The master of the chair swiveled around, coming face-to-face with Law for the first time.
"So, you're the Young Master of the Donquixote Family, Donquixote Doflamingo?" Law stared directly at the man who had turned to face him, his gaze unflinching, wasting no time in getting straight to the point.
"That's right. I am the master of the Donquixote Family, Donquixote Doflamingo," he affirmed.
"I want to join your family," Law stated, his eyes still locked on Doflamingo, as if trying to see right through him. Law couldn't quite comprehend what sort of charisma this young man possessed, to have already become the uncrowned king of the North Blue at such a tender age. During his journey here, Law had made many inquiries about Doflamingo; a certain curiosity had taken root.
"On what grounds?" Doflamingo retorted, not one to coddle anyone. His words were merciless, striking Law speechless. "Who do you think you are? You expect to join my Family with just a few words? What can you possibly offer me? You should know, my Family doesn't accept trash."
"I..." Law faltered under Doflamingo's sharp questioning. Then, as if having come to a profound realization, he gritted his teeth, his gaze hardening with grim determination. "My life!" he declared. "If you take me in, my life is yours!"
"Fuffuffuffuffu," Doflamingo chuckled, not a hint of surprise in his expression. Law's desperate offer was precisely what he had anticipated. However, he had no intention of letting him join so easily. "Law, do you even know how much time you have left to live?"
"You... you... how could you know?" Law stammered, a wave of tension gripping him so tightly that his words became disjointed.
"I know many things, Law," Doflamingo said calmly. "Are you lamenting the unfairness of fate? Wondering why your family and friends couldn't survive, while those who sit high and mighty continue to live so comfortably?"
"What exactly do you know?" Law pressed, stepping closer, his eyes boring into Doflamingo, demanding the truth.
"The White Town, Flevance," Doflamingo began, his voice unhurried, unperturbed by Law's intensity. "Law, you must be its sole survivor. Among the commoners, that is. The so-called royalty, those who looked down upon you, they abandoned you long ago. They're living quite lavishly now, I imagine, leaving only you, a half-dead remnant, to struggle for breath."
Law remained silent, images of his past flashing through his mind like a haunting film. His face was a mask of cold indifference, devoid of joy or sorrow. Perhaps he had shed too many tears on that fateful day; now, none would come.
"There has never been absolute fairness in this world," Doflamingo continued, his voice devoid of emotion. "Fate never favors the weak. Only by becoming strong can one hope to control one's own destiny. Law! The reason you couldn't protect your family was simply because you were too weak. Now, you've lost everything. Don't you desire revenge? Those butchers who harmed your family and friends, and even those who pulled the strings from behind the scenes – don't you want to personally make them pay, to avenge those you lost?"
"Weak...?" Law echoed, a dazed look in his eyes. He slowly raised his hands, clenching them into tight fists. "Of course, I want revenge!" he spat out, his voice raw with anguish. "Can you give me power?" His eyes were bloodshot, already consumed by hatred. To obtain power, he would make a deal with any devil, without hesitation.
"Obtaining power always comes at a price," Doflamingo stated, his gaze steady on Law.
"Isn't my life enough of a price?" Law retorted bitterly.
"Law, we are very much alike," Doflamingo said, his tone shifting, as if reminiscing. "Once, I too lived a wretched existence like yours. For the sake of greater power, for revenge, I would have willingly sold my soul to any demon." He spoke as if sharing a deep, empathetic understanding.
"We're... alike?" Law's eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn't imagine that this well-dressed man, radiating such an imposing aura, could have ever shared a fate similar to his own. Doflamingo gave a slight, knowing nod.
"When despair and helplessness threatened to consume me," Doflamingo continued, his voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial tone, "it was only the unyielding defiance in my own heart that allowed me to break free from the abyss. I climbed upwards, step by painstaking step. It's precisely because of those experiences, those memories that constantly whip at my back, that I never allow myself to slacken. Because I know, in this world, the weak have no way to survive. I, too, simply wanted to live."
"Live...! Heh," Law let out a self-deprecating laugh.
"All I want is revenge, Donquixote Doflamingo!" Law's voice rose in a desperate, defiant cry. "If you give me power, whatever you ask of me, whatever I have, I will give it to you! Even my life, though its days are already numbered!" He had to do something meaningful in the short time he had left!
Doflamingo listened silently until Law finished, then slowly rose from his chair. He walked over to stand before the boy, looking down at him from his superior height. Law met his gaze, unyielding, without a trace of fear. Neither spoke. They simply stared at each other, two stubborn souls locked in a silent battle of wills.
"Fuffuffuffuffu," Doflamingo finally chuckled, a self-mocking edge to his laugh. "Such a stubborn little brat."
"Everything I said, I mean it!" Law insisted, his voice tinged with urgency, still looking up at Doflamingo.
At that moment