just a brother and a son who wanted nothing more than to see his family again. Even until his very last breath, he… he loved me. He loved me even though all I could see before me was a stranger.” A sniffle left you but you refused to let that stop what you had to say. 

        “I won’t- I won’t… I don’t want to let the life he gave me be in vain. I’m going to move on, for the both of us. I’m not going to live my life like nothing happened, because it did, but I won’t forget him. I don’t want to forget him this time. I won’t. Thank you.” 

        Doflamingo placed a hand on your shoulder, and you looked him in the eyes as he gave you a solemn look. It was not of pity, but of understanding. You didn’t break your gaze as you felt his hand slide down to your hands, intertwining them together, giving it a gentle squeeze. It was his turn to give a small speech. 

        “I will admit, it was rather wrong of me to lock Oliver up in my office. At the time, I was worried for the safety of Y/n, and upon recognizing who he was, I decided to take action. Never would I have thought that he would end up not only the brother of my lover, but the one who would end up saving her life.

They say that actions speak louder than words. 

        And in this instance, it was true. There was a fire in his eyes, a burning, passionate sibling love. I realize that I will never be able to repay this great debt that I owe, but I hope that by cherishing the one he loved with all his heart, that maybe one day, he will find peace.” 

You stood by his grave after everyone had bid their farewells and returned to the castle.

        The rain had cleared up slightly, and the sun peeked behind the clouds. Doflamingo stood by you as you continued to stand still, gazing at the tombstone. His hand never left your own, and you felt comforted by that fact. 

After a few minutes more of silence, you spoke. 

        “I’m sure… I’m sure he’s at peace. Oliver- I mean.” His gaze shifted to the tombstone that read: 

Oliver

A Beloved Brother and Son

Died xxxx

        “So I don’t think you have to worry about it that much…” His grip tightened around your smaller hands, and you looked up at him. “D-Doffy?” 

        “I do believe I made a promise,” he spoke with conviction. “I promised to keep you safe.” 

        “And you… make sure to keep her safe.” 

        Your heart fluttered at how dedicated he was to make sure that Oliver’s sacrifice was not in vain. You were lucky, so damn lucky to have him. You dried your eyes with you hand leaning up against him. Looking up at his face, you furrowed your brows when you saw that familiar mischievous grin on his face. 

        “And I do remember that we should use protection-” 

        “SHUSH!” you practically yelled at him, causing him to chuckle a little. And for a moment, you swore you heard Oliver’s rambunctious laughter as well. Maybe he was laughing with him. The thought made you smile, and you gripped onto Doflamingo’s hand tighter. 

        Maybe everything would be alright. Not now, or any time soon, but given time, you were sure these wounds would heal. They may leave scars, but they would heal. 

Chapter Text

        “I still can’t believe that I let you bathe me.” Doflamingo laughed in his spot beside you, nudging you with his foot. “Like… You didn’t see…” 

        “How entrancing you are?” he inputted with a flirtatious grin. “Every single little part of you?” You averted your eyes, fidgeting in your spot. 

        “... W-Why are you s-so flirty?” you grumbled under your breath, sinking further and further into the depths of the bathtub, attempting to hide away from his amused gaze. 

It had been a week since his funeral, and a few things have changed. 

        For one, Doflamingo seemed to hang around you more than ever before. He was extremely adamant about keeping you safe, and when he couldn’t follow you, he made sure that Baby 5 and your friends would be by your side. 

What a lovingly devoted boyfriend you had. 

        Another, was that your friends were getting even more clingy too, and not just your friends, but the whole Family too. It’s like they decided to take Doflamingo’s lead and swaddle you with all the love in the word. Nobody left you alone for even a second for the entire week that it was just so chaotic. You couldn’t even escape anyone when you went to bed because Doflamingo would be there to spoon you all night long. 

        Now, everything would have been all fine and dandy had not they all fought over who got to help cart you around the wheelchair, or who got to feed you, or who got to hang out with you in general, and- well, you get the memo. 

        With your injuries, everyone seemed more on edge and delicate with you. You appreciated their attempts at helping you (it was extremely amusing at first), but in all honesty, you kind of needed a break from all the screaming, yelling, explosions, grape ammo, paper, and puppets.

        At least Itachi had the decency to just give you food. Now that you thought about him, you kind of felt bad for him. How he wasn’t annoyed with constantly being pushed away by your friends and family was a wonder. That man had the patience of a literal saint. 

        One of the upsides to the whole chaos of a week was that you barely had time to think about Oliver. You didn’t want to just completely not think about him, but you didn’t want to exhaust yourself crying over him again. 

        At the current moment, the two of you were once again in the bathroom, inside of the large tub. You sat in the bathtub with your knees up against your chest, playing with the bubbles in the water with your nondominant hand. Your dominant hand, once again, laid suspended in the air by the use of Doflamingo’s Devil Fruit abilities. 

Doflamingo sat on the ledge beside you, part of his legs in the water as he had a towel wrapped around his more intimate areas. 

        The thing was about Devil Fruit users was that they can’t be in water, which kind of sucks because you wanted to have another bath with him again, even if he had been standing up the entire time. You even suggested to turn on the jets and see if those would affect him, but he didn’t really want to risk it, so he resorted to chilling beside you with his [hairy] legs in the water. 

        “Aw… Little girl, I thought you enjoyed my teasing.” You pouted when he poked your shoulder. “Oh look, it seems like you have a bit of soap in your hair. Allow me to get that for you.” 

        You yelped in surprise when Doflamingo grabbed a bucket and dumped water over your head. Wiping the water from your eyes, you turned your head to show him how annoyed you were. To your displeasure, he merely gave you a cheeky look. 

        “You’re welcome~” 

        “Wow, I feel so thankful,” you grumbled sarcastically. That caused him to chuckle, and with his abilities he let a towel zoom right to him. He held it in his hands as he said, “good, you should feel thankful that I took the time to assist you.” 

Huffing you crossed your arms (or one, since the other was suspended in the air), and turned away from him. 

        “And here I was going to ask if you wanted to do something together because I wanted to spend some time with you.” 

Doflamingo let out a soft chuckle, drying your head with the towel as an apology. 

        “Are you not satisfied with bathing together?” 

        “I just want to do something else with you.” You halted, hesitantly staring up at him. “Is… Is that okay?” 

        “Hm… only if you give me the pleasure of knowing what it is that you want.” 

You thought for a moment. 

        “Er… I don’t know… maybe we can go to bed and-” You paused, frowning immensely at the suggestive look Doflamingo was giving you. “I-I was going to say read. Stop! Stop looking at me like that!” 

        He let out a bubble of laughter, stepping out and walking to grab a few towels, allowing you to get a nice view of that ass. You hid your face. Oh god no. You averted your eyes to focus on something else. You felt like a pervert. 

        Doflamingo stepped up to you, a knowing smile on his facial features. Placing one towel  beside you, bent down low to your level, giving you a sly grin. 

        “Are you sure you don’t want me to please you? I’ll be gentle~” You violently shook your head, and he smirked. “Well, don’t keep me waiting too long, little girl. Daddy needs his fill.” 

Your jaw dropped. “D-Doffy!” 

        “Mhm yes, call my name just like that,” he teased. “Not too much teasing for you, is it? You look like you’re going to faint.” With that, he laughed, walking to the door before he paused, not even turning around to get one last word in. 

        “By the way, little girl. You have a rather enticing body.” And then he left just like that, as if he didn’t just cause you the embarrassment of several life-times. 

        Sinking deeper into the warm waters, you contemplated on getting out, but you didn’t. You just sat there in the abnormally large bathtub with a stupid grin on your face. By the time you decided to step out and dry yourself, you didn’t even realize that your injuries didn’t even hurt anymore. 

---

        “This guy’s my favorite, even though he’s not the main character.” You pointed to the white haired, masked man in your manga that Doflamingo had saved from the fire. “Oh, but you know, Sukuna is a good character too.” 

