Work Text:
To think, a desk that had been well-organized with all sorts of papers, notebooks, and folders filled to the brim with communications and business summaries would be transformed into something fit for a little boy with a passion for medicine. With an interest in medicine comes piles of textbooks, hardback covers that seal all of the human body and its processes.
The chair that came with this desk is still a little too large for someone of Law’s stature. He might never grow into it and reach a point where his feet can firmly rest on the floor like Doflamingo’s can–the previous owner of the desk.
The previous owner doesn’t stray too far. He sits on the chair and keeps the boy in his lap, providing the perfect alleviation and support for him to study at the too-tall desk. In a way, Law looks like he was made to sit at a desk standing so superior.
Doflamingo is resting comfortably, leg crossed over his opposite knee, hosting the little boy in the seat his thighs made for him. One hand rests idly on the arm rest while the other rubs up and down Law’s small back. When he first began to study, Doflamingo dared to play with his hair, but Law argued that his hat would stay on and he didn't want the blonde’s monster hand squeezing his head. Stroking the tiny expanse of his back is the only luxury Law would allow with minimal complaint.
“I’ve never seen a kid your age read about…” Doflamingo’s eyes flicker down to the book on the desk to catch a glimpse of the textbook, “amino acids.”
Law grumbles without turning back to him. “Maybe you should read about them too. Even monsters like you have these.”
It all makes Doflamingo chuckle. Law’s attitude, his passion, his wit. It’s amusing that this boy literally and figuratively fell into his lap.
The reason Law calls Doflamingo a monster is simply due to his occupation. The Donquixote Family is a group of highly-feared individuals. Historically, the family was always a part of a more deranged demographic of people; however, compared to what Doflamingo had caused the family to evolve into, his ancestors are saints. After slaying his father, the reins fell into the sinister next of kin’s hands. With those reins, Doflamingo spilled more blood and garnered a positive reputation among the people of Dressrosa–the Land of Love and Passion.
Alongside his beloved brother, Doflamingo revitalized the fear his family had tried to cultivate over the years. Now, the only ones with such a bygone blood are Doflamingo and Rosinante.
Doflamingo’s gaze moves up from Law’s textbook to admire his brother who sleeps on the sofa across the room. Rosinante is snoring softly, long limbs tipping past the other end of the couch, neck craned in such a way that he’ll be complaining about it when he wakes up. Precious is what Doflamingo thinks to himself.
Law stirs in Doflamingo’s lap as he extends a short, struggling arm across the desk to reach for a pen and a notebook filled with lined paper. Kindly, Doflamingo reaches them for him and brings them in front of him beside the textbook.
“You know,” Doflamingo begins, “I thought you were more interested in learning about anatomy. Human structure and morphology.”
The boy hums in an affirmative way as he scribbles on the paper. “I am, but you can’t learn all of that if you don’t consider the genetic code of all life. These acids are the structure of that anatomy I want to learn.”
Law knows he wants to be a doctor. Before crossing paths with the Donquixote Family, Law had studied alongside his parents–both experts in medicine. Even if Law is to be with Doflamingo for the rest of his life, he still wants to be an expert who can finally contribute to the Family the way he wants to.
Suddenly, the paper is taken away from its place in front of him.
Law looks behind him to Doflamingo for the first time since getting settled in the older man’s lap. “What did you do that for? Give it back.”
Doflamingo’s chuckle and the sound of a page being flipped tell Law that he’s not going to be listened to.
“There’s a more effective way to study,” the blonde states as he plucks the pen out of the boy’s hand. “As a Donquixote, you have to learn something very important.”
Law scowls and turns away, settling against Doflamingo’s chest with a huff, resigning himself to his fate. “My family name is still Trafalgar. Not Donquixote.”
“Hm?”
“Don’t act like you didn’t hear me, Doffy!”
