Rocinante didn't want to see him. Not after what he'd done to the people of Dressrosa—and especially not after what he'd done to Law.
Yet, it was his duty to take him into custody. That was an obligation he had put upon himself to begin with, so he couldn't really complain.

Now, it was time to even the score with the one whom he had once called brother.




First Act


The tall man's hands trembled slightly as he took off his large burgundy mask; it was decorated with a faux beard and long black feathers, and a frowning face appeared from behind it. A blue four-pointed mark was tattooed under the right eye of the man, and dark red lipstick painted a fake smile on his features.
Once a marine—and now a member of Cipher Pol Aigis Zero—the blond agent's name was Donquixote Rocinante, and he was the younger brother of the infamous Heavenly Yaksha.

After slackening his black tie a little, the CP-0 agent took a deep breath and looked at his feet.
Doflamingo was lying on his back, motionless. His pink feather coat had reddish stains on it, and his shattered glasses lay just a few inches from his right hand.

Rocinante went down on a knee, his eyes fixed on the injured body before him. He wondered if he was dead.
Impossible... A monster like him wouldn't die so easily. His hand still shaking, he slowly reached out to verify if the other man still had a pulse.

One beat; another; a third one...
"He's alive," Rocinante stated plainly, as he stood up. "Take him to the ship."

"Yes, sir!" replied the marines gathered around him.
Then, they proceeded to tie Doflamingo's arms with heavy seastone chains.

Without waiting for them, Rocinante put his mask back on and walked away, deep into his thoughts.
Unnoticed, tears slid down his face, and he only became aware of them after a few steps. But why was he crying?

He resented that man... that monster. It was his fault if he was stuck in that masquerade, unable to go and talk to Law, unable to hug him again after all those years!
Then, why was he relieved that Doflamingo was still alive? Was it because he couldn't forget?

In the past, there had been times when Doflamingo had looked after him... Times when he had helped him to survive, and also times when he had suggested bringing food to their ill mother, only a few days before she left them forever.
Rocinante couldn't forget any of it, and hated himself for being so weak-willed. Doflamingo had always told him that he was too soft... Maybe, he was right.

He felt the invisible strings of the other fallen Celestial Dragon slowly wrap around his neck, tangle with his deepest thoughts, even cling on him as if he was Doflamingo's last bridge between sanity and hell.
Rocinante felt sick. He didn't want to be manipulated, yet that demon managed to do that even while unconscious.

His mind went back to the years when he had been an undercover agent in Doflamingo's crew, before the terrible events of Dressrosa. Back then, he had lived in nearly absolute silence, and although he appreciated quietness, there was a difference between a peaceful hush and a freezing stillness.
What Rocinante was feeling now was a silence of the second kind, and he shivered.

Cough!

Rocinante's heart skipped a beat as he stopped in his track.
Was Doflamingo regaining consciousness?

"Mother... father...! Why are they after us? Why don't they bow?!"

Is he having a nightmare?

"AAAARGH!"

After that heart-wrenching scream, Rocinante finally turned around.

"We don't know what's happening," the marines carrying the chained man told him.
Doflamingo had started convulsing and was losing blood from both his nose and gaping mouth.

Shit!

"Put him down and call a doctor!" ordered Rocinante. "MOVE!"
He despised Doflamingo, but that didn't mean he wanted to see him dying coughing up blood.

After tossing aside his mask, he crouched down and unchained him.
Doflamingo's reaction to seastone was abnormal; usually, that substance didn't have such devastating effects on a Devil Fruit user... Then, he remembered the initial reports of the fight. They mentioned that Law, too, had taken part in the battle; he was a surgeon, so he probably d—

"Pant... S-stop! I'll kill... I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!!" Doflamingo shouted again.
Even stronger fits shook his frame as he coughed violently, nearly choking on his own blood while mumbling incoherent words.

For a moment, Rocinante actually feared that he would die.
"Why isn't the doctor here yet?!"

The marines took a step back, frightened.