Doflamingo chuckled from behind you, wrapping his arms firmly around your waist. 

        “You seem to have more fascination for little drawings than for your own boyfriend, Y/n.” He pinched your cheek gently, laughing when you averted your eyes. 

        “They’re not just drawings,” you pouted a little. “They’re characters with their own unique personalities and interests. You know, Sukuna’s kind of like you in a way.” 

        “Oh? How so?” You put a hand under your chin. 

        “Well, you’re both super badass so that’s one.” Your blunt answer caused him to chuckle, and he nuzzled deep into the crook of your neck. 

        “Hmm, tell me more.” You felt heat in your cheeks and hurriedly tried to think of other things that they had in common. But it was kind of difficult when your hot boyfriend was distracting you from doing so. 

        “You both like to torment people, so I guess that’s one too.” Doflamingo nibbled and kissed the shell of your ear as you continued to talk. “I want to say you’re both strong, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you fight before.” 

        Tilting your head to look at Doflamingo, you let out a small gasp when he smashed his lips against your own, continuing to swaddle you with cuddles as he did so.

        “Maybe you will soon,” he cooed. “I’ll be willing to demonstrate to you just how strong your boyfriend is.” His strong arms tightened around you, pulling you closer to his chest. “But, I want to hear more. Is there something you like about both of us that you’re not sharing?” 

        “Or maybe,” -he grinned down at you- “something you like about me?” 

        You felt your face heat up as the blood rushed to your cheeks. Averting your eyes, you covered your face with the manga in embarrassment. There was one thing that you liked about both of them. 

        “E-Er… Well you’re-you’re both…” You didn’t know if you could finish that sentence, so you just trailed off. He gently took the manga out of your hands, staring at you. 

        “Both…?” he pushed, a teasing smile on his face. God damn it he already knew what you were going to say, didn’t he? Pushing his face out of the way, you grabbed the manga and began to read by yourself. “Little girl…” he cooed. “That’s not very nice.” 

        “Shhh!! You already know what I was going to say!” He feigned a confused expression. 

        “Oh do I now?” You nudged him in the chest with your elbow. 

        “Be quiet, I’m trying to read.” You grabbed the book with your hands, flipping the page. Doflamingo was silent as he spooned you from behind. Just a little too quiet. Confused, you looked up to see him intently staring down at you. “Uh… Doffy?” 

        “Does your wrist hurt?” You blinked in confusion. 

        “What?” You watched as he grabbed your arm, turning it around and inspecting it, before making a quick motion with his fingers. The cast split apart cleanly, and he broke it apart with his hands to inspect your wrist. Front and back, he bent it, and you felt no pain. 

        Now that you thought about it, wasn’t that wrist broken earlier? Removing your arm from his grasp, you inspected it for yourself, moving your wrist back and forth. Your jaw dropped. 

It didn’t hurt. It was healed!

Hands going for your chest, you realized that your ribs don't hurt any more either, nor did your twisted leg! But why…? 

Wait. 

        “Doffy, did you put something in the bath?” you asked in confusion. You watched as his face morphed into a smirk. 

        “Did I? Perhaps I did, perhaps I didn’t.” You purse your lips, unamused. 

        “You did, didn’t you?” He gave you a confused look, and you rolled your eyes at him. “Well, whatever you did, thanks. I feel better. You’re the best boyfriend I could ever ask for.” 

        You resumed back to reading, and you felt Doflamingo rest his chin on your shoulder. If you had looked back at this very moment, you would have seen the contemplative expression on his face, as well as the frown the frown evident on his face. 

After a bit more of silence, you let out a hum. 

        “Hey Doffy?” 

        “Yes, my little girl?” he replied, twirling/fiddling with a lock of hair on your head. You closed the book, and looked back at him curiously. 

        “What’s ‘BDSM’?” He stopped twirling your hair to stare back at you incredulously. You laughed awkwardly. “Sorry if it came off as sudden, but I remembered a conversation I had with Oliver.”

        He noted the nostalgic smile that suddenly stretched across your face as you reminisced in the old memories (not very old since it only happened last week).

        “He said that I should ask you to teach me when I asked him about it,” you spoke softly. “I remember him snickering under his breath when we walked away. It’s something bad, isn’t it?”

        Doflamingo turned your body around so that you were both chest to chest. You felt your body slowly warming up as you felt embarrassed at how intensely he was staring down at you. That embarrassment increased tenfold when he subtly licked his bottom lip, his breath fanning your face as he leaned closer. His right hand gently rose to cup your cheek, caressing it softly before pinching it. 

A deep, throaty chuckle left his lips. 

        “That clever little brother of yours…” he huskily spoke under his breath. “Do you care for the demonstration, or just an explanation?” You swallowed thickly. You got the feeling that you should probably ask for the explanation instead of the demonstration. 

        “The-The explanation is fine…” you stuttered. He pouted at you, before grinning once more. Sitting up, he pulled you into his lap to a cradle, placing a gentle kiss on your lips. 

        “Very well then, though I’m rather disappointed.” Tilting his head down to you, he gave you a grin. “ ‘BDSM’ is an acronym for, Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadism and Masochism.” He chuckled when you gave him a confused expression. “In simpler words, it’s sex, but much more exciting.” 

You blinked once.

Then twice. 

        “...oh.” 

        “...OH-” My god you asked your brother to teach you something concerning sex; no wonder why he seemed like he was laughing his ass off. Oh the embarrassment! 

        You quickly covered your mouth, face unbelievably hot, and curled into a ball, hiding your face from Doflamingo’s view. Oh shit, no wonder why Doflamingo asked if you wanted the demonstration or the explanation. Now you were feeling extremely glad that you chose the explanation or else things would have gone a little different. 

        Your [cruel] boyfriend was laughing at the shame you were feeling now, all too amused by your innocence. You felt so humiliated, it was unbelievable. Eventually, his laughter began to die down, and you gazed up at him curiously. 

        “Hey… Doffy?” you asked nervously. “Do you think… Do you think we can go and… maybe… uh… visit him maybe?” Your eyes drifted down to your lap. “I just want to show him that you're happy with me- I mean uh, I’m happy with you.”

You held your wrist tightly, timidly gazing into his eyes. 

        “I mean… You’re happy with me right?” You nibbled your lip nervously as he stared you down. There was a blank expression on his face, and you questioned whether that was good or bad. 

It had to be bad. Your heart sank at the thought as you quickly apologized for your brashness. 

        “Oh-Oh… I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to assume… I thought that-” 

        “Y/n.” You stiffened at the sound of his name, not finding the courage to look him in the eye. “Look me in the eye.” Squeezing your eyes shut, you found yourself unable to meet his gaze. You felt yourself becoming hysterical with each moment, tears beginning to form in your eyes. 

        You gasped softly and flinched when you felt a warm hand on your chin, gingerly guiding it upwards. You slowly opened your eyes, eyesight blurry with tears, and yet you could still make out that soft expression on his face that made you melt like ice cream in summer’s heat right then in there. 

        “If I didn’t think I was happy with you, then you wouldn’t be here with me.” He gave you a loving smile, a smile just for you. Leaning down, he kissed you deeply on the lips, chuckling when he saw you grinning through your tears like it was the best day of your life. 

Picking you off the bed, he cradled you in his arms like a baby.

        “Let’s go see that mischievous brother of yours.” The sound of growling suddenly filled the room, and his eyes flickered down to your nervous form. A small smirk left his lips. “Lunch first then.” 

        “That-That sounds good. I’m starving.” 

Chapter Text

        It wasn’t as painful to see his grave like the first time. The sun was beaming out upon the graves you held the flowers in your hand with a smile. The skies were clear, and you could see little birds fluttering and chirping by happily. Doflamingo gently set you to the ground, and you immediately ran up to the grave. 

Perhaps the reason was because the first time came to you like a shock. 

Stopping in your steps once you stood in front of the stone, you bent down to place the flowers that Doffy bought for you down. 

