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[It's odd, having this moment of near-clarity, sitting by the fire and there's the smell of sand and fish and this isn't something that should be so calming to him. But it is, and he's as happy as he has been since arriving in this mess of a place.

"You'd like him! He's headstrong and powerful and fun. If you meet him, I want to know how he reacts to you. We don't look identical, he'll know right away. But I'm not sure how he'd respond aside from that."]

Sounds like the Law I know too. He's such a skilled doctor! If there's anyone who can help you, he can.

[And he would. Law would feel so much sympathy for this version of him. Would bend over backwards to try and cure whatever ails him, even things that can't be cured. He's a genius and he's so incredibly talented, and all of this Rosinante understood immediately on just their one day of reunion. He learned as much as he could in that short time and holds every second of it in his memory. Thinks about him when there's nothing else going on, while he's searching and hoping.]

["He can, and did! He put together a plan to keep me healthy, and when I'm actually home to follow it, it works wonders. And that's not including the mishaps he's had to deal with! He's so talented, I'm amazed at his skills."

For a moment though, he pauses, and wonders if his counterpart was really telling him the truth about the nature of his relationship with his own Law. But he doesn't think there's any good in trying to question and call him out, when he could gush about Law instead.]

That's good.

[Which, because he's talking about Law, he manages to make into the most earnest statement despite it being so simple. He's glad he's not sick. Glad he's not suffering from the ghosts of his childhood, or the terror of his own death even though memories of both still lurk in his mind. But if he was, if he struggled with either of those things, he would want Law to be the one to look after him. He's the most capable. Even at ten, the kid was a prodigy, and now?]

Well, you'll be home soon. And I'll come visit once you're feeling better, how about that? After you've had a few days to recover from all your traveling.

[He looks absolutely touched at Rosinante's offer to come visit him, and it shows in his expression. He'll be able to show him what he's like when he's well, when he's not lost and chaotic, when he's at his best. Or as close to his best as he's going to be anyway, but that's good enough for now.

"I'd like that. And please, if you need anything, feel free to call on me. "

He might not be able to help, but he has resources. And sometimes that's enough.]

Thank you. I might have to. I want to learn more about what these SmartSnails can do and what they can't. I want to find out where Doffy is before he learns how to hide himself from the network too.

[Hopefully he hasn't even realized that can be done. This is such foreign technology that it's hard to know what it's capable of, much less how to achieve it.

But that line of conversation is too heavy for what he's feeling, and he shrugs it off and has one last bite of fish before throwing the bones on what's left of the fire to sizzle and burn.]

And you can show me more of your wedding photos, and the palace. I've heard the sunflowers in Dressrosa are world-famous.

["I've already texted the research team. They'll have a head start on the project before I make it home."

There's a lot of very serious business to deal with, when it comes to the SmartSnail systems. It can make or break a lot of dealings, and Rosinante is just worried in general. But he's not capable of doing anything where he is, and the talk went back to the wedding pictures anyway which provides distraction from more intense issues. Dressrosa is good distraction too, he loves his home.

"Dressrosa is beautiful, so beautiful. I'm amazed at how far we've come, how much work has been put in to make what it is today. There's so much to do, and the people there are wonderful."

He pauses for a moment. "I have a wedding picture of both of us on my phone. If you'd like to see it."

It's not like Rosinante won't see it anyway, when he visits. So he might as well show him one of them now.]

I'd love to.

[Meanwhile, the question he wants to ask but refrains from mentioning just hovers in his mind for a moment. How can he rule that country, of all countries? Does it not upset him, knowing the history of that place? Maybe he's not Doffy, sure, but that doesn't make it all right. Their ancestors left that place hundreds of years ago. Abandoned it, and it was given back to the people who made it bright and beautiful. They made it theirs, and they deserve that. No Donquixote should ever sit on that throne.

But he says nothing. Smiles. Waits for the photo.]

[Rosinante could always simply ask. There's something of value in saying instead of just internalizing and letting something burn up inside. And of course, he'd be given an answer that was somewhat truthful. That there was no one left alive left to rule, that he did his best with the situation that was handed to him, and he's brought joy to a people that suffered in the short time that Doflamingo held the throne.

But he won't say that this is his stepping stone. A place to start the fall of the kings, to end the rule of the Celestial Dragons entirely. A stronghold to start a new era, where the cruel die young, and the people of the world do not suffer so much. A world without slavery, without corruption, where man and king are only different in responsibilities.

It's a world that most likely will never come to be. No amount of blood can make this happen, he's likely to end the entire ruling class with relative ease, but he can't fix the world that way. it's a balm, he can't murder the monstrous human condition. He can't save the child that he was, the victims of the cruelty of the nobility, and it's all going to end badly someday.

But that's not important now, or even on Rosinante's mind. He wants to show him something, to see if he still treats him nicely to any degree after seeing it. If he can handle this, without laughing or mocking him, Rosinante will support him in almost anything just out of gratefulness.

"Don't laugh, please. I know I look silly."

Rosinante hands his phone over, a picture of a photograph up on the screen. It's a set up portrait meant for keeping, this is the one that went to the papers and years later Rosinante both loves and hates it.

Rosinante is visibly nervous in the photograph, veil and diadem an impressive if not uncomfortable looking ornament set for him. His hair is long in this picture, a massive fall of it arranged, and he's absolutely bridal looking. And Law looks like the cat that caught the canary, royal formal suit and full crown to show his status, expression radiating how pleased he is with this whole situation as he stands by his spouse. It's bordering on arrogance, and Rosinante had forgotten the sort of expressions he used to make.

A lot about their personal dynamics, for back then at least, can be seen on one picture, and he's still unsure how he could have allowed Law so much say in such an important event. But it made him happy, so it was worth any embarrassment.

"You'd see it when you got there. I thought it'd be best to get it out of the way now."]

[They make quite the couple, don't they? He stifles a sound of surprise, but he's grinning as he takes the phone and looks the image over. Yes, it's strange and there's something vaguely uncomfortable about it, but when he separates the two of them from what he knows of himself and that angry little boy, it's also sort of sweet. His Law looks smug, and arrogant, but happy and that alone is worth so much. His counterpart's feminine look doesn't bother him, either. It's all elegance and beauty with both of them in the image, and he chuckles a little as he hands it back.]

I wish I could have been there. You look beautiful together. I've never seen Law smile quite like that.

[He's nearly unable to think at first. They look beautiful together, he wishes he could have been there, Rosinante's words are almost too much to handle. He needed this, just a little approval. And it pushes his confidence up a bit, and he takes the phone back with a grin.

"He was so happy. He'd wanted that day for so long, and I finally gave in. I'd never seen him smile so much before."

While Law smiles a good deal for him in private, he's still got a long list of expressions that would come before that. It's just how he is.]

I love that the first thing you did when these started showing up was you went around taking pictures of all of your pictures so you can carry them with you.

[He laughs, he's teasing, but it's so cute. And he would have done the same if he'd had the opportunity. Or, like he had in that strange city, he would have just taken tons of goofy photos directly of himself and Law. It's just fun. Instead, he'll hoard memories until given the opportunity to make new ones.

Satisfied, he digs one of his remaining cigarettes from his pack and holds it out to what remains of the fire to light it, then sticks it between his lips and sighs. Every day since arriving here has been strange, but enlightening and this is no exception.]

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Oh fuck it's the Law fanclub, party of 2

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Pointless TLDR. sob

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