[though maybe Rosinante doesn't want to see him which is fine. He's currently sunning himself outside on his ice deck chair, enjoying the imaginary warmth]
I think this stooping will put my back out. [ a pause ].Don't tell Smoker I said so.
[It actually does hit Rosinante that he won't get any older back home, he's just another corpse there. And here, he doesn't know how aging works. He hasn't been here long enough to know details like that. But he doesn't say anything about it, instead crouching down to get his awkwardly tall self through the hall and out the back door. And then he stretches out, goodness it feels good to stand up straight without bumping or hitting anything.] How old are you anyway? I know you're from a different time than me.
[That does not look comfortable at all. But it was made for him, so he grabs a couple of blankets from inside and drags them back out. And after layering them in the chair, he settles in.
It's not that bad, honestly. It's big enough for him so that's a positive point at least.] I've heard stories. Of what he and Law got up to. [He pulls out a cigarette, and lights it. And it actually lights without issue this time.]
Maa, it seems the world really is ending. [he's both amused and horrified at this. But also surprised in a way] Trafalgar Law. I wasn't aware you knew him.
At this point, that's not such an odd sounding thing. I think our world has an apocalypse risk a week. And that was back when I was around. [Rosinante blinks, and peers at Kuzan from over his sunglasses.] I thought Smoker would have told you already. I helped him, when he was young.
[Rosinante is warming up a little. He only spoke to Smoker about Law initially out of fear that the boy was there somewhere, alone and afraid. And he'd gotten a few stories about the man that boy had grown up to be.]
I'm not sure that I'd call him an idiot. [He's certainly a lot of things, though.] It's not important to keep things confidential now. People know secrets that I was supposed to keep. But when I was alive, I went undercover under Doflamingo. And that's how I met Law. He was young and angry and broken inside. And dying.
[Rosinante just thinks he's emotionally constipated and has a thing for much younger men.]
Yes, dying. It was a rare disease. And he didn't have a lot of time left. We fled from Doffy to find a cure. [Kidnapped, fled, it's all the same with the end results to Rosinante. Sometimes doing the right thing means doing something questionable to ensure the end result.] We went from hospital to hospital together. [Rosinante shakes his head.] He was training him. He uses people as tools, but he also hones them well for that role. He didn't have any intention of killing him at first. Law was like the other children there. An investment.
[so it was as he suspected. Though he also suspected that Rosinante wasn't supposed to go out of his way to cure the boy. Even if he was a D, perhaps especially if he was a D. The fallout from that probably wouldn't have been good]
Maa, well, adults now. And who knows how many more. [he sighs] But for now, at least, he's silent for a little while. [or so Smoker says]
[It had started out a desperate attempt to save the child because he was a D, and a little bit because Law didn't report about his status as a traitor in the family to Doffy that day. But then it was turned into something more. Law became incredibly important to him, he gave Rosinante a real purpose, and saving him was about healing a lost child that had already experienced far too much pain.] From what I heard, he grew up to be a powerful man. And a good man. [He likes the idea of it.] He's in Impel Down, from what I've heard. I wouldn't know firsthand. But as long as Doflamingo is unable to hurt people, that's good enough for me. And it makes everything worth it.
[good is a hard thing to reconcile. With anyone these days, but especially when it came to pirates. What is the measure of a good man? He doesn't know anymore. Not like he used to. He used to think the higher up in the ranks he got, the more certain the world would be. Now it was more uncertain than ever.
He's not even certain about how long Doflamingo will stay in prison. Or, if he does, if he'll really be unable to hurt anyone. He has influence everywhere.
He's not foolish enough to say this, however. As he knows Rosinante, like him, is somewhat desperate to feel like he did something worthwhile and not just a pawn in the World Government's game. But unlike him, Rosinante has no chances left.]
I'm sure he thinks of you fondly. [Law, he means.] What will you do if he comes here?
[Good and evil have blurred brutally for most of Rosinante's life. It's easy to see morality as something clear cut and uncomplicated. But that's not the case. And good and evil don't overrule emotional reactions either.