        “Hi Oliver,” you spoke softly. “Sorry I haven’t been thinking about you lately, everyone’s been crowding around me like little touch-starved puppies.” You giggled at your own joke, hiding your hands behind your back. “I hope you’re doing well. I came by with my boyfriend that you teased me about.” 

Doflamingo walked forward, taking a step beside you so that he could intertwine his fingers within your own. 

        “We’re very happy together, and I want to thank you for saving me.” You breathed in. “I’m thankful for everything you’ve done for me, even if I don’t remember you that much…” 

        “And also…” Your face suddenly looked extremely flustered. 

        “WHY DID YOU LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING SO EMBARRASSING?!” you exclaimed, hiding your face with your hands, practically near tears. “This guy over here,” you gestured to Doflamingo wildly, “made fun of me because of you!” He chuckled from beside you, tugging you into his arms so that he could rest his chin on your head. 

        “I’m quite sure he would have teased you as well,” he spoke behind your ear, causing your hairs to stand up. “Besides, who wouldn’t want to tease such a lovely little lady like you?” You shivered when he licked the shell of your ear, and you tensed, eyes shifting quickly to the grave. 

        “Don’t do this in front of him…” you whined. “Look at him, he’s probably laughing at me…” Doflamingo turned to stare at the grave with a raised brow. 

        “Then I’d simply tell him that you’re my girlfriend and that I get to tease you as much as I desire,” he countered, tilting your head to capture your lips. Your hands immediately flew to his chest, pushing against his pectorals. 

        “NOT IN FRONT OF HIS GRAVE!” You felt your hair stand on end when you could hear distant laughing. Whipping your head to the side, you frowned when you didn’t see anything. You were just hearing things again. 

        You heaved out an amused sigh. Maybe one day you would find out more of your past. In the meantime, you hoped that Oliver would be kind enough to watch over you as your guardian angel. 

        Doflamingo hummed to himself, stepping over towards the grave and leaning forward. “Your brother was quite the amusing prankster, little girl.” Doflamingo flicked his wrist to create a small thread flower. 

Turning around, he held it out for you to take. 

        “And now, that I’m under the obligation to take the utmost care of you,” a grin began to form on his face as he stared you down. You hesitantly took the flower and carefully turned it around in your hands in fascination before staring back up at him. 

        “I have decided that you deserve the vacation I never gave you.” You tilted your head in confusion. 

        “What?” 

---

        “Wait, so we’re going to go on a vacation?” Deidara’s jaw dropped as he stared at Doflamingo, dumbfounded. “So like, with an actual beach?! Not like the rocks that surround this fucking island?! Hell yeah! Sasori-dana, did you hear that?!” 

        “Shut up. You’re ruining my concentration.” Sasori squinted his eyes as he used his miniscule wood chipper to add tiny details to his newest project. 

        Sasori was always one to focus on his puppets. As an artist, he reveled in his ‘eternal art’, believing that beauty was meant to be preserved. His counterpart, Deidara, begged to differ, choosing to create clay sculptures that exploded upon impact. They were like two peas in a pod, and yet they were complete opposites. 

Deidara rolled his eyes. 

        “Why can’t you just mess up?” he grumbled under his breath. At that moment, he heard Sasori curse and snap his neck up to glare into his eyes. Dediara’s mouth dropped open, before he started to laugh. “You actually messed up?! HA! That’s why my art is superior! I-” 

        “I don’t appreciate being ignored.” Deidara slowly turned his head to the side to gaze nervously up at Doflamingo.

        “Ahaha… We’ll definitely go, don’t worry-un!” he said, laughing nervously. “Oh yeah, wait, tell Y/n that to bring it.” The King of Dressrosa raised a brow. 

        “It?” 

        “She’ll definitely know what I’m talking about when you tell her-un!” A mischievous grin made its way onto his face. “We’re going to have loads of fun.” 

        “Deidara, don’t tell me you’re planning on doing it again?” Doflamingo raised a curious eyebrow at the two of them before he chuckled. 

        “I’m assuming you’re not planning on telling me, are you?” he mused. “Very well, it should be amusing to see what you decide to do.” He turned around to leave, placing a hand on the door. “We leave at dawn. And-” a smirk crawled it’s way onto his face, “explosives are permitted on the ship.” 

The door shut closed, and Deidara threw his fist in the air. 

        “HELL YEAH!” 

        “AHHHH WE’RE GOING ON A VACATION?!” Ino and Rebecca squealed in delight. They were practically beaming and crying tears of joy together in the lounge. 

        Doflamingo couldn’t help but chuckle at their amusing behavior. He could see why you got along with them so well. They had such energetic personalities; those same personalities were probably what made you so happy. He couldn’t help but feel grateful towards them, even if they were quite annoying sometimes. 

        His eyes drifted over to Rebecca, and he couldn’t help the twitch down of his frown. Rebecca’s eyes suddenly lifted up, meeting his gaze, and it was clear to Doflamingo of the distrust and hatred in those eyes as she watched him. He grinned back at her. 

        “Yes, you could say that. We leave tomorrow at dawn, so be prepared to take anything of value.” He paused, seeing the way Ino’s eyes were glimmering with mischief. 

        “Oh my god, I just realized. Did Deidara tell Y/n to bring it?” He chuckled. 

        “Are you all going to keep me in the dark about what this ‘it’ is?” Ino’s eyes widened, before she grinned.

        “You’ll find out soon enough,” she spoke lazily, waving him off. Looking over her shoulder, she met her boyfriend, Sai’s, eyes. “Oi, did you hear that Sai?” 

        “I did,” he said with a smile. “Make sure you pack that nice set of lingerie when we have-” 

        “SHUT IT!” Ino squealed, face burning a bright crimson. “Those are extremely private matters between you and me!” Sai tilted his head. 

        “You always bug Y/n about it, so I don’t see what the big deal is.” 

        That was very true, and Ino knew for a fact that it was true as well. Doflamingo stared down at Ino curiously, an amused grin on his face. So it seems that he wasn’t the only one who liked to tease you. 

        “IT’S DIFFERENT!” she hollered, smacking him on the head. 

        Itachi, who was also in the room, lifted his gaze to stare up at Doflamingo. He had always been wary of the man, but for him to suddenly say that they were to go on vacation was just rather… unexpected. He assumed that this was a way for him to help you relax after the whole kidnapping situation, but it was rather kind of him to extend the invitation for them as well. 

Who would have thought that Doflamingo wasn’t as selfish as he seemed? 

        He paused in his thinking, remembering back to an old memory with a small smile. No, he knew for a fact that there was a small shred of goodness within the King, whether he knew of it or not. 

As he watched Doflamingo leave, Itachi let out a soft sigh. Perhaps in the future you would learn the truth. For now, however…

        “STOP EMBARRASSING ME IN FRONT OF Y/N’S HOT BOYFRIEND!” 

        “I do think that her boyfriend is more terrifying than ‘hot’.” 

You could simply just enjoy life being ignorant to how your fate had been set in stone the moment you set foot on the island. 

---

        “Your friend Deidara requested that you bring ‘it’.” You paused your packing abruptly, whipping your head up to stare up at your boyfriend incredulously. He gave you an amused smile, leaning forward to capture lips in your stunned state. 

He leaned into your ear, whispering huskily, “care to let me know what exactly this ‘it’ is, and should I be concerned?” 

        A bubble of laughter escaped you, and you shook your head, pushing him off of you so that you could continue to pack. Well, he didn’t exactly budge, especially with his size, and he gave you a teasing smile and a ruffling at your hair for your efforts. 

        “No, no need for you to be concerned,” you reassured. “Actually, I think it’ll be quite fun to do with everyone. I think you might enjoy it. It’ll be great to do on the ship.” 

He let out a hum, planting his lips on your neck. 

        “Is that right?” You nodded your head slightly, stuffing more clothes into your pink suitcase (courtesy of hot boyfriend), not very bothered by his ministrations. Doflamingo seemed to notice that as well and he let out a chuckle. 