Naturally... I'm "the monster's brother," after all.
His lips curving down in distaste, he decided to try fixing the problem himself; his "awakened" powers always took a toll on his body, but he didn't have a choice if he wanted to save him.

Once again, Rocinante wondered why he still cared, but for the moment he put that thought aside.

Doflamingo flinched when Rocinante placed his hand on his heaving chest, but soon his seizure subsided and his wheeze quieted down into a rustle.
Rocinante had slowed down his vital functions—pulse rate and blood pressure included—and the man was slowly entering a state of apparent death, similar to one that could be triggered by severe hypothermia.

Suddenly, though, Doflamingo's eyes fluttered open.

Rocinante was taken aback.
Those eyes staring at him were light brown as his own, and the twinkle in them—similar to orange flames—was slowly fading away, swallowed by the dimness of the underground port.

"Y-you...?" Doflamingo's lips barely moved. Then, his eyes closed again and he went completely still.

Rocinante retreated his hand, and only then he realised he was quivering.
For the first time in his whole life, he had seen Doflamingo's eyes. Briefly, fear had flickered in them—and maybe also something else.

Mixed emotions clashed inside him, and he felt like crying again. He hadn't expected to see something other than maliciousness and contempt in that gaze, and yet...
Rocinante was lost at what to do. Heck, he didn't even know what to think! However, he didn't dwell on that for long.

I want to see you again. His thoughts returned to Law as he put his mask back on.
He was tired of all that, and was starting to feel the side effects of using his powers so extensively.

At least the doctor had arrived, so he left Doflamingo in his care after explaining how he had stopped the haemorrhage. His condition was still critical, but Rocinante couldn't do much more for him.
Once everything was settled, he headed for the CP-0 ship. He stumbled a couple of times before reaching it—not many, considering his clumsiness, but he obviously needed some rest.

After this, I'll finally be able to meet you, Law... I hope you won't hate me for making you wait so long.
A few minutes later, Rocinante was under the shower. He let the warm water wash away his tears and the blood on his hands—his brother's blood, he caught himself thinking.

Apparently, Doflamingo's threads were still floating around him, and one of them might have reached his heart.




Second Act


Rocinante was lying on a couch in his cabin, one leg loosely crossed over the other and a stub hanging from his lips, when someone knocked at his door. He was dozing off, but that sound woke him up immediately—that, and the smell of the burning feathers on his left shoulder.
Not again! he cursed, putting off the small fire. Even after all those years, he still liked that old feather coat of his, maybe because it reminded him of the time spent together with Law; it was a miracle it had not yet completely burned.

"Yes?" Rocinante replied tiredly to whoever was disturbing him in the middle of the night.

"It's an emergency, sir," a marine's voice replied from behind the tall wooden door.

"Enter," he said, sighing. Was the CP-0 leader summoning him already? He hated that man, and the last thing he wanted at the moment was to see him...
Wait, what if something has happened to Doflamingo?! Rocinante stood up so abruptly that he nearly fell face down.

The marine who had just entered the room stared at him with large eyes, a bit worried.

Calm down! he scolded himself, ashamed. Then, he asked with a neutral tone, "What's up?"

Springing to attention, the other replied serious, "The prisoner had undergone a surgery to fix his organs, sir. They had been cut to shreds by whatever that other pirate, Trafalgar Law, did to him."

"I see..." Rocinante tried to hide his nervousness as he waited for the marine to continue.

"He's out of danger, now, but he needs a transfusion. Our blood supplies barely lasted for the duration of the surgery, and only you, sir, have his same blood type," the man explained without looking at him.

Frowning, Rocinante put away his black coat. He was still really tired, really angry with Doflamingo (to put it mildly), and overall fed up with the whole situation.
"I'm coming soon," he replied. "Wait for me outside."

The marine bowed slightly and did as he was ordered—maybe a bit too fast, but by now Rocinante was used to other people being vary around him.
He changed his clothes, putting on the signature CP-0 white suite and matching robe, but he didn't wear his mask; it was night and he was on a ship sailing across the ocean, so he didn't need to cover his face. The few people on that sailboat all knew him anyway.

