Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The rain kept falling on the small shack. It sounded like bullets. Bullets. Guns. Doflamingo. Dellinger turned in his sleep, old memories flooded his head. The sounds of screaming from past victims and the laughter of The Doflamingo Family.

He shaked as the memory of blood on his legs and horns caused him to groan in discomfort. He wasn't a monster yet these memories say otherwise.

Then another feeling came, a warm one. One of joy and love. It was the arm of his girlfriend, Rebecca, who he'd been with for a year now. She had been his sunshine whenever a storm comes. He had been shown love before but not like this, never like this. He loved it and he didn't want it to end. One idea came to his head.

One she would love.

Rebecca stood up from a chair her and her love's kitchen. She'd been awake for a good 4 hours and Del hasn't shown his face since the morning. Last night, she'd comforted him when he was having another episode and now she was concerned for him.

She walked outside and began down the path to town. Along the way memories of previous dates play in her head:

The time they went on a picnic but it ended with the basket on fire and Del passed out, the time they went fishing and she fell in with him following behind, the  time she almost got mugged but was saved by her "knight in shining armor", and of course the numerous training sessions.

She loved it those memories and will keep them forever.

Meanwhile, Dellinger walked out of a jewelry store. The 18th one. OUT. "Should've known that the country of love would be out of rings" he grumbled as he kicked a stone.

He then noticed a building out of the corner of his eye. It was bordered up and the paint was stripped but it was obvious, a toy chute. Toy. Sugar. Doflamingo.

He pulled his head away. Too many memories. Painful, painful memories.

He then remembered something. Back when he was young, he used to steal jewelry from Them. He remembered Pink had bought wedding rings that he'd taken and brought to his stash under The Castle.

He now knows where to go next. Let's hope She's not around to see him.

Chapter Text

Rebecca had searched for him all over the but all she had found was more mysteries. What surprise needed him to be gone for about 5 hours.

As she wandered throughout the near city, Dellinger had snuck into the castle. So far, no one had seen him. The Castle had brought more memories up. The worst, so far, was when he attack Viola for no reason. He winced as the her crying and yells made him hurt.

Then he came across a wall. One that brought him out of his trance. His stash. He felt around the wall and pulled a brick out. He reached in and felt around.

Click.

He walked back and the wall opened like a sliding door. It led to a staircase that he'd was all too familiar with. His stash was down in the old docks under the castle.

He began to descend.

Back with Rebecca, she had visit nearly every place he usually visits. The dock where he is hired to guard valuables, the small restaurant they visit for dates, the aquarium where he just goes to stare, etc.

She started to get worried. He's not the secretive type. She next stopped at a jewelry store, were he'd been eyeing recently.

She walks in and the lady at counter gasps "Congratulations, Madame Rebecca". She looks around then points to herself "Me?". The Cashier, who's name tag read Sekkachi, nodded furiously, like a child nodding for ice cream. "Why. Did i win something?" She asked, causing the cashier to gasp. She covered her mouth then began backtracking. It failed.

"Alright," she reads the name tag "Sekkachi, what happened".

Back with Dellinger, he had found his stash and had grabbed the rings. He began his ascent to his love. Then heard a throat clear followed by a "Where do you think you're going?". He turned and say Viola.

During the year He and Rebecca where together, Riku had stepped down for health reasons and now she was queen.

"I-uh came to visi-" She interrupted him. "I know about the stash, Dellinger. What did you get from it?" She demanded. He tried to walk away but Viola grabbed his hands and opened them.

She saw the box and gasped.

"No" Viola yelled in anger "I can't allow this. Not now, not ever". She grabbed his ear and pulled him towards the room he was placed in before.

He was thrown in and she slammed the door.

He stared in shock. "What the hell just happened" he said before trying to open the door but it didn't budge. He then tried kicking, but still.

"No, not again" he fell to the floor and began to cry.

Chapter Text

His eyes have become sore over the hour in his cell. He couldn't stop crying. His only source of comfort was snatched away from him and he could nothing. But he began to think, maybe he deserved this.

He snatched the happiness of Viola, so it was only natural that his was too. He deserved everything that has happened to him. He was lucky enough Riku didn't execute him and now he pushed his luck. He accepted his fate and laid on the floor. 'I am so sorry, Becca'.

Meanwhile, Rebecca slams the doors to the castle open. She storms threw, pushing guards out of the way.

After getting the Cashier to squeal like a pig, she was excited. The love of her life begin wants her to be his, how could she not be happy. Then, it all went down.

She began her walk back home then a guard approached her. The Guard grew a conscious and went to find her and inform her of Viola's actions.

Her mood changed and shattered.

Viola is informed of the rampaging Rebecca and ordered more men to guard the cell.

Rebecca slams the door open. She walked up to the throne where Viola sat. "WHAT THE HELL" She yelled at the Queen.