        “Too excited to go on the trip to pay attention to your boyfriend?” he teased, pulling you flush against his chest with his arms. You struggled a bit before letting out a sigh, looking up at him with a small pout. 

        “You could say that.” You snorted when his eyebrows twitched. “Haha, I’m just kidding! You’re too attractive to not pay attention to.” You paused, quickly covering your open mouth with your hands in horror. 

Oh my god. You were being casual with your boyfriend. (The horror! lmao) 

        "Fufufufu~ Look at you getting bold,” he said with a smirk poking you in the cheek. He leaned in to kiss your jawline, and you couldn’t help but let out a small laugh from how it gave you little tickles. 

        “Haha.. say Doffy, where did you say we were going?” you asked as you twisted around to pull him in. Leaning against his chest, you closed your eyes, feeling and listening to his heartbeat. 

        “We shall take a small trip to a small island that I happen to own,” he spoke, fondling your hair around with his fingers. “They happen to have quite the beaches, unlike Dressrosa.” 

        You nodded your head in understanding. That was right, Dressrosa didn’t really have any beaches, with it being surrounded by rock. And with all those rocks, came caves as well. You thought back to the cave you and Doflamingo first shared a simple kiss. 

You felt your cheeks warm up. That had been the best night of your life. 

        “What are you thinking about that’s making you so flustered, little girl?” he asked, picking you up by the waist and placing you onto the bed. You averted your eyes in a timid manner. “Fufufufu~ No need to answer then, I already know the answer.” 

Tilting your chin up to meet his eyes, he gave you a grin. 

        “Only I can make you feel the way you do.” His fingers trailed down your skin gingerly, brushing up against your shirt. "And-," his facial features softened as he took in your nervous form. He caressed your cheek softly, planting small kisses along your jawline and neck. 

        "Only you can make me feel the way I do." 

Chapter Text

        When Doflamingo woke up the next morning to see that you were not beside him in bed, he was not panicking. He stretched slowly as he sat up, pulling on some of his usual attire before opening the balcony door open. Like every morning, he was greeted with the sun’s beautifully warm rays, to which he found himself comparing it to his beautiful significant other’s small (but warm) hugs. 

        Speaking of her, she may have been nowhere in sight, but he knew perfectly well as to where she had snuck off to, not that she could of course. He may have let her have this sense of unbridled freedom, but she was constantly under watch. Never again would he let her out of his sights.

        Pointing a finger up towards the sky, he pulled himself up into the air, swinging his way through the air to find the one place he knew where she would be just hours before the trip. 

        His shoes landed softly upon the grass as he could see her hunched form beside the stone slate. Walking slowly towards her small form, he could hear her soft sniffles as she desperately tried to keep herself quiet. But alas, she was unsuccessful. 

        He knew he would find her here, at the small tomb of her brother. Perhaps she sought solace before the trip, reassurance or a blessing. Whatever it was, he let her have her moment before breaking the silence. 

        “Little girl, it’s almost time to leave.” He could see the way her body tensed up, startled by his sudden presence. “I hope you are packed and ready.” 

        She cleared her throat, wiping the tears off of her face before swiveling around to face him. Doflamingo took notice of her swollen red eyes and tear stained cheeks, but made no comment. 

        “I-I’m ready,” she stuttered, walking up to him timidly, only to grab his hand. “Sorry I snuck off. I’m sure you were worried, Doffy.” 

        He shook his head with a grin. “Not at all. If I were worried, I wouldn’t have let you snuck off in the first place.” Doflamingo leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. “Now, I’m sure you haven’t had breakfast yet. I wouldn’t want you to be starving when I should be taking care of you.” 

She nodded her head along to his words, looping her arms around his neck as he swooped her off her feet bridal style. 

        “What’s for breakfast? Not lobster again, I hope.” 

        “Little girl, you hurt my feelings.” 

---

Ino and Rebecca excitedly squealed together as the ship took off. 

        “This is going to be so much fun!!” Ino exclaimed, watching the waves break as the ship ran its course to a resort island called Love Love Paradise.

        You, on the other hand, was nervous as fuck and was gripping the railing so hard that you swore that you left hand prints. It’s been a little over two years since you last set foot on a ship, and you were starting to feel sick from all the nerves. Before you could hurl off the side of the ship, a hand placed itself on your shoulder. 

        “Hey Y/n, do you- OH SHIT!” Deidara screamed as you jumped and screamed at his face. “Oi Oi Oi calm down!! It’s just me!” 

        You quickly shut you mouth, giving him an apologetic smile. “Oops. Sorry. You know you almost made me barf on you.” Deidara’s face scrunched up at your words. 

        “Gross. Are you not feeling good?” You shook your head. 

        “I think I’ll be fine. Just… I’m just really nervous.” Deidara was quiet for a moment before he immediately brightened up with that familiar look on his face. You recognized it; it was his scheming face. 

        “Y/n~” he cooed. “Did you bring it?” 

        You gave him a sly grin. “Did I bring it? Dei, I totally brought it.” You both laughed together quietly, trying and failing to keep your voices down as you eventually cracked up. “Dei, this is going to go so wrong.” 

        “You mean so right. Let’s get the other to join in on this. Oh, and bring your boy toy too. This is going to be the bomb-un! I’ll even get Sasori-danna!” 

        “Everything is going to go wrong.” 

        “Bah, this is going to be great!” 

Everything goes wrong in a game of Uno. Especially when it’s a tweaked version of Uno. 

        Everyone sat together in a circle is Deidara began to explain the rules. Those who have played this version before (that being your friends) were already pumped up. Except for Sasori, who was dragged to the game against his own free will. 

Doflamingo, Baby 5, Giolla, however, haven’t played the game before, and that was what made it exciting. 

        “Alright, so basically it’s just a regular game of Uno except every time you draw a card, you have to do a truth or dare.” At Deidara’s words, Doflamingo began to look intrigued. 

        “Everytime?” Doflamingo repeated. “Well that sounds fun, doesn’t it, Y/n?” You felt your face heat up when he pulled you closer to his side. “And how is the truth or dare decided? Is it a group decision or is it decided by an individual?” 

Deidara pulled out an empty beer bottle. “And that’s why I brought this. We’ll spin the bottle to see who gets to decide their fate.” 

        If anything, Doflamingo looked extremely amused by Deidara’s words. There was that familiar glint in his eyes that he would get whenever he was planning on doing something mischievous. You knew that whatever he was planning, it probably wasn’t any good. 

        “You know we should totally play spin the bottle afterwards,” Ino mentioned, to which Doflamingo pulled you closer to his side. 

        “Hmm, why don’t we play spin the bottle together, hm little girl? Fufufufu, wouldn’t that be fun?” He gave you a shit eating grin, nudging you in the side when all you could do was avert your eyes shyly. 

        You pursed your lips. “I don’t think we need to play spin the bottle to get me to kiss you, Doffy.” His mouth stretched wider at your answer, as he chuckled. 

        “Good answer.” 

        “Alright you two,” Rebcca grumbled. “Enough with the flirting. We got a game to play.” You noticed the way Rebecca’s eyes lingered on Doflamingo, narrowing slightly and filled with hostility. 

        You wondered if the two had some sort of history together for her to be acting like this. Or maybe Doflamingo bugged her a little too much when you weren’t paying attention. Either way, you didn’t have much time to dwell on it as Deidara began to chuck cards at everyone. 

        “Why am I even here…” Sasori complained just as Deidara hit him in the face with a card. “Fuck you, you dissapoinment.” 

        “Let’s try to get along,” you awkwardly said, trying to calm the two down. “It’s been a while since we’ve played together, right Itachi?” 

        Itachi’s body jumped up as he quickly looked you in the eyes. He did not expect you to drag him into the conversation like that. Especially when he was barely listening and was just daydreaming and reminiscing about the past. 

        “Ah, right. It has been quite a while.” 

        “...” 

        “...”

        “Okay, things seriously got awkward, what is wrong with all of you?” you muttered under your breath. Looking around the room, your eyes landed on… Giolla! “Giolla! Have you, uh, played the game before?” 