Still a bit reluctant, he followed the marine through the narrow corridors of the ship, paying attention not to bump his head against the rafters.
His eyelids felt heavy for the lack of sleep, and he was also starting to get hungry, but that was something for later. Now, he had something to do; something that, for some reasons, scared him—no, "scared" wasn't the right word for that. Could it be... anticipation?

Rocinante was upset at himself. He had vowed to remain detached, perform his duty, and then finally leave the Cipher Pol. He didn't like to work under the World Government anymore... Not after witnessing what it could do.

"We have arrived, sir."

The marine's voice took him back to the present, and he looked at the door in front of him. Two officers were guarding it, but other than that it looked like a regular cabin. However, inside it was equipped with all the latest medical devices. He also noticed the absence of portholes, meaning that they were in an internal cabin.
Rocinante's eyes slowly moved towards the furthermost bed. Doflamingo was strapped on it tightly, and a breathing mask covered his mouth.

"Restrains are made of seastone," said a man while entering from a side door. Presumably, he was the one who had performed the surgery. "We can't let our guard down," he added.
Then, he proceeded to explain why Doflamingo needed a direct transfusion, but Rocinante wasn't interested in the technical details and only half listened to him.

"I understand," he said in the end with a flat voice.
Despite his best intentions to cover his true emotions, though, his eyes remained glued to his brother's face. He looked so pale, almost like a corpse... Rocinante forced himself to stop thinking about such things and lied down on the cot next to him.

"He needs lots of blood, so you could pass out," warned the doctor. "Call me anytime if you want to stop; I'll be in the room next door."

Rocinante nodded briskly, and then closed his eyes as the needle was inserted into his wrist after the necessary preparations.
His heart rate increased... Was he unconsciously trying to give his brother as much blood as he could? He refused to acknowledge that thought and stayed still, gazing at the beams above his head.

"I'm going to check on you every once in a while to make sure that everything is going smoothly," the surgeon said before leaving.

Rocinante muttered a barely audible "thank you." Then, he gave a last glance at Doflamingo's face before closing his eyes again and just let the time pass, drop by drop.
Not long after that, he dozed off as his own heartbeat and his brother's regular breathing lulled him into a welcomed silence.




Third Act


They arrived in Marijoa three days after Doflamingo's surgery.
Rocinante had just finished talking with the CP-0 leader about his brother's fate, and was returning to his room. It was more an apartment, actually, where he lived while he was stationed in the "Holy Land." He grimaced at the appellation, trying to contain his rage.

Once inside his flat, he slammed the door behind him. Rocinante didn't care for the crashing sound—he had already activated his powers in anticipation of that.
"THOSE ASSHOLES!!!" he screamed, trembling, as his eyes turned wet. The punch he threw at the wall left a dent on the pastel wallpaper.

He then dropped on one knee, panting and murmuring between tears, "Why has to be like this?" He covered his face with a quivering hand. What's the point of saving you, if in the end they are going to kill you anyway?
He breathed deeply, trying to calm down, but when he stood up his head spun and he had to lean against the wall for support.

You murdered our father, and I'm alive after you shot me only thanks to the awakening of my Devil Fruit... You enslaved people and a whole country, and nearly killed Law, too... And yet, I'm still here instead of leaving all of this behind.
Rocinante couldn't fool himself anymore; deep inside, he still cared for his brother. And now, even after all the atrocities Doflamingo had committed, the only image that came to his mind was the fear in his eyes.

When his dizziness went away, he dried his tears and started pacing back and forth, thinking furiously. He wouldn't let those shitty World Nobles save their faces by sacrificing one of them. Now, maybe for the first time in his life, he really understood why his father had wanted to go away from there in the first place.
He stopped before one of the large windows of his room and looked outside. Marijoa was a gorgeous place, at least on the surface. Vast gardens, clear fountains, the imposing central palace... He could see its tall towers even from there, their cream walls and green roofs emanating an aura of benevolence—but he knew better. The capital of the World Government, and especially that central building, actually hid the worst filth of humanity.

