Work Text:
Doflamingo paced up and down. He was waiting for Law to wake up so that he could tell him about the memory that he had just regained. In his dreams, he had remembered his mother. She was on the death bed, with him and his brother being beside it. She had fallen ill, but they were unable to afford medical treatment. He had been too young to understand why, but his father had explained to him and his brother that they had made a mistake in migrating to *********. They had given up their socialized healthcare which cat people were entitled to when they migrated, which was why they could not afford to send their mother to a hospital. Doflamingo had gritted his teeth as he blamed his father for his mother’s death.
Now that he knew what had happened to his mother, he needed desperately to know what had happened to his brother and father, as well. It had been a surprise to learn that he had a blood brother, since he was not in the Donquixote Family. He wondered if the younger lad with a mopped hair was still alive and well. It was driving him insane to not know what had happened to them.
Since Law loved to sleep in and no amount of pacing was going to make him wake up earlier, Doflamingo took out his mobile phone. Out of desperation, he looked for options to recover his memories online. It appeared that there were no remedies that medical bodies would recommend – that was, until he saw an advertisement for hypnotherapy. He clicked on the link.
The website wrote, “Are you having nightmares? Hypnotherapy can help you rediscover your repressed memories! Only by remembering these repressed memories can you deal with the subconscious fears that you have.” It then went on to espouse on the wonders of hypnotherapy, and the benefits that come from facing one’s own subconscious fears.
Doflamingo was intrigued. It seemed like the perfect solution to his problems. Usually, he would have checked with more reputable sources of information for its efficacy, but he was desperate, and this seemed perfect for his predicament. He rummaged through Law’s bag and found his wallet. There, he retrieved Law’s debit card.
Doflamingo licked his lips, and his tongue hung out of his mouth as he concentrated on typing in the debit card information to purchase the book.
I’m sure Law will forgive me for using his card, he thought. I’ll pay him back when he wakes up.
“Aw, you’re bleping!” Law laughed as he stood in the living room. He was grinning from ear to ear. Then, he scratched his buttock and yawned.
Doflamingo put his tongue back into his mouth and meowed happily. Law was awake! “Law! I used your card to buy a book online. Is that okay? I’ll pay you back! It’s only $39.99!”
Law looked at Doflamingo and tilted his head. “You don’t have to pay me back, Doffy. It’s an expensive book, sure, but it’s not such a big amount that it’ll bankrupt me. Besides, you’ve bought a lot of things for me. What kind of book is it?”
Doflamingo became more pensive as he thought about his past. “I bought a book on hypnotherapy, Law. I’ll need that to regain my memories.”
Law stroked his goatee. “Hypnotherapy? I remember reading that memories gained from hypnotherapy were not supposed to be used in courts as evidence anymore, since you could gain false memories from it.”
Doflamingo meowed in shock. “False memories?”
“Yeah,” Law nodded. “Why are you so desperate to regain your memories all of a sudden, anyway?”
“I had a dream,” Doflamingo explained, his head lowered and his ears floppy. “My mother died because my father had moved here from ******. We couldn’t afford medical expenses here. I remembered that I had a brother – I want to know what happened to him and my father!”
“Well, I guess there’re no shortcuts to regain your memories.” Law frowned. He sat down beside Doflamingo and patted his back soothingly.
“Hypnotherapy will help, I’m sure of it!” Doflamingo clenched his fists, his ears perking up along with his determination. “It’s fine if I get a couple of false memories, as long as I remember everything!”
“Well, I can’t object to that if that’s what you want.” Law shrugged. “Why would your father move here from ******, anyway? Cat people have rights and are considered to be citizens there, while you’re second-class citizens over here.”
“I don’t remember why,” Doflamingo huffed sadly. “I do remember blaming him for mother’s death, though. Most importantly, I didn’t know that I had a brother! I need to know what happened to him as soon as possible!”
“I see,” Law replied. He took Doflamingo’s hand and patted it gently. “In that case, I fully support you, Doffy. Let me know if you need any help.”
Doflamingo meowed gratefully and kissed Law’s hand. “Thank you, Law! I love you!”
Law smiled in return.
***
“Meow! My book is here!” Doflamingo grinned widely as he clawed the parcel open, and threw the ripped up packaging away into the garbage can.
Law smiled to himself as he listened to Doflamingo’s lively clamor. He watched as Doflamingo took the book and hurried to the sofa, where he plopped down. Doflamingo opened the book quickly and began to read.
Law sat down beside him, and took out his phone. He was getting a couple of interviews. He had to reply to them to confirm that he would be attending the interviews, but for some reason, the act of replying gave him anxiety.
“Law?”
“Yes, Doffy?” Law looked up from his phone, and saw Doflamingo pointing at a sentence in the book.
“It says here that I need to get somebody whom I trust to hypnotize me,” Doflamingo meowed pleadingly at Law.
“Oh… I see.” Law nodded. “So, I guess I’ll need to read the book to find out how to hypnotize you.”
“Yes,” Doflamingo replied. “I can’t hypnotize myself.”