        Giolla laughed at your attempt to lighten the mood. “No dear, I haven’t. But it does sound exciting. You must have played plenty of times before in the past?” 

        “Oh yeah, definitely! We almost got arrested when-” You shut your mouth as Doflamingo, Baby 5, and Giolla gave you raised eyebrows. You coughed into your sleeve. “I-I mean, whaaa? We didn’t almost get arrested. Haha, right Dei?” 

You froze. Nonononono Dei was the last person you wanted to bring up. 

        “Uh ye-yeah-un! We didn’t get arrested!” The blond artist grinned. “Not after I came to our rescue when I bombed the pi-” 

Sasori and Ino facepalmed. 

        “You idiot.” 

        “Fufufufu~” Doflamingo laughed, leaning in with intrigue. “Bombing the pier? Almost getting arrested? That was your little group?” He turned to you, that same grin on his face. But, you could see that he wasn’t angry, he was more so amused. 

        “Little girl, who knew you could be such a troublemaker.” 

        “Oh my- LET’S JUST START THE GAME!” you yelled, hiding your face and scooting away from him as an attempt to save yourself. Everyone busted out laughing, only adding more to your embarrassment. 

        “Damn it, I need a red.” Sasori was about to take a card from the draw pile when someone spoke up. 

        “I have a red Sasori-san!! You can have mine!” 

        “Baby 5, that’s not how you play the game,” Ino gently reprimanded. Baby 5 pouted as she waved the red 5 she had in her hands at Sasori. 

        “But he needs a red!” 

        “He needs to draw from the pile!” 

        “But then he’s going to have to spin the bottle! Sasori-san said he doesn’t want to spin the bottle!” 

        “Oi brat,” Sasori called out. “Give me that card.” 

        “DO YOU GUYS EVEN KNOW HOW TO PLAY?!” 

        Doflamingo chuckled as he held the one card in his hand, which also happened to be a red 5. You knew this because you were currently sitting in between his legs because his legs were “getting cold”. Like bruh, it was 85^o outside and you’re complaining that it’s “cold”. 

You knew what he was doing. 

        He was showing off how well he could play cards. The intent behind it was him jabbing at you that he could win the game with you knowing his exact cards. And so far, everything has been going his way. 

Your boyfriend was freakishly good at uno, despite the fact that it was his first time playing. 

        “YOU’RE NO MY BEST FRIEND ANYMORE!” Deidara yelled. 

        “YOU DAMN BRAT! SINCE WHEN WERE WE EVEN FRIENDS?!” 

        “YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO TELL THE TRUTH! YOU SHOULD HAVE LIED AND SAID THAT YOU LIKED MY ART!” 

        “WHY WOULD I LIE ABOUT SOMETHING I RESENT?!” 

        “They’re being quite loud, aren’t they?” Sai smiled warmly as the bottle landed on Ino. “Truth.” 

Ino was internally dying as the duo were screaming profanities at each other. At least she could take her mind off it by asking Sai his question. 

        “Alright Sai, here’s you question. What do you think of me?” Sai didn’t even need to think for a second before answering with a closed eyed smile. 

        “I think you’re very beautiful.” Ino felt as if she were melting. Aww, that was so sweet- “But I think your nose could be a bit smaller.” 

        “...” 

The room suddenly got really quiet, and you could hear Rebecca’s quiet “oh shiiiit”. 

        “WHAAAAAAAAAT?!” 

Sai could only tilt his head in confusion. “I chose the truth. Was I supposed to lie?” 

        The screaming and yelling only intensified, and you, Doflamingo, Giolla, Baby 5, Rebecca, and Itachi could only sit there as the couple and the two artists screamed at each other. Ah yes, uno, the game that broke friendships and fueled rivalries and enemies. It was a game about betrayal, because in a game of uno, it was you or nothing. 

It was the game where everyone’s true nature was revealed. 

Doflamingo averted his attention from your friends to you. “Well now, I believe it’s your turn.” 

        You nibbled on the inside of your cheek, staring at the cards in your hands. Your hands shook violently, and you quickly placed them face down. Looking up, you gave your boyfriend a nervous smile. 

        “C-Can I skip my turn? I don’t want this to be another screamfest.” His grin intense grin softened, and he whispered softly into your ear. 

        “No.” 

        “But you’ll win~” you cooed, attempting to persuade him. He could only give you an amused look as he shook his head. 

        “I don’t think so, young Lady. You’re playing this fair and square.” 

        “You bastard,” you grumbled as you silently cried. All your fucking cards were blue. Grabbing from the discard pile, you huffed when the card was red, and slapped it down furiously. Grabbing the bottle, you spinned it aggressively, only to watch it land on…

        “Fufufufu~ Well isn’t that fun. Truth or dare, Y/n?” 

GOD WHAT HASTH I DONE TO OFFEND YOU?!

        “Poor Dear,” Giolla spoke, shaking her head. “The Young Master isn’t exactly the best person you would like to have a truth or dare with.” 

        Baby 5 nodded her head, eyes narrowing at him. “Yeah, and he cheated. He made sure to pull the bottle with his Devil fruit so that it would land on him.” 

Your jaw dropped as you looked up at Doflamingo in accusation. “You said we were playing this fair and square! But you cheated!” 

        Doflamingo had that smirk on his face that you just wanted to slap right off of him. “Did I? Dear, I’m quite sure I told you that you should be playing fair and square. I never said ‘we’.” He patted your head as if you were a small child. 

You, meanwhile, were fuming. 

        “Fine! Well, then I’m going to choose truth!” He grinned, poking you on the cheek. 

        “Are you sure about that? Because I have a really nice question I’d like to have an answer to~” 

You blanched, suddenly regretting your choice. He knows when you’re lying, and he no doubt is going to ask a hard hitting question. But if you choose dare, then he could just dare you to answer his question!

        “I hate you,” you grumbled. “Fine, I choose Dare!” 

        “Fufufufu~ Good choice.” Your heart froze in your chest when he cupped his hand over your cheek. “So, dear.” You felt yourself physically melt at the pet name. 

        “Go on a date with me.”

Chapter Text

        “Go on a date with me.”

GO ON A DATE?!

        Your jaw dropped, and the whole room went silent at Doffy’s declaration. Okay okay Y/n, calm your ass down, your boyfriend just asked you on a date using the game that you guys were playing. You got to be chile. You got to say something cool and sexy like- “Oh~ so you wanna go on a date with me?” 

Yeah yeah, let’s go with that.

        “Oh… so you wanna go on a date with… me?” 

Oh my gawd, that sounds like I’m self-deprecating. FUCK.

        “Fufufufu, don’t be like that dear,” he cooed, ruffling your hair. “Of course I’d want to go on a date with my significant other. And I’ll even make it a memorable one, as it will be our first together.” 

Damn, why are you so smooth? I totally don’t deserve you!

        “Oh that’s so cute!!” Ino squealed after she finished slapping the hell out of Sai. “Sai, aren’t they cute?! Like oh my gosh!!! I feel like I’m watching one of my K-Dramas right now!!” 

        “Man’s got some moves,” Deidara commented, only to have Sasori swing a puppet at his head. “OI DANNA! I’M SORRY OKAY!” 

        You nervously fidgeted in his lap. “B-But I mean, it’s not like I don’t want to go, it’s just… you didn’t have to ask me using the game. I would… I mean, I’d really like to go on a d-date with you!” 

        “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t have the option of saying no.” Chuckling, he swept you off your feet, slinging your body over his shoulder easily as if it were nothing but a small blanket. “And what better to do that then with an audience?” 

You huffed under your breath. “Typical.” Blinking, you gave everyone a confused expression as Doflamingo began to walk away. 

        “W-Wait, where are we going?” 

        “I just won the game,” he said as a matter of fact. Your eyes immediately darted to the pile to see that he placed down his card. “And now I want to spend time with my beautiful prize.” 

