Dark Ties: A One Piece Romance (Law x Reader)

Chapter 16: A New Dawn

"Where...am I?"

Law lifted an arm to shade his eyes from the intense rays of the sun. As he walked forward, he suddenly stopped to look down at his feet. He wasn't wearing shoes, standing on soft white grains of sand. A crash of a wave could be heard, making Law look back up into a shining sea. He was on a beach, so picturesque it was impossible to believe such a place existed. A warmness filled his body as he continued to gaze off into the sun that was slowly setting in the cloudless sky.

"Law!! Come quick!! I found a crab!" A joyful voice interrupted the serene moment.

"Hm?" Law's eyes darted to look over his shoulder towards the mysterious voice when the weight of a hand suddenly rested against his shoulder. Black eyes widened with stars at the sight they saw. "C-Corazón?" He said astonished under his breath, looking straight into the goofy face of his old friend that was smiling so brightly.

"Check it out! Let's eat this thing for supper!" While Law stood too stunned to speak, the crab that was in Corazón's hands took the opportunity for an escape by snapping its claw on the tall man's nose. "OWWOWOW!!! STUPID CRAB, LET GO!!"

Was this real? He could see him so vividly in front of him. His heartbeat grew rapidly with significant emotion. A teardrop fell down his cheek.

"LAW!! HELP MEEEE!!" Corazón continued to roll around in the sand in pain from the crab's brutal attack on his nose. Eventually, he was finally able to pry away from the crab's claws. "Owww..." He rubbed his nose with an angry scowl, "That's it, now you're really going to be my dinner tonight! Law why didn't you do anything?!...Huh?" Corazón looked up at the young man standing in front of him with confusion, noticing the strange expression on his face. "Hey, what's up with you? You alright?"

"You're...You're okay?" Law's voice quivered in disbelief.

"Would've been better no thanks to this damn crab." He snarked. Adjusting his hat, he stood up and then brushed the sand off his pants. "Let's talk over dinner, okay?"

"...Sure."

Law followed his friend to a nearby make-shift firepit. He took a seat in the sand and watched the sun paint the sky with warm hues as it set behind the sea. The crackling of the fire and the sound of the waves gave him a comforting sense of nostalgia. As much as he wanted to smile, he still couldn't avoid the thought of this not being real.

Corazón continued his work preparing the two's dinner and began roasting the crab over the fire. RIP crab. 

"You're supposed to be dead." Law broke the peaceful silence.

"Wha-?!" Corazón gasped. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you still upset about the prank earlier? C'mon, Law..." He comically pleaded.

"No..." Law shook his head. "Doflamingo...he killed you."

Corazón's usual clown-like smile slowly subsided, and the mood became somber.  He reached into his pocket for a cigarette and stuck one in his mouth igniting it. Law anxiously sat waiting for an answer as the man exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Yeah...yeah he did."

Law continued to stare at the vivid scene of his friend. "So...you aren't real, are you? Is this all a dream then?"

"I'm afraid so." His painted lips gently smiled. "But isn't it nice? It's been too long since we could relax like this."

"It doesn't change my feelings though...if anything...this makes me hate Doflamingo even more..." Law hung his head in defeat. "If it wasn't for him...this could be real. I can't forgive him." A tear fell and soaked into the sand at Law's feet. "If only I was stronger...if only I could do something to stop what happened."