"It's nice to see you, too" Viola said with a hint of anger. "Fuck the pleasantries" Rebecca yelled "You locked up Dell because he wants to marry me? Are you fucking insane?". "I did it to keep you safe, dear, nothing more". "Bullshit. If Dad and Luffy both says he's safe, then he's safe".

Viola rubbed the bridge of her nose "You don't think they where wrong. Besides, it's not like you'd accept it if you knew the stuff he did".

"Who do you think he tells all of his life? He told me the things he did and how he regrets every single moment. He even told me about a stash he had in the castle that we could use one day. I forgave him, Your Brother forgave him, Grandpa forgave, Luffy forgave him, why wont YOU?". A small yet intimidating wave of conquerors haki was unleashed.

Viola was unamused.

"Alright then," Viola said before sitting up "You cam have him". Rebecca smile until "But, you have to free him first. Until you do, you will be treated like an intruder. Good luck". Rebecca huffs before grabbing a sword from a pillar and walking out.

Viola dials a number on a snail then spoke "All guards, block everypath towards the Cell room, we have a rampaging royal in the halls. Don't hold back". She hangs up as the sounds of footsteps fill the castle.

'Good luck and stay safe'

Chapter Text

Guards wait in the halls as the signal for an intruder plays over their snails.

"So what was that about?" A guard with a blue visor says in jest. "I dunno but it sounds interesting" another guard with red face paint laughs. "Must be a joke of some sorts. The Prince-er Queen wouldn't try to hurt Rebecca especially after The Night of Crumbling Buildings" Blue said as he began to pull a cigarette out. "Dude, don't joke about that" Red said in annoyance.

Just then, another guard rolled down a stairway near the hall. "What the hell?" Red yelled as they heard a woman yell from the top. They look up and see Rebecca carrying a large sword from a knight's armor. "QUEEN VIOLA WASN'T JOKING".

Meanwhile, Dellinger sat in his cell. He felt lonely without her. Her long pink hair, her warm comforting smile, soft fair skin. All but a burning memory. He forgot what it was like outside. "How long has it been?" he grumbled as his throat burns. It felt like years, decades even.

"Quit it kid, you're freaking me out" Guard Captain Tank said as he hit his hand on the door to the cell "it's only been like 5 hours". Dell sighed "It feels longer".

Tank sighs "Listen, kid, I trust you. Once Viola gets out of whatever mood she's in, she'll let you go". Dell stares at the floor 'i hope'.

Viola sat on her throne with glass of wine. She'd been crying for a good hour, wondering what her niece sees in him. They killed her mother, they ruined the lives of many, they aided in the fall of The Kozuki Family and the kidnap of tons of children, and yet she loves him. She threw her glass on the floor, shattering it. The red liquid combined with the glass made her remember that horrible day.

Then a feeling of grief came over her. She looked up to see a portrait of her family before those monsters ruined it all.

"Oh, Scarlett, why can't i get your daughter to see her error" She said to the painted Scarlett. No answer. "I tried my best to make her see what kind of man he is and she still wants to fight for him. What am k doing wrong?". No answer.

"ANSWER ME, DEAR SISTER" She yelled "What do i need to do?". The once sunny day turned into a deluge of rain. The sounds of the rain remind her of bullets. "Please answer me, Scarlett, why can't i help her?".

A small leak from the roof starts to drip onto the painting. Viola's eyes widened as the droplets seem to create tears. She grabs her head and falls to the floor. Was this a sign? Was this her answer?

She stood up and gasps, the face of the painting seemed to morph. From a smiling woman to a misshapen monster of disgust. She falls back and puts her hand to her mouth. The storm raged on as a bolt of lightning strikes a tree. The shadows made it seem like the painting was a gateway to hell.

"No, i made a mistake" Viola cries as a hallucination, brought upon by smoke that was being created by the burning tree outside(tripwood), of the monster Scarlett emerged from the painting and pointed to the stairway that Rebecca went down. "I see, sister, I must write my wrong. AND I WILL!" she yells before running down said stairway.

Rebecca had hacked her way down to the underground docks. She'd been crying as she continued. She hated this but she wants HER Dell. She will save him.

She bursts into the cell block, the sound of pain trailing her. She looked like a Valkyrie emerging from Ragnarok. Tank grabbed his ball and chain before spinning it "Sorry, Rebecca, i can't let you get near him" he said, a bad taste in his mouth came after saying so.

Dell sat up and towards the door and yelled "REBECCA". She looks to the door and yells back "DELLINGER". She ran to the door but the she block by a large metal ball. "By the Queen's orders, i can't let you" Tank yelled. He pulled the ball back with the chain and began to spin it again. "I can't believe you, Captain, how could you" she hisses. He frowns "I don't want to do this, but i must". "Very well" She sighs before charging.