        Without having a word in, Doflamingo strutted out of the room and headed for the deck. You weren’t able to see what was in the front, but you could feel your mouth beginning to water at the delicious scents of your favorite food wafting through the air. 

        You felt Doflamingo’s hands snake up to your waist as he picked you up with a grin. Gently setting you down on a chair, you widen your eyes at the large selection of foods presented just for you. Across from you, Doflamingo took a seat in his own chair, crossing his leg over the other as he watched you intently. 

        “Well dear?” He casually took a sip of champagne, looking so fucking heavenly as the sun drenched his god like body. 

        He laughed, knowing exactly what was going through your mind. “Why don’t you stop oogling me like that and actually start eating? Unless you want me to eat-” Before he could say another word, you shoved a piece of lobster into his mouth. 

        Doflamingo chewed slowly, clearly too amused by your behavior. “Oh~ So we’re doing it that way, hm?” He leaned forward, cutting up a piece of steak (or something else if you don’t like steak) from his plate and lifting up to your face. 

        “Say ah dear~” Embarrassed, you closed your eyes shut tightly and opened your mouth. Only to freak out when it wasn’t the food that was in your mouth. Snapping your eyes open, you found yourself face to face with Doffy, his tongue half-way in your mouth.

        “DOFFY! CAN’T WE JUST ENJOY A MEAL FOR ONE MOMENT?!” you complained, pushing his body away as he laughed. Snatching the fork from his hand, you angrily shoved the food into your mouth. 

        “Fufufufu~ Dear, it was simply too amusing to see your priceless reaction.” 

        “AMUSING?! I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO EAT!” 

        “Well, I certainly want to eat you~” he teased, only to pause at your unamused expression. “I’m not apologizing for wanting to enjoy this little vacation.”

You huffed, shoveling food into your face. “I know.” 

        He pouted a little, leaning over the table. “Dear~ Don’t you want to be romantic like we were earlier? I know you enjoyed it.” He pushed his plate a little closer to your side of the table.

        “I’ll even let you eat my portion.” 

        “I hate you.” He didn’t react, only grinning as if he knew exactly what went through your head. He probably did, that smart ass. 

        “Let me feed you again.” 

        Your lips quivered as you attempted to not stare up at his face, but you couldn’t help but look. When you did, you immediately regretted it. His chin rested upon his right hand as he watched you intently as if it were just you in this large, wide world. 

How could you deny this hot hunk of a man?! 

        “... Fine.” You gave in, opening your mouth, this time making sure to keep your eyes wide open. Doflamingo laughed as he carefully placed the food into your mouth. He looked pleased, and, well, a pleased boyfriend was better than an upset one. 

        He seemed all too happy with feeding you, even asking if the food was any good. To which you responded that it was good; very flavorful, if you had to say. And then he had the audacity to smile- not one of his usual grins that made people want to shit their pants at, but an actual genuine one. 

        It was marvelous, the way his lips didn’t seem to strained; it was relaxed, content, and you just couldn’t help the way your heart skipped a beat. Or the way your breath hitched as the air clogged up in your throat. 

        You could only stare helplessly up at his face, too immersed in his beauty. Eyes trailing back down to his lips, you blinked several times to see that he wasn’t smiling anymore. No, he was grinning like a child on Christmas day. 

        “See something you like, dear?” he purred, leaning on his elbow as he scooted closer to you. His hand inched over the table to grasp your own. “This is what I want. This is what I want our date to be. Just like this.” 

He turned his head to look at the beautiful blue sky. 

        “Just like this, but grander. Fufufufu~” He chuckled, finally realizing something. Standing up, he took long strides to your form, bending down slightly to grab your wrist, tugging you up with him. 

        “I just remembered something. You haven’t been to a resort before, have you?” You shook your head in response. 

        “N-No,” you stuttered. “I think I’ve seen ads in the paper, but I haven’t been to one before.” Slowly tilting your head up to face him, you asked, “Is it fun?” 

Doffy shook his head profusely at you. “Is it fun?” he echoed. “Dear, if it wasn’t fun, then I wouldn’t be taking you here in the first place.” 

        You opened your mouth to respond, but closed it back up immediately. Doffy had a good point, and you could find no retort in yourself. If he were to bring you somewhere as a vacation, then it would have to be fun. If it were boring then it wouldn’t be a very cherrie vacation after all. 

        Still… Even if Doffy said it was going to be fun, you couldn’t help the churning feeling inside your gut. It unsettled you, giving you bad vibes. Something was going to happen on your vacation.

But what? 

        Your eyes flickered up at Doffy’s face. Well, whatever it was, you were sure that it would fine. He was going to be there with you. Everything was always better with your boyfriend around. So you had absolutely nothing to worry about. 

If only you couldn’t have been more wrong. 

---

        The first thing your group did when getting off of the boat was head straight towards the mansion that Doflamingo happened to own on the island. Of course, it wasn’t as big as the castle, but it was still quite spacey. Well, you’re quite sure things have to be large to accommodate your large boyfriend. 

Average wasn’t exactly his middle name, after all, and with the way he constantly acts, it definitely won’t be any time soon. 

        Your jaw dropped at the beautiful sight. Large white marble steps paved the pathway towards the grand entrance. The doors had to be more than two times your height, and being made of one large, dark mahogany wood, it was nothing short of expensive. 

You inwardly cried. Why the hell was he so rich?? 

        The doors swung open gracefully as you stood before them. God, if you thought the exterior was grand, then the interior had to be heaven itself. It was lavish, with white marble flooring flecked with gold, and a large staircase with velvet carpeting branched out towards the second floor. Not to mention there was a small fountain in the middle of the entrance. 

Who the hell even needs a fountain inside of their house?!

        You didn’t get much time to dwell on it as immediately after you walked into the inside of the building had you been ushered out by your boyfriend. You could only give your friends and the family confused glances as he began to push you out of the mansion and down the road. 

        And though you were thoroughly confused, the suggestive looks, the wiggles of eyebrows, and the thumbs up the actions garnered was enough for you to give them a look of disapproval, despite your heated and flustered face. 

You quickly tried to quell your nerves before turning your head up to look at Doflamingo with raised eyebrows. 

        “Uh, where the hell are we going?” 

        Doflamingo merely grinned, but said nothing as he continued to tug your arm down the streets. You began to feel a little nervous at his quietness. 

Don’t tell me…

        “We’re going on our date now,” Doflamingo spoke as if he knew exactly what you were going to think of. You cursed under your breath, causing him to pout. “Now don’t be like that dear, don’t you think you should be appreciative of the fact that I decided to take you on a date? Not to mention you can’t exactly back out.” 

        How in the world are you even supposed to back out? He was a literal giant in your eyes. He could easily just swing you over his shoulder, keeping you restrained and moving on with your date. 

        “That’s not what I meant,” you said. “It’s just…” You looked down at the sundress you were wearing. “I’m not sure what I’m wearing is appropriate for our first date. Shouldn’t it be something special?” 

        “You’re wearing the clothes I bought you,” he said, giving you a small pat on the had. “It’s special that you’re being comfortable around me. Wouldn’t you say, Y/n? We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?” 

        You couldn’t help but roll your eyes playfully. “Come a long way? Come on, this is our first date. I’m pretty sure ‘come a long way’ hasn’t even begun.” 

        Too focused on the road ahead of you, you failed to see the smile on his face as he watched you intently. Only when you turned your head back to look at him, did you blink in confusion. 

        “Why are you staring at me?” 

        “Why can’t I stare at someone I find beautiful?” he retorted easily, slipping his larger hand into your own. 

        His fingers were too large to intertwine your fingers around them, so he just settled for cupping them delicately. It’s not like you really care. The action was just enough. He lazily smiled as he tugged your arm into the town. 

        As he did so, you are left to look around in awe at the sights all around you. Your first time in a resort, and you weren’t the least bit content. There were giant water slides, and large stuffed animals hung up at little stalls and booths of what you could only assume to be a game of some sort. 