Rocinante felt disgusted at the thought that, beyond those walls—but sometimes even openly, in the streets of the "Holy Land"—people were enslaved, tortured, and often killed just for "fun."
"Damn hypocrites!!!" he yelled, throwing another punch. The glass of the window before him shattered and wounded his hand, but he didn't even register the pain. "I won't let you do as you please..." he hissed.

But how should he proceed? He was alone there... And even if he knew some higher-ups in the Navy, they couldn't help him because they had to answer to the World Government. Rocinante paced the room again, considering every possibilities.
After a while, he noticed that he was sweating, so he tossed his formal robes on the floor and took a pair of light jeans and a cotton shirt from a near wardrobe. He felt much more comfortable after changing into casual clothes, but he still lacked something.

Smoke. He searched for his pack of cigarettes and the lighter in the inner pockets of his coat on the hanger near the door.
Then, he flung himself on his favourite armchair and started inhaling the tobacco with long, slow breaths.

His head reclined back and his hands in the pants pockets, he relaxed while enjoying the silence. At that point, he was so angry at the whole situation that he had started to feel amused by it. Rocinante sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Perfect, I'm beginning to think like my brother... He shivered at the thought.
Well, at least I've calmed down. He crushed the stub in the ashtray on the nearest table and stood up with renewed energy.

Now that he could think more clearly, he remembered about the Reverie that would start the following day. Rulers from every corner of the world would reunite at Marijoa... I could ask one of them for help, but is there someone I can trust?
He had learnt a lot about history and politics during his years in the CP-0, but in the end help came from his earlier days, when he was undercover in his brother's Donquixote Pirates crew.

Back then, he had read news about Crocodile, an ex-corsair who would later be removed from that privileged position.
The person who triggered the event was none other than Law's ally, Monkey D. Luffy. That youth exposed Crocodile's plans to take over the Alabasta kingdom, over which the Nefertari family had ruled for centuries. They were known as righteous monarchs who had refused to leave their people behind to go to Marijoa with the other ancient families, which would later be called "Celestial Dragons."

The current sovereign of Alabasta was Nefertari Vivi, and she would attend the Reverie as she was expected to. Thanks to his researches, Rocinante had discovered that she was Monkey D. Luffy's friend. Maybe, he could trust her... It was decided, then; the next day he would try to talk to her in private.
But what if she accepted? After running away with Doflamingo, he could try to contact someone in the Revolutionary Army and ask for their protection... But everything in due time.

Now that he had a plan, Rocinante felt a bit relieved. With a snap of his fingers he released the soundproof barrier around his apartment, and only then he noticed his injured hand; it was just a superficial cut, though, and he took care of it by himself.
Finally, he lay down on his bed and tried to sleep. Turbulent days were ahead, and he needed to be at his best.




Fourth Act


Before setting his plan in motion, Rocinante needed to talk with his brother.
Thus, donned in his formal attire, he met his superior again and requested to be the one to inform Doflamingo about his upcoming execution. To avoid raising suspicion, he deceived the CP-0 leader into believing that he still had a score to settle with elder brother, which was partially true anyway.

The shorter man stared at him from under his white bowler hat, but even an experienced spy like him could not match Rocinante's acting skills, and he did not suspect anything.

Not long afterwards, Rocinante was climbing down the stairs of the prison usually used for the slaves brought to Marijoa for the Celestial Dragons' delectation. He had never been there before, so he was not prepared for the stench permeating the dungeon and had to use all of his self-control not to throw up.
Luckily, the warder stopped at the first underground level and told him that the prisoner was in the largest cell on that floor, just in front of them.

Bracing himself, Rocinante took a few steps and looked up.

Beyond the bars of the cell, Doflamingo was bound in chains, his arms stretched above his bowed head and his bare feet barely touching the grimy stones of the floor.
He was gagged, and his half-closed eyes had dark circles under them. He appeared to be breathing with difficulty—Of course, he's still recovering from the surgery!—and his clothes consisted of a pair of loose pants, which had inevitably gotten dirty after two days of seclusion.

