Patients Are A Lot Easier To Talk To When They're Asleep. The Gremlin Is Definitely Glaring Up At Cora

    ❝ patients are a lot easier to talk to when they're asleep. ❞ the gremlin is definitely glaring up at Cora with those menacing amber eyes that always seem to be shadowed beneath the brim of his hat. ( little Law )

　❝ well, sometimes patients wake up when they hear noise, ❞ rosinante replied, tone neither annoyed nor mocking, but instead like he was playing along.

well, he primarily woke up because the pain medication he was given was starting to wane, but it wasn't a lie. for the last few nights, he was deliberate in not using his devil fruit powers; not only was his stamina running on fumes he couldn't afford to waste if he wanted to recover enough for them to finally get off minion within the week ー law said he would need at least two weeks, but rosinante was sure he could convince him if he kept being on his best behavior ー but it was too risky not to be in total awareness of his surroundings.

rosinante was heavily injured, and law ー having to split what little energy he had between caring for himself and caring for the older man ー wasn't better off. they were vulnerable, and the sounds around them were really the only indicators the pair had to potential dangers. he may not be able to defend law in his state, but they could still make a break for it.

that pain in rosinante's ribs alone was enough to knock the smile off his face, but the marine was doing his damnest to not let that show.

　❝ i didn't hear what you said, though. honest! at least i don't think so. i can never tell what words i dreamed up versus what someone actually said to me while i'm half-conscious. ❞

probably won't get to these for a few days, or maybe not until early next week, but here's a tentative meme/inbox call from cora.

i'll pick 1-3 memes from your tag to send in. no cap, though i might be selective about what i decide to turn into threads depending on how many people like this. just trying to gently ease myself back into things.

　　　❝ ah... i forgot he was a warlord now. ❞

　well, that was good to know; doflamingo being a warlord now, having ascended to the position in the last few years (no doubt through blackmail and using that nebulous 'secret treasure' of his as leverage), was about as much information as he knew about that side of things. he didn't know his relationship with his other colleagues ー other pirates ー or what kind of allies he had within the institution other than vergo. but, he could now at least mark one of the other six off the list.

the information wasn't exactly something to celebrate. after all, just because he wasn't friends with doflamingo, a fellow pirate, didn't mean he was closer to marines. especially not mihawk ー a pirate only offered the position of warlord so he would hopefully stop hunting down marines for fun.

rosinante really should have cut the conversation short there, but his own nervousness kept him talking.

　❝ i get you, though. he's a bit... well, he's a lot. he's a lot of things, but i'm sure you already knew that. ❞

While Mihawk expected the name itself to elicit some kind of reaction, being startled wasn't one of them, so much so that he got startled by the reaction, too. Then again, Doflamingo was a person even he much rather avoided as well when possible, even during Shichibukai meetings. Not that he was the sole reason he seldom attended those, but the Devil Fruit the man possessed just added to the creep factor, not to mention that being at his disposal to use him as a puppet while he was the puppeteer ridding Mihawk of all control sent a shiver down his spine from the mere thought of it.

❝ Friend? Gods, no. I couldn't even tell you how much I despise him. ❞

It hadn't even crossed the swordsman's mind that the two of them could easily be related, or at least working together in some capacity, but then there was the reaction of the blonde that didn't add up to that equation.

❝ He's just an unfortunate work colleague, to put it like that. ❞

you’re gonna carry that weight

　　❝ i believe you. she's got some tough genes on both sides. ❞ and tough parents. hence the perhaps overkill display of trepidation. now that he thinks about it, he remembered his father telling him a story ー one of the few stories of his early childhood he had access to at all ー of his mother doing exactly this. not so that she wouldn't hurt rosinante, but so that he wouldn't hurt himself during playtime.

❝ still, i'd rather play it safe. i don't think i've ever held a baby before... actually, wait ー once. one time. ❞ he wrinkled his nose at the memory, his hand briefly flexing as if trying to stretch out some phantom pain. ❝ a crewmate of my brother's found a half-fishman baby abandoned near our base. he bit me, and that was that. no more babies. ❞

well, clearly that was not that ー this was law's kid, after all. if there was any baby he would make an exception for, it would be her. hell, she could even bite him, too, if she wanted. not that he expected her too, but who knows? maybe biting people is just what babies did. ❝ the whole time i was there, doffy thought that was the thing that made me hate kids. or, pretend to hate kids, i mean. ❞

@code01746 Grandpa Cora-san

Like an over protective mother cat, Nami only chose to offer up her little one she trusted with her… and she was not typically known to trust just anyone. It was the highest honor to be offered a chance to hold the midnight haired and golden eyed baby, decked out in a heart patterned onesee, complete with a matching bow for the occasion. Meeting one's namesake was not an every day occurrences after all, and Nami believed in assuring the youngest of heart pirates was always properly dressed.

Features softened from the display of the ex-marine, a giggle slipping out. This is the reason she knew she could trust the large man with her baby, knowing he had her protection at the top of mind despite afflictions that could potentially cause harm… As if Nami would trust her child with anyone she feared would hurt her and would claw out the eyes of anyone just for the offense of looking at her wrong.

“Don't worry, she's not nearly as fragile as she looks and I will be right here.” Carefully cradling the back of her head, Nami sat down amongst the pillows to join the blonde and little bundle that was her daughter. There was something about babies that was so naturally relaxing, and if you asked Nami it was impossible not to look upon Cora-chan's cherub face without feeling a sense of calm. Fingers brushed along soft little curls that started to form along the back of her head while she slept on, content to snooze in anyone's arms after having been passed amongst her mother, sister and every heart pirate.

"....... cora-san." the sickly child sighs out heavily as if he was instead a parent of the two about to go on a lecture; unable to smother his incredulous, wide eyed expression as he raptly watches said man finish stomping out the sad, charred remains of their itchy blankets. that the blond had set on fire after a light breeze had blown his still hot cigarette ash onto the bag that was safely holding together their meager, but ultimately, better than nothing, sleeping supplies from the elements. was was the key word here.

the undercover marine's luck was so atrocious law still couldn't believe it, even after months of them traveling together. alas, law was too tired to fuss & fume over the accident, so he merely squeezes the bridge of his nose with the tips of his spotted fingers to rein in his emotions & peaking headache.

"...... it'll be colder tonight than yesterday. I hope you have enough room in that ridiculous coat for me." he huffs after a short, terse pause; parchment paper-thin face pink from sudden embarrassment at his rather .... childish suggestion. (mettleburdened)

　　❝ ...good call. ❞

　rosinante agreed at once, half-surprised the boy didn't yell at him for the screw up. usually when law was grouchy like this, he tended to get set off more than usual by the older man's 'quirks'. yet, here he was, giving him an out. he supposed he should be grateful for that, even if it was more out of resignation of having no other option than anything.

the donquixote was certain he could salvage some of what was in the bag. a little char didn't hurt anybody, and he'd slept with moldier, more ratty blankets when he had no other option as a child. but, that could wait until tomorrow; it had been a long day and, for now, his coat was enough for both of them. ❝ absolutely, kid. i've got plenty of room in this thing ー it's huge! ❞

at least the pair still had their weather-proof tarp ー currently staked into the ground ー as a makeshift cot. it would be enough to keep their backsides dry, at least. small victories. rosinante situated himself on the ground and opened his coat, as if inviting him to jump right into his lap.

❝ this is thing weather-proof and disaster-proof. comfy & warm as can be, i promise. ❞

// @mettleburdened