Speaking of waterslides… You casted a glance over Doflamingo’s way. 

        Well, there was no way in hell he was going to get on one of those. For one thing, he was far too large. Second, he was a Devil Fruit user. It would basically be a death sentence. You let out a sigh. Not to mention he doesn’t have a swim suit, nor do you. It was a shame. 

        You clutched the hand around your own a little tighter, just making sure that the sight before you wasn’t a dream. At least you had him by your side. 

        “Where are we going?” you repeated your earlier statement.

        “Dinner. I made sure to book a place in advance.” 

        Wow. Leave it to Doflamingo to be so organized. Let’s just hope it isn’t some place overly fancy- You deadpanned as you stared at the overly fancy restaurant before your very eyes. Youre face remind placid as you looked between Doflamingo and the restaurant. 

        “Really?” was all that came out of your mouth. A bark of laughter came out of Doflamingo’s mouth as he shook his head, guiding you down the street to a small and quaint little building. 

        “No, I thought some place more subtler was more of your style. No need for our first date to be so extravagant and crowded if it were to make you feel uncomfortable, don’t you think, dear?” 

        Huh… That was actually really considerate of him. Especially when you consider the fact that he most likely wanted to flex on this first date. To know that he was actually thinking of what you liked made your heart soar. Though…

        You looked around at the small outside area that the two of you took your seats in. It was really nice here. It was cute, with small lights hanging overhead as lighting and the small plants that littered the area, attracting small butterflies and hummingbirds. Though it was a simple setup, just looking down at the plate before you made your heart drop to your stomach. 

The plate looked like some seriously expensive china. 

Doflamingo must have noticed your astute observations because he let out a small laugh, lifting his hand to tilt your chin upwards. 

        “Don’t look so sour,” he gently tells you with a grin. “Money is something to be spent, and I choose to spend it on you.” 

You waved him off with a huff. “Yeah yeah, you’re loaded, I get it. But…” 

        “But…?” He mimics you with a tilt of his head. The grin never left his face, and you get the feeling that he knew exactly what you were thinking of. Despite that, he let you speak, most likely because he wanted to hear you say it out loud. 

Stupid boyfriend who thinks he knows everything, you internally grumble in your head. 

        Huffing, you spoke, saying the words that you knew would bring him satisfaction. “Thanks for being so considerate and taking me somewhere that we both can enjoy. There, I said it.” 

        Averting your eyes, you felt your cheeks heat up as you could feel Doflamingo’s lingering stare behind those tinted lenses of his. Gosh, you felt like you were going to melt under his gaze, and just the way his lips pulled at the corners into a smile sent shivers down your spine. Not to mention the way the small lights of the sun lighting his face gives him a more mysterious glow. 

He really did look ethereal in moments like this, leaning on the side of the table with one elbow propped up, and his godly abs on display. 

        Sometimes you really wonder how lucky you are to have met such a person. Sometimes you wonder why he even loves you in the first place. And as the sun slowly sets over the horizon, it’s bright lights give the sky the color of delicious cotton candy, and the twinkle of stars begins to peek out of the world above, glittering like little gem stones, you wish. 

        You wish you had the courage to tell him. You wish you had the courage to say the words that linger on your tongue as you peer into those sunglasses of his. 

You wish you could tell him “I love you”.

Chapter Text

        “...n… y/n…” 

        You open your eyes, hearing your name being whispered in your ear. Looking around, you find yourself seated in front of a dining table, in a room you do not recognize. At one end of the room, you notice a brick fireplace, the mantel holding place various photographs and small trinkets of decoration. The fireplace, you could see, was lit, the roaring flames bathing the room in a small orange glow. 

But you cannot feel the heat from where you are sitting. 

        Turning your head to see the rest of the room, you see two windows to your left, the blinds drawn, preventing you from seeing the outside world. On your right is a small entryway to what you believe to be the kitchen. 

There is nobody in the house but you, nobody to have called your name. 

        You wonder where you are. You do not recognize the place you are in, nor do you recognize the cheap dining table that you’re before in. The chair creaks and groans underneath your weight, but somehow, the sound is familiar. You know you should not be here, you know you should be somewhere else, but you can’t seem to remember where. 

        “Hello, sister.” You jump, the chair beneath you creaking a little too loudly for comfort. You wonder why the chair hasn’t collapsed by this point. Looking behind you, you notice the familiar smile, the crinkle of his eyes, the weight of his hair. You know who the person before you is. 

You smile. 

        “Oliver!” you say as your eyes widen. Thoughts and memories flood through your mind. You remember. You remember why you felt like you shouldn’t be here. The last thing you remember doing was snuggling up next to Doflamingo’s chest and dozing off. 

Something in your chest squeezes tightly. This is a dream. 

        Slumping into the chair, you sighed. This was a dream. Oliver wasn’t actually here. Oliver was dead. You oversaw the burial yourself. Even if you wanted him to be alive, even if you had so many questions that you wanted to ask him, you knew it would never happen. Reality was like that. 

        You close your eyes, letting your weight sag onto the chair. You don’t understand why you’re so sad over Oliver. Yes, he was your brother, but you didn’t have much emotional attachment to him. But if that were truly the case, what was this deep aching in your heart? Why was it that your mind was screaming at you every time you felt close to remembering something, but never truly remembering? 

        You disregard the sound of a chair scraping across the floor, knowing that it was most likely Oliver. You realize now the true reason why you couldn’t feel the warmth of the fire, and it only caused your mood to dim. 

        “Y/n, why are you so glum?” His voice is jovial, the same tone you remember him speaking to you the night of the festival. 

He’s gone, you tell yourself. He’s not really there. 

        “My stupid little sister, don’t try to block me out. Come on, smile for your big brother.” 

        You crack your eyes open, watching Oliver as he stupidly smiles at you from across the table. That same stupid smile he had died with. You bite your lip, turning your head away. 

        “Are you that sad over my death?” he asks with a tilt of his head. “Come on, I should be the one crying. Besides that, I actually wanted to tell you something. You’ll listen, won’t you?” 

        Even when you don’t say anything, dream Oliver continues, knowing that you’re listening to what he had to say, regardless of what you thought. 

        “I worry for your future,” he said slowly. Oliver turns to look at the mantel with a sad smile on his face, feeling nostalgia wash over him. You watch as he takes a stand, making his way towards the mantle. He picks up one of the photographs, inspecting it. 

        Your full attention is on him now, watching his every move in surprise. You don’t understand what’s happening. Is this really a dream, or was it something else? No way your mind would be able to come up with something as intricate as this, and the expressions on his face seemed too real, and the way you feel seems too lucid. 

        “I’m happy when you’re happy, but I can’t help but wonder sometimes if things were truly supposed to be this way.” He sighs. “I wish it wasn’t. We could have been happy together, but I suppose if I was barely able to provide for you then I couldn’t expect things to have changed.” 

Oliver sets the photograph back onto the mantle. 

        “Poor mother, I wonder if she’s still alive. I wonder if she had been stricken with grief from our disappearances… I wonder if maybe she was better off without us. Is that too cruel? It was already hard on her enough. You were too young then, but she would always come back tired, with bags under her eyes.

        “I always thought that if I put in enough work I could give you a better life, but I guess I was wrong. At least you have someone who will be able to take care of you now. I’m glad for that. But I’m also worried for you. I’m so worried.” 

His shoulders begin to tremble. 

        “You don’t understand why everything is happening,” he whispers. You can barely hear him speak, but he begins to walk back towards the table anyways. “You don’t understand what happened back then, you don’t know why things are happening the way they are. This world isn’t what you think it is, Y/n. You have to be careful. I died because I wasn’t careful, but I suppose I was destined to die anyway.” 

Your jaw drops in horror. “I… Oliver- I don’t understand-” 

        “Of course you don’t understand,” he huffs. “You won’t understand until everything comes your way. You’ll understand soon what happened nearly two decades ago.” 