Rocinante felt a surge of compassion for his once proud brother... Sure, he deserved to be punished for what he had done, but seeing him in that miserable state was disturbing nonetheless.

"You've five minutes," the guard said with indifference, oblivious of his inner turmoil.

He nodded without uttering a word; if he had talked, his voice would have trembled, and he couldn't take any risk.
Even after the warden had left, he needed to suppress his emotions and to speak cautiously—at least before activating his powers—since a few den-den mushi were surely hidden in the cell. "I'm here to inform you about the World Nobles' decision concerning your case," he said coldly, removing his mask.

Those words seemed to have no effect on Doflamingo. When he lifted his eyes, though, he recognized him and emitted a muffled sound.

Rocinante steeled himself and stated, "You are sentenced to death."
He didn't add anything; his brother was an intelligent man and would have no trouble understanding the motives of that decision.

After the first moment of shock, fear flickered in Doflamingo's eyes, and this time Rocinante saw it clearly. Hidden under his long-sleeved robe, his hands closed into tight fists.
Then, he put his mask on again and snapped his fingers. "I've activated my powers, so I can speak freely now," he told him, struggling to hide his restlessness. "I can save you." His voice was shaking.

At those words, his brother's eyes grew wide.

"I won't do it if you aren't willing to collaborate, though." He did not have much time, so he continued with urgency, "If you agree with that, simply close your eyes without nodding or moving your head."

Doflamingo's eyes shimmered for a moment, and then he slowly lowered his eyelids.

That was enough. Rocinante dispelled the soundproof barrier and said with a detached tone, "I shall be back soon to escort you. Be prepared."
When he turned around to leave the room, he wondered if he had really seen tears in his brother's eyes or if the dim light of the cell had tricked him.




Fifth Act


Rocinante found the queen of Alabasta just outside the Reverie building, but he didn't approach her yet. The meeting had just ended and she was chatting with the major of Water Seven. He had recognized him instantly; according to his researches, that man was another of Monkey D. Luffy's potential allies.
After a while, Nefertari Vivi finally said goodbye to him and waved at a few more people in the crowd. Then, she walked away with her bodyguards: two Zoan Devil Fruit users, as suggested by their animal-like features.

Moving silently, he followed them into an alley that branched off the main street. It was already evening, so not many people were around. Still, he felt nervous... What if she refused to help him? Anyway, when the trio reached the outskirts of Marijoa, he took a deep breath and decided to make his move.
Careful not to trip, Rocinante ran past the group and stopped in front of them.

Alerted, the two bodyguards stepped before the woman and shielded her with their bodies.

Ignoring them, he erected a barrier so that their words wouldn't be heard outside that limited space. Then he put off his mask and prostrated himself, touching the rocky trail with his forehead.

That caught the group off guard.
"What's he doing...?" the bird-like man muttered, astonished.

However, Nefertari Vivi took a few steps towards him. Even without looking, Rocinante could read her movements thanks to his keen hearing.

"Wait, it could be dangerous!" the man similar to a black jackal warned the woman.

"He doesn't have bad intentions," she replied. "I can recognize a righteous man when I see one."

Upon hearing those words, the stress accumulated over the last few days finally caught up with him, and Rocinante didn't bother to hold back tears.
Relieved, he lifted his head to look at her and introduced himself. "I'm Donquixote Rocinante," he said, speaking in a whisper while sobbing quietly.

Surprise spread on the woman's face, but it was soon replaced by a soft expression.
"You want to save your elder brother, don't you?" she asked with a sympathetic tone. "I heard of his death sentence at the Reverie."

Now, it was Rocinante's turn to be taken aback. Why did she look sad? Then, realisation hit him; she was a friend of Monkey D. Luffy, and the latter had lost his older brother just two years ago.
"Yes, I want to save him..." he confirmed, bowing his head again.

Before he could explain his reasons, she continued, "I'm surprised that you're still alive... You went by the alias of 'Corazon' once, didn't you?"

Rocinante tensed, his eyes narrowing and darting up.
It had been years since the last time someone had called him by that name... How could she know?