Doflamingo’s laugh fills the room. He begins to draw something. To Law, it looks like nothing but some shapes until they’re connected by rough lines and, slowly but surely, it manifests into a human sketch of a person reclining.
“Donquixote Law sounds powerful. I’ll make it your reality soon. Would you rather be my son or second little brother?”
“Those are the only two choices?” He mumbles. For someone as young as a kitten, Law’s grimace resembles an old, fed-up cat. “Trebol is a part of the Family, but he isn’t a Donquixote legally.”
There’s an amused sigh from above Law’s head, one filled with faux exasperation. “Trebol is simply Trebol.”
“Cora-san is Corazon. You don’t even use his name even though he’s actually a Donquixote.”
“Law, you really do have some cute, child-like qualities to you.” He talks back and shows too much curiosity. On occasion, Law will ask too many questions. Fortunately, Doflamingo finds it endearing because this ten-year-old acts like he’s already five decades deep in life.
They both become quiet for a minute after that. Doflamingo’s sketch becomes more involved. Sections are marked on different parts of the sketch’s body. Law notes that the sections are divided by the legs, pelvis, abdomen, chest, neck, arms, and head. This must be a continuation of Doflamingo’s mention of anatomy, but the figure hardly looks like it’s in standard anatomical position: stood tall, arms slightly out at the sides, palms of the hands facing forward, feet a small but distinct distance apart. No, this model looks too familiar to Law.
Doflamingo finally drops the pen into Law’s lap and Law can feel the heat that was pressing to his back move farther away once the blonde reclines against the backrest again.
“I want to teach you about the most important person’s anatomy first,” Doflamingo says playfully. He rests a hand on Law’s back again. His opposite hand lingers at the edge of the notebook. “This is the body you’ll be protecting for the rest of your life.”
That’s when it clicks for Law. He peers up from the paper to look across the room to where Rosinante fell asleep a short while ago. The most important person .
Doflamingo was able to capture Rosinante’s physique perfectly. The full-body sketch mirrors the figure that’s splayed out on the couch on the other side of the room. Law wonders if he’s been taught how to draw because the model of shapes on the paper definitely resembles his brother’s long torso and long limbs stuck in their strange, dynamic angles.
Undoubtedly, Law catches on. Doflamingo can tell with the way he seems to glance from Rosinante back up to the older brother.
“Now, Law,” he starts in an amused tone. “Draw me the muscle in Corazon’s neck that’ll be killing him when he wakes up.” Trapezius . Corazon should really be using the pillows to support his head.
From there, Law and Doflamingo play this game. The man will mention something and Law will map it out for him the best he can.
The game involves a lot of looking at Rosinante which makes Law blush, so he keeps his head down, hoping and praying that his hat’s brim obscures Doflamingo’s view of him.
Rosinante is… very pretty. Even with how he sleeps. Limbs everywhere, mouth open, snoring enough to hear from outside of the study door. Law finds it enchanting. Rosinante has always been so kind to Law after their first spat in the beginning. He cuddles with Law, studies with Law, goes on walks with Law. Rosinante smiles so brightly that it makes Law feel so hot.
Doflamingo has noticed this too. Baby’s first crush , he insists. It’s no wonder how he’s become so infatuated with his little brother. Rosinante is a robber of hearts. He naturally steals the attention and affection of those around him in a way so effortless that it should be studied. While no one is more infatuated than Doflamingo, he believes that he could mold Law into someone who could rival his own affections for Rosinante. With Law’s adoration already blooming, grooming the love into an obsession will be easy.
“Go on,” Doflamingo encourages. The hand on Law’s back begins to move. “What is the most important part of Corazon?”
Law looks back down to the paper and taps something on the model with the tip of the pen. “The head. The brain is the most essential organ of the body.”
Doflamingo suddenly takes Law’s hand and guides it in a different direction so the pen hovers over the center of the figure’s torso.
“I’d argue it’s this,” he argues.
Law’s nose scrunches up. He glares over his shoulder to the man. “The heart? Because his name is Corazon? That’s not original, Doffy.”