        The house begins to tremble, and you collapse to the floor with a yelp. The lights overhead begin to swing, and the picture frames on the mantle fall to the floor, shattering into a million pieces. But the picture in the picture frame causes you to gasp. 

        It was you as a child beside a young Oliver. And there was a woman beside you, smiling at the camera. You didn’t need to know who it was for you to realize that it must have been your mother. Tears begin to trickle down your cheeks as you realize where you are. 

Home. You were home. 

        Your hands shake as you process everything. This was your home. It had been your home before something happened. But you can’t remember. All you can remember was screams, screams so loud that it made you feel cold and clammy. Shakily, you look up at Oliver, who stood before you with a small sigh. 

Oliver doesn’t look phazed by everything, only disappointed.

        “I’m sorry I can’t be there for you,” he mumbles sorrowfully, leaning down to embrace you softly. “I’m sorry that I won’t be able to see you again. Just please, when the time comes, do whatever you think is right.” 

His hands begin to glow blue. “For the sake of your future.” 

The lights flicker, and you let out a piercing cry. 

        “WAIT! OLIVER!” 

You spring up, hands stretched out to nothing. 

        You gasp heavily looking around the room to see the familiar silk curtains, moving gently as the wind caressed them as it passed in through the open windows. Beside you, is Doflamingo, staring at you with raised eyebrows. In his hands is a stack of papers and a pen, and you realize he must have been doing work while you dozed. 

        You swallowed shakily, trying to calm your nerves. Oliver, he was there. It wasn’t a dream. It was too real. You could remember everything so clearly, so fresh in your mind. No, it wasn’t just that, it was your home. Home. 

Looking down at your hands, you whimper. You feel scared, so small. 

        You don’t understand anything. You don’t understand why the sight of a house you can’t remember sends cold shivers down your spine. You don’t understand why the sight of the house trembling as if there were an earthquake would make you want to crawl up in a ball and hide. You don’t understand a word Oliver was talking about, you don’t know who this mother he spoke so highly about was, you don’t understand anything.

A glass of water gently bumps against your hand. You flinch, jumping up in surprise. 

        But it was only Doflamingo, staring at you with a small frown. He extends the glass cup back towards you. With trembling hands, you grasp the cup, hurriedly taking a sip, gulping the cool beverage down. It helps calm your nerves somewhat, and you let yourself try to relax against Doflamingo. 

You notice that he’s set his papers down on the nightstand now, moving his hands to cradle you in his arms. 

        “Nightmare?” he asks. 

        You’re silent. Would it even count as a nightmare? All it was was that you saw Oliver, and the house was shaking violently. A house shaking violently isn’t that terrifying, right? Instead, you shrug your shoulders, taking another sip of water. 

Doflamingo doesn’t push you, instead keeping you closer to his side, letting you rest. 

        He doesn’t resume his paperwork, but just hearing the beat of his heart and concentrating on it makes your own heart rate slow to a steady beat. It’s quiet as the two of you lean against each other. 

You stare at the blankets, one hand curling it up underneath your fingers.

        Even though the signs are subtle, he can see the slight psychological trauma beneath your layers. He grits his teeth a little, focusing on your facial expressions. He’s quite acquainted with trauma, really. Who in this day and age hasn’t dealt with something horrific in their lifetime? If not, then he supposes they were the lucky ones. 

Though he supposes he’s quite lucky to get where he’s at now. 

        He wonders when the trauma had begun. Had it started at the sight of death at your kidnapping? Or had this been something deeper, something that had lingered within you for years before? 

        All he has now at the moment is mere speculation, but just knowing, just seeing how scared you looked when you had woken up sent waves of anger through him. Whoever did this will pay. But for now, he pulls you in closer with his arm, sighing lightly at how quickly you had fallen back to sleep, he supposes that he’ll have to take care of you for the moment. 

You snuggle into his side, and he smiles. 

How cute. 

---

        “Morning fellas,” you say with a grin. Doflamingo walks into the room behind you, a hand on your shoulder 

        At the table, your friends are all devouring pancakes. You see Sasori and Deidara fighting over the syrup with Itachi in the middle, quietly piling pancakes onto his plate. That is until the syrup bottle accidentally opens and spills all over the man. His face is placid as he stares at his plate, lifting his gaze up to regard Deidara and Sasori, only to meet your eyes. 

Itachi smiles. “Good morning, Y/n,” he says, looking behind you to see Doflamingo. “And good morning to you as well, Doflamingo.” 

Doflamingo laughs from behind you. “I suppose it is a rather good morning, isn’t it?”

        Rebecca stuffs her face with a pancake, nodding her head to you. Her facial expressions change slightly as she regards Doflamingo, and you could only think that not so very good thoughts were running through her head. She swallows, glaring at Doflamingo before shoving another pancake into her mouth. 

You raise an eyebrow as Rebecca, but don’t question it. Looking around the table, you realize that Ino and Sai are nowhere to be seen. 

        “Huh, that’s weird,” you mutter under your breath. “Have you guys seen Ino and Sai?” 

        Sasori and Deidara don’t answer you, very afraid of Itachi as he seems way too happy for someone who has syrup all over his hair and clothes. And with Rebecca’s face stuffed with pancakes, Itachi is the one who answers. 

        “They mentioned something about preparing another date for you and the King.” 

You sigh. “You mean Ino did.” 

Itachi shrugs his shoulders with a smile. “Well Sai seemed to be more than willing to help, but yes, I suppose you’re right.” 

        You pinch the bridge of your nose, turning around to immediately tug Doflamingo out of the room. It was time to escape before the duo actually finds the two of you and already planned your whole day out together-

        “Y/n! There you are!” 

You pale. 

        Before you is Ino, her face flushed from what you assumed to be from running. In her hands is a long list of what you hope isn’t a list of things that both you and Doflamingo are going to be doing this week. 

        “I have a list of plans that I’m going to be having you guys do today!” 

Dear lord it was a list for today. 

        “You guys are going to absolutely love it! I even ran it with Sai and your boyfriend, so everything should be good to go!” You stare up at Doflamingo, appalled. He merely gives you a smug smirk, ruffling your hair up. 

        “Well, I think we’ll have plenty of fun today, won’t we?” 

You feel like you’re dying. 

        Somehow you found yourself inside a teacup ride, sitting in between Doflamingo’s legs like a little child. The ride is somehow accommodating even Doflamingo’s stature, but you suppose that running an island that was literally for a vacation, they need to have rides to accommodate even the largest of people. 

But you doubt there’s a Big Mom sized one, who’s supposedly almost 30ft from the rumors you’ve heard.  

        “Fufufufufufu~” he laughs into your ear. “Isn’t this fun, Y/n?” 

        No, it’s physically terrifying because he has Pica and Diamante spinning the tea cup faster and faster; so much so that you’re practically glued to Doflamingo, pressed up against him due to the force. You’re physically gripping his thighs, digging your nails as you try not to scream or regurgitate on the ride. 

        He laughs again, amused by your behavior. Wrapping his hands around you with little difficult, he presses his arms against your chest, folding them over you protectively. 

        “Isn’t this romantic?” he coos. “I’m making sure that you don’t fall off.” 

ROMANTIC YOUR ASS

Meanwhile, outside of the the ride, Ino taps a pencil to her chin. She leans in to Sai. 

        “Do you think this is too much, or…?” 

        Sai shrugs his shoulders, preoccupied by watching Deidara and Sasori trying to kill each other with balloon swords as Itachi attempts to supervise them. 

        Unfortunately for the two, Itachi also became collateral damage once again. Even more so was the fact that Itachi was also trying to eat his dango. So when the duo had wacked Itachi, he had been eating the last of his dango. The pointed stick popped both balloons, and the collateral damage was left to collapse on the floor as he began to choke. 

        Rebecca, who had been standing to the side, immediately rushed to Itachi’s side and began to kick the dango out of him, though it mostly seemed like she was abusing a poor, dying man. 

Sai smiles, turning back to his girlfriend.

        “I think this is just fine.”

But good things do not last for ever.