"You don't need to look at me like that; your secret is safe with me," the young woman assured him with a smile. "I've been a spy and I can do my research," she added with a confident grin.

"I see..." Rocinante's features relaxed and he smiled back.

"But please stand up, now! We'll be able to talk better that way."

He dried his tears and settled for sitting in front of her; he was much taller than that kind woman and didn't want to intimidate her.
"I need your help to leave Marijoa unnoticed," he explained. "Could you please take me and my brother on your ship, when you'll leave the Red Line?" That was the name of the mountain range that separated the seas of the "New World" from the ones of the "Paradise," and the so-called "Holy Land" was on the top of it.

"Sure," replied Nefertari Vivi. "You were Trafalgar Law's friend, after all... And since Luffy's ally surely is a nice guy, you must be too."

He couldn't believe it would be that simple. Were the bonds forged by that Luffy always so strong?
For a moment, he felt something close to jealousy... But why was he getting so worked up over something like that? Maybe, it's just that I miss you, Law...

"We'll leave tomorrow," the young queen interrupted his thoughts. "Please meet us here at midnight."

Rocinante nodded and finally stood up. "I won't ever forget your kindness," he said, bowing.

"Don't mention it!" Nefertari Vivi dismissed him with a smile. "As long as you can keep Doflamingo under control, I've no problem helping you out." Then she added with a serious tone, "I don't like the World Government's decisions most of the time anyway."

After promising that he would keep him in check, Rocinante bowed a last time as he put his mask on, and then headed back to Marijoa.
He walked briskly, eager to start the next phase of his plan. At the same time, though, he was worried... How would he deal with his brother? Doflamingo was still an unread book to him, and he was not sure about what to expect.




Final Act


Rocinante had finally decided on the best route for leaving Marijoa. Before going to the underground prison in which Doflamingo was held, though, he returned to his apartment to take his personal belongings: maps, a den-den mushi, and a few clothes including his treasured feather coat.
He looked around the large room one last time to make sure he had not forgotten anything, and then glanced at the window.

It was already dark outside, and a thick fog was snaking its way through the streets... Nevertheless, maybe a diversion would give them an even better chance at escaping.
After pondering for a while about what to do, a grin spread on his face. For once, he would start a fire on purpose.

His flat was slowly being consumed by the flames when Rocinante finally headed for the dungeon underneath the Celestial Dragons' palace. Once there, he waited for the best moment to silently slip in and carefully climbed down the stairs. He had memorized the location of Doflamingo's cell the first time he had been there, so he moved quickly.
There was a risk of running into the occasional guard checking on his brother, but he was a good fighter—albeit a clumsy one. What actually worried him was Doflamingo's physical condition... Would he be able to walk? What if he passed out before they reached the meeting point with the Alabasta people?

Rocinante knew he was being paranoid, and tried to distract himself by thinking of other things. He noticed that the foul smell of the jail was not bothering him much anymore. He had always been fast at adapting, after all; he had learnt to do that as a child, when he and his brother had been forced to search for food among trash in order not to starve, moving from place to place to avoid being killed.
Such horrible memories made him remember his late father and the way Doflamingo had murdered him. Unlike before, though, he could now better visualise the circumstances in which his brother had found himself: power had been offered to him in the form of a gun and a Devil Fruit, and he had been told to "act like a man" by the leader of a gang of children not much older than them. He had labelled Doflamingo a "monster" in the past, but that was an easy way to dismiss someone... In reality, people were more complicated than that.

Rocinante was so lost in his thoughts that he found himself before his brother's cell in no time.
He had to act fast; with his powers, he could partially alter the video registrations of any den-den mushi hidden around by slowing them down, but he couldn't completely cut the video signal out.

Doflamingo had been apparently asleep until that moment, but now his eyes were fully open and alerted.

Without hesitation, Rocinante snapped his fingers, kicked the iron door open, and used the keys he had previously stolen from the warden to unchain him. Then, he wrapped an arm around his brother's waist to help him up, and in doing so he felt his protruding ribs.
Didn't they give you any food after your arrest? he thought, fighting back the tears.