Sengoku is good in Rosinante's mind. But he's aware that the Marines support terrible things from time to time, and corruption has twisted their numbers.
Doflamingo is evil in Rosinante's mind. But he's still the brother that loved him, and gave him a position of power and trust until he realized that Rosinante was the traitor.
Law has to be good, even if he does things that would be considered evil. It's how Rosinante's heart manages to handle the pain of that already hurting child that he couldn't protect growing up to be so hard.]
I hope so. [Rosinante fidgets a bit, a hand messing with the blanket to help keep himself busy.] I don't know what I'd do. Greet him I guess, appologize to him, and be as supportive as I can be if he wants me in his life.
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[Text]
How are you managing?
[Text]
You know we're in the same house...
[though maybe Rosinante doesn't want to see him which is fine. He's currently sunning himself outside on his ice deck chair, enjoying the imaginary warmth]
I think this stooping will put my back out. [ a pause ].Don't tell Smoker I said so.
[Text]
I feel like I'm so much older now. I didn't think I could have this kind of pain at this age. And I won't tell him.
[Text]
And wait until you're my age. It gets worse and you don't want to tell anyone.
[ It occurs to him that Rosinante won't be his age, but then again. Who knows what may happen here. ]
[Action]
[Action]
Old enough. Thirty-five for a while. The world has changed a lot. Has Smoker told you of Strawhat and his disaster?
[Action]
It's not that bad, honestly. It's big enough for him so that's a positive point at least.] I've heard stories. Of what he and Law got up to. [He pulls out a cigarette, and lights it. And it actually lights without issue this time.]
[Action]
[Action]
[Action]
Smoker is an idiot. [he shrugs] Tell me about it.
[Action]
I'm not sure that I'd call him an idiot. [He's certainly a lot of things, though.] It's not important to keep things confidential now. People know secrets that I was supposed to keep. But when I was alive, I went undercover under Doflamingo. And that's how I met Law. He was young and angry and broken inside. And dying.
[Action]
Dying? [Amber Lead Syndrome? He knows it was a problem where Law is from, but he doesn't want to suppose. Also Law is very much not dead.]
I'm surprised he survived Doflamingo.
[Action]
Yes, dying. It was a rare disease. And he didn't have a lot of time left. We fled from Doffy to find a cure. [Kidnapped, fled, it's all the same with the end results to Rosinante. Sometimes doing the right thing means doing something questionable to ensure the end result.] We went from hospital to hospital together. [Rosinante shakes his head.] He was training him. He uses people as tools, but he also hones them well for that role. He didn't have any intention of killing him at first. Law was like the other children there. An investment.
[Action]
Maa, well, adults now. And who knows how many more. [he sighs] But for now, at least, he's silent for a little while. [or so Smoker says]
[Action]
[Action]
He's not even certain about how long Doflamingo will stay in prison. Or, if he does, if he'll really be unable to hurt anyone. He has influence everywhere.
He's not foolish enough to say this, however. As he knows Rosinante, like him, is somewhat desperate to feel like he did something worthwhile and not just a pawn in the World Government's game. But unlike him, Rosinante has no chances left.]
I'm sure he thinks of you fondly. [Law, he means.] What will you do if he comes here?
[Action]
Sengoku is good in Rosinante's mind. But he's aware that the Marines support terrible things from time to time, and corruption has twisted their numbers.
Doflamingo is evil in Rosinante's mind. But he's still the brother that loved him, and gave him a position of power and trust until he realized that Rosinante was the traitor.
Law has to be good, even if he does things that would be considered evil. It's how Rosinante's heart manages to handle the pain of that already hurting child that he couldn't protect growing up to be so hard.]
I hope so. [Rosinante fidgets a bit, a hand messing with the blanket to help keep himself busy.] I don't know what I'd do. Greet him I guess, appologize to him, and be as supportive as I can be if he wants me in his life.