“I’ll help you, Doffy. Are you sure that you don’t mind getting false memories from this?”
“I’m sure!” Doflamingo nodded firmly.
“Okay, then. Just let me borrow the book for a while.” Law patted Doflamingo on his head. Doflamingo handed him the book while looking at him with shining eyes. That look made Law melt, and he was determined to try his best to help the poor cat man.
***
“My tooth hurts, Doffy...” Law whimpered. He had been putting off seeing the dentist for his cracked tooth, since it was usually not painful enough to warrant paying for the medical bills. However, it seemed that his tooth had become infected.
Doflamingo looked at him with concern and meowed loudly. “You need to see a dentist as soon as possible, Law!”
“I’ve already made the appointment, but the appointment is in one and a half week’s time.” Law groaned. “I don’t know how I will survive until then. It hurts so much.”
“Do you need some pain killers? I can go and get them for you, Law.”
“Really? Thanks, Doffy.”
Doflamingo meowed and got dressed. Then, he went out while Law sat on the couch, being miserable. As soon as he got back, he gave Law the paracetemol that he had bought. Law took the medication, but even after an hour, it did not seem to help.
He groaned. “Doffy… Could you get ibuprofen? Paracetemol doesn’t seem to help.”
Doflamingo looked at him. “What’s ibuprofen? This was the only pain killer that’s on the shelf.”
“Ibuprofen is another type of pain killer. It works by relieving inflammation,” Law explained. “You can get it at ********. Get the one with the highest dosage.”
“Oh, okay! I’ll get it for you, Law. Don’t worry!” With that, Doflamingo rushed out again.
He came back with a pack of fast acting ibuprofen. Law took the ibuprofen, and it seemed to help, so he settled down and read the book about hypnosis.
However, when Law woke up the next day, the pain had returned, and even when Law took more ibuprofen, the pain persisted. In fact, it had gotten worse, since it now hurt when touched, including when Law closed his mouth. It hurt when he had to chew anything. Law was almost in tears; he hated being in pain, like most people.
“Doffy, it still hurts...” Law sighed. “The pain killers barely seem to help at all.”
Doflamingo meowed sadly and held Law tightly. “I guess you have no choice but to wait until your appointment, Law. I’m so sorry...”
Law nodded quietly as he buried his face into Doflamingo’s chest. He might be in pain, but Doflamingo was there to show him sympathy, so he had nothing else to complain about. He sat on the couch with a blanket over him, trying to concentrate on the book, while Doflamingo snuggled next to him.
Soon, he noticed something interesting. He felt something move on his belly, so he looked to see what was going on. Doflamingo was kneading the blanket there; on his face was an expression of bliss.
“Doffy, you’re making biscuits!” Law laughed, despite being in pain.
Doflamingo stopped, and blushed. “You said you won’t judge me!”
Law patted Doflamingo on his head and rubbed his ears gently. “I’m not judging you. I think it’s cute, Doffy.”
Doflamingo meowed happily. He flexed his hands, and continued to knead the blanket. “You think it’s cute?”
“Yeah!” Law grinned.
Doflamingo purred and kissed Law on the lips. “I love you, Law!”
***
Despite his toothache, Law managed to finish the book before his appointment with the dentist. The book had been mostly instructional, and Law highlighted the most important bits. Doflamingo had been looking at him with puppy eyes ever since he was given the book, and Law could not find it in himself to deny the cat man.
The session went fine – at least, that was what Law thought. He did everything according to the book, and used suggestions that should have helped Doflamingo remember his past.
However, once the session was over with, Doflamingo seemed to carry himself differently. This alarmed Law greatly. He looked a lot more menacing and confident, and no longer resembled the innocent cat man that Law used to know. It surprised Law even more to realize that he was attracted to this Doflamingo as well – the sheer sense of danger seemed to compel him.
Law watched as the new – or old – Doflamingo went over to the shelves to look for something.
“What are you looking for, Doffy?” He asked nervously.
“My old sunglasses,” Doflamingo replied. “I feel naked without it. Ah, here it is.”
“You don’t have to wear them in front of me, Doffy.” Law smiled reassuringly at his lover. “I’m used to seeing you without sunglasses at home. You’re handsome without it, Doffy. Not saying that you’re not handsome with them on – you’re handsome either way! It’s just that I like being able to see your eyes, Doffy.”
Doflamingo thought about it for a moment, and nodded quietly. He put the pair of sunglasses away, and chuckled. “I used to wear it around even my family. I guess you’re even more special than they are, Law.”
Law felt flattered when he heard that. “If we had met when you had your memories, would you be wearing your sunglasses?”
“Well,” Doflamingo stroked his chin. “It would have taken me a long time before I would take them off in front of you, that’s for sure. But I guess – since we see each other naked everyday, we don’t really need to worry about being naked around each other.”
“What about the sunglasses that I got for you?” Law wondered.
“I’ll keep them as a spare. I’ve been wearing this pair of sunglasses for decades.” Doflamingo shrugged.
“Decades?” Law gasped. “You must be a really loyal man.”
Doflamingo grinned widely as he sat down beside Law, wrapping his arm around him. “I am loyal, Law. You are lucky to have me.”
Law huffed in disbelief. “Your ego has grown about ten thousand times more since you regained your memories.”
“Why would I not say what is true?” Doflamingo chuckled, as he pressed a kiss onto Law’s temple. “Not only am I loyal, I’m charming, affectionate, and I’m good in bed. Aren’t you happy to belong to someone like this?”
“I guess,” Law sighed. Doflamingo sounded full of himself, but he did not want to injure the cat man’s ego too much.
“Give me a kiss, Law.” Doflamingo purred.
Law glanced at Doflamingo from the corner of his eyes, and immediately gave up any reservations. This was his beloved Doflamingo – even though he had changed a little, he was still the same man. He should have expected that when Doflamingo regained his memories, he would also change. He leaned towards Doflamingo’s side and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Very good.” Doflamingo ran his hand through Law’s hair, patting him as if he was a child – or a fellow cat man.
“So...” Law looked at Doflamingo curiously. “Did the hypnotherapy work? Do you remember everything now?”
“As a matter of fact, yes.” Doflamingo nodded.
“Is there anything that you’ll like to share with me, Doffy?” Law asked again. “Did you find out what you wanted to know?”
“I did.” Doflamingo’s expression darkened for a moment, in a way that did not reassure Law. Law’s heart thumped as Doflamingo continued, “I was wondering if I should tell you about it. The truth is, Law, that I had killed my father and brother.”
“What?” Law gasped in shock. He had never once in his life thought that Doflamingo would turn out to be a murderer. “Why did you do that?”
Doflamingo chuckled menacingly. “Both of them let me down, Law. Their actions caused me immense suffering. My father brought the whole family with him from ******, where cat people have rights, to this shithole, where cat people are treated as mere animals. If you were me, you would surely bear the same grudge against him, as well. My brother betrayed me by being an undercover cop who supports the humans. If he had succeeded, I would be in jail by now, Law! How could I forgive him for doing something so heinous?”
Law’s mind was blank for a moment, but he slowly nodded as he came around to the idea that Doflamingo had his own reasons for killing his family. “I understand, Doffy. I wouldn’t forgive them, either.”
Doflamingo laughed, but there was no mirth in his laughter. He traced a finger down Law’s cheek, and asked, “Do you still love me, Law, now that I am the man I used to be?”
Law looked at Doflamingo; his laughter caused him to freeze up, and his heartbeats quickened.
Doflamingo continued, “I don’t blame you if you don’t. I’m a murderer and the boss of a mafia gang.”
Law swallowed nervously. He had always assumed that Doflamingo never did anything too terrible, because Doflamingo simply did not seem like the sort. “What does your gang do?”
“Oh, we compete with other rival gangs and make dealings that get cat people jobs. We also protect the cat people’s rights with violence, since nobody else will protect them. We deal in goods that are detrimental to human societies, like heroin and cocaine.” Doflamingo grinned widely at Law. “You’ll understand why when I tell you my goal – it is to destroy the world that humans rule! Only cat people and people who support the rights of cat people will be spared.”
Law nodded. He could understand why Doflamingo wanted the destruction of human society. After all, he had been mistreated by humans for simply being a cat person. “You have your own reasons for doing the things that you do, Doffy. You’re not just some sadistic murderer. I don’t think anyone could blame you for doing what you did. And you’re still the sweet and kind Doffy that I know...”
Doflamingo laughed once again. “I’m not sweet or kind, Law. I’m cruel to anyone who gets in my way.”
“That makes sense.” Law nodded. He had no qualms about being ruthless to people who got in his way, either – at least, he would not if he had the power that Doflamingo had. “What about me? Where do I stand in the grand scheme of things, Doffy? You’re a cat man who hates humans, and I’m a human...”
“Of course, I will spare you,” Doflamingo purred. “You are nothing like other humans, Law. You and I will rule the world together when the time comes.”
“I love you, Doffy, but I don’t want to rule anything. I don’t think I’m cut out to be a ruler.” Law stroked his goatee as he thought about it. “Being a ruler means being ruthless when one has to be. That’s not really how I deal with things. I’m too lenient.”
“Oh? Then what do you want to be, Law?”
Law smiled at Doflamingo. No matter how terrifying the real Doflamingo was, he was still Law’s beloved cat man. “I just want to lead a normal life with you, Doffy. I wish that you didn’t go through all that suffering, so that we can lead a normal life together.”
“We can do that when my goal is achieved,” Doflamingo promised. “Nobody will dare to oppose our marriage if I rule the world. It would be an utopia where humans and cat people who love each other could finally be together.”
Law sighed dreamily. Doflamingo’s ideals certainly seemed appealing to him. “That’s great, Doffy. I hope you achieve your goal.”
Doflamingo held Law’s chin gently, and brought him in for a deep kiss. “Thank you, Law. You truly are special.”