Doflamingo leaned on him for a moment. His arms were trembling, and he was panting slightly through his nose since he was still gagged.

To Rocinante, seeing his brother unable to speak and at his complete mercy felt... wrong, for the lack of a better term.
Pondering on what to do, he considered removing the seastone shackles from Doflamingo's wrists, but he immediately discarded that idea. He could not fully trust him yet, and in the end he opted for just untying his gag.

Soon, Doflamingo's breathing stabilised, but he couldn't yet stand by himself. "Why...?" he whispered a few seconds later, eyes half-lidded.

Rocinante stiffened. He had not heard his brothers' voice for a long, long time, and its tone felt almost alien to him. It was even deeper than his own, and it still had traces of the Celestial Dragons' peculiar accent... But more importantly, what was he trying to say?
That wasn't the best time for them to natter, though.

"We'll talk later," he replied sharply while removing the large white robe from himself to drape it around Doflamingo's shoulders. Then, he also took off his mask and fastened it around his brother's head. Doflamingo didn't protest, clearly understanding his plan; dressed like that, he could escape more easily in case someone tried to stop them, and Rocinante would still be able to find him later.
Lastly, Rocinante wore his black coat and started walking while supporting him by one arm.

Step after step, Doflamingo's legs slowly gained strength, and to Rocinante's relief he managed to walk by himself up to the exit of the dungeon and past the guards.
Moving quietly within a soundproof barrier and covered by the mist, they reached the outskirt of Marijoa without problems.

The corners of Rocinante's lips turned upwards at the thought that everything was going smoothly, but at that exact moment his brother stumbled and fell to the ground. "Watch out!" he yelled, tripping on Doflamingo's legs and tumbling after him.
I thought things were going too well, he scolded himself, annoyed at his own clumsiness.

After standing up, he reached out to help Doflamingo to get on his feet. The mask his brother had been wearing had fallen a bit further, but he didn't pick it up.
Instead, he asked, "Are you ok, Doffy?" He was worried about the red stain forming on the bandages wrapped around his stomach, so he did not notice that he had called him by his old nickname.

"Why did you never contact Law?" Doflamingo ignored his question.

Rocinante was taken by surprise. Was it a rebuke? Or just curiosity? At any case, his brother's piercing gaze demanded an explanation.
"I couldn't..." he replied, although it wasn't the whole truth. Then, he sighed and sat down with his back against a tree while lighting up a cigarette.

They were near the meeting place now, and since it was still early they could rest a little.

"Don't put yourself on fire," muttered Doflamingo, leaning against the other side of the tree.

Rocinante couldn't repress a chuckle, but other than that he remained silent.

For a while, the only sound to be heard was him puffing out smoke.

"When he was on the verge of death, Law told me his greatest wish..." His brother finally broke the silence.

Had Doflamingo always been so talky?
Yes, he probably had. Yet, something in his voice had changed...

"He asked me to bring you back to life."

Rocinante inhaled sharply, nearly chocking on the stub hanging from the corner of his mouth, and then grinded his teeth. Tears burned in the corners of his narrowed eyes as he clenched his chest, trying to make the pain go away.
Will you ever forgive me for abandoning you, Law?

"You worry too much, Roci."

He wondered if his brother could read his mind—but more importantly, what was that Roci? It sounded weird, after years of being called "Corazon" by him...
Rocinante darted to his feet; he could not afford to get emotional right now. "We have to go," he said, trying to hide the trembling in his voice.

However, the other remained motionless. "I'm glad you're still alive... and I'm sorry," he whispered after an awkward silence.

Rocinante's jaw dropped, and he looked at Doflamingo in astonishment. His brother's head was turned to the side, and his eyes were closed.
Are you trying to conceal your emotions, too? He could relate with that... He had done the same, after all, suppressing for all those years his desire to see Law again.

Smiling sadly, Rocinante walked up to Doflamingo and rested his forehead against his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, too," he said quietly, as a calm wind blew by them.



On that silent night, curtains closed over the Donquixote siblings' tragedy, and masks were discarded at last.