Doflamingo chuckles. It’s more of a giggle with how giddy Law’s attitude is making him. “The heart is the provider of oxygen. You can survive anoxic brain injuries. Think… comatose patients. Still around because of the heart.”
Law feels like he’s being threatened in his area of expertise. He’s willing to argue this. “Brain death means that the patient has died. It’s only because of the undamaged brainstem that the heart can function.”
“And without that heart’s function, what happens?”
“That is ridiculous. The heart won’t know what to do after that.”
Law’s face contorts and Doflamingo finds it far too cute to be upset about the curses that threaten to leave the boy’s tongue that he can’t hold back. It’s good that Law can’t swallow his words. Instead, they come out in full force especially when Doflamingo is challenging his medical views.
Their argument about the heart versus brain importance leads to a stir from the couch their anatomy model inspiration is laying on. Rosinante’s first movement is a full downward stretch of his legs followed by an upward stretch of his arms. He turns his head and–just as Law and Doflamingo guessed–groans at how his neck stiffens and pulses with pain.
When he finally opens his eyes and looks over to the cause of all the noise, he sees Law and Doflamingo going back and forth. It’s a battle of wits or at least a battle of medical knowledge that Rosinante clearly isn’t smart enough to follow. Or maybe his brain is still foggy with sleep.
As Rosinante begins waking up, Doflamingo finally decides to wrap up the argument with something that will pull a cute reaction out of Law.
He snatches the pen out of Law’s hand again and blatantly circles around the sketch’s pelvis, alluding to its crotch.
“Why not call this Rosinante’s most important part?”
The insinuation has Law’s cheeks flaring as he raises a hand and rains it down on Doflamingo’s firm chest, pelting it with his fist’s small punches. Doflamingo’s laugh reverberates around the room.
Through the laughing fit, his hand on Law’s back travels around the left side of his ribs. His fingers linger lower, following the coast on the ribcage. There’s a very distinct point he grazes over that tells Doflamingo everything Law’s evident blush couldn’t. Behind that ribcage, his heart is beating so fast. This heart of his beats so ferociously just at the mention of Rosinante’s most intimate places.
Is it because Law feels so strongly about fighting on Rosinante’s behalf to maintain his dignity that Doflamingo is scratching at? Or is it because Law already feels something intimate stirring in his body that’s barely gotten through early puberty?
The banter between them stops when suddenly there’s a thud at the couch. They both look up and Rosinante is suddenly on the floor. Meekly, Rosinante looks up at the two of them and gives them a slightly embarrassed smile while he rubs at his shoulder that took the impact. How Rosinante still has embarrassment left for his clumsiness, they’ll never know.
“How is studying, Law?” Rosinante asks with the same kindness as usual.
Law scrambles off of Doflamingo’s lap and rushes over to the younger brother. “I should study faster. You’re going to get really hurt soon if you aren’t more careful, Cora-san. I’m not a doctor yet.”
Doflamingo remains on the chair. He watches Law and Rosinante interact and it’s nothing short of two cute animals greeting each other. There’s an untouched innocence between them. It’s so innocent that it makes Law’s reaction even more scandalous.
He wonders if that rapidly beating heart told him a secret about Law, that Law already thinks of Rosinante in a way that brings him so much shame that it spills out from his heart. If the brain is more vital than the heart as Law insists, the heart still does a fantastic job at communicating–a job that the brain is famously known for.
As he smiles at Law climbing onto the couch to get enough height to rub Rosinante’s neck while he’s sat on the floor, Doflamingo is certain of himself: he can cultivate Law’s love to be very similar to his own. Loving Rosinante is a common experience for the people around them, but no one will do it like them.
Law will love Rosinante the way only a brother should: fully, intimately, obsessively . It’s a love that mirrors Doflamingo’s. For that reason, there is no doubt to him that the boy was made to be a Donquixote.