Viola ran down the stairs like a bat out of hell. She passed the red and blue guards, who were passed out in a pool of their blood, and looked away in disgust. "Why did i do this" she yelled at herself as she passed more fallen guards.

She yelled at herself more and more as she entered the underground dock. She gasped as she saw the scene.

It looked like a war ground. A path of the fallen guided her to the cell block. She then heard then sound of combat.

Rebecca landed on her back before standing again. She she looked battered and bruised, her eye was swollen and hand that once held her shield was obviously broken. Tank wasn't in much better shape either. He was covered in slices and stab wounds. The most striking change is that he now has a limp. He had ditched his old weapon and switched to a large cutlass.

Dellinger, despite not fighting, was terrified. The woman he loved and the man he was friends with where fighting nearly to death.

"Please stop, Tank" Rebecca yelled, her voice was horse from yelling "I don't want to fight you". "I know," he said, his voice sound like death itself "but this is my duty as captain of the guard".

He raised his sword and swung it down, but she dodged. She yelped in pain as she twisted her ankle. Despite this, she stood up. "I will not fall," she said before yelling "I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN FAIL". He nodded before swinging his sword down again.

"STOP" Dell yelled as a small hole gave him a front row seat to either of their deaths. "THAT'S ENOUGH".

A figure jumps in the way of Rebecca, getting sliced instead. The 3's eyes widened. It was Viola. She fell to the floor, bleeding. "Queen Viola" Tank yelled in horror. "Aunt" Rebecca before trying to hug her. She stops her.

"I'm sorry" Viola said before breaking down "I wanted to keep you and Dellinger apart but all i did was ruin our family. Please forgive me". Rebecca hugged her, harder than ever. They both cried but Viola finally spoke up "Captain Tank, May you please open the cell?". "Of coarse" he said before limping over to the cell door and opening it.

Dell was stunned. But it turned into pure joy as a ran over hugged his love. The 3 cried as the storm let up.

Chapter Text

For months, Rebecca had been having dreams about them again. 9 people, 4 women and 5 men, surrounded by fire. The roar of the spider creature always woke her up, except today.

Instead the woman with long blue hair and a straw hat approached her and smiles "Don't worry, we won't lose". She turned around, as did the other 8, and charged. The spider wails as it began to fall.

She woke up.

The first thing she noticed was the cast on her hand. Then the sound of her love snoring. She smiled and rubbed his messy blonde hair with her free hand. She then noticed the IV on the free arm. She followed it and saw a bag of blood. Finally she realized where she was. A recovery room filled with injured soldiers.

She sighs before the door opened, it was Viola. She looked calmer than last time. She gasped before speed walking to the injured Rebecca. "You're awake" she says as tear form in her eyes.

Rebecca smiles "I guess I won". Viola hugs her niece before noticing that was rubbing Del's head like one would rub a cat. "Seems like he finally fell asleep. I hoped he would've left but he stayed". Rebecca rolled her eyes in frustration.

"What?" Viola sain in confusion "He's been by your side for 4 days, stayed awake through each day. I am surprised he didn't pass out or at least leave to rest". Rebecca laughs a bit before shaking Dell awake.

Dellinger opened his eyes to see his love scritching his chin like a cat. He faked a purr, which garnered a laugh from her and Viola.

"Oh, Queen Viola," He bows "Sorry for staying to long. Sorry, Love, have to go". He begins to walk out before Viola snaps her fingers "Dellinger, turn around and sit back down". "Guess i'm staying" He says as he follows the order.

"Now then," Viola cleared her throat "about your proposal". Dellinger stopped her "Listen, i know you don't approve. I understand. I want apologize for even thinking about it. I already plan on calling a taxi ship, if you wa-". Viola snaps her fingers again "Quiet". He puts his hand of his mouth.

"I should be the one apologizing," she said before sitting on another chair "I know you changed but i was too paranoid. The stress of ruling a country made me more on edge and when i saw the rings, i just snapped. I'm sorry that i ruined the best of your lives. I just wanted the best for Rebecca". She began to break down. Rebecca hugs her to relax her.

"Thank you, Rebecca, Scarlett would've been proud". Dellinger then interrupted "wait, does this mean?". Viola nods "You have my blessing". He hugs her in joy. "Can..you...get..off" she struggled. The 2 release her from their hugs.

"Now then, i shall begin preparations for the wedding" Viola and walked away before stopping "I almost forgot". She pulled a box out from her dress pocket "Think fast". "Think what?" Dell said before the box hits his eye.

Rebecca laughs as Viola walks out the door. He picks up the box and smiles. It was a new pair of rings. He stands up and gets on one knee "Rebecca, for the past year, you've been my light through the darkness. Now i want you to be my mirror, my sword, and shield. Rebecca," He open the box to reveal to the gold rings "Will you marry me?".

She gasps before hugging him "Of coarse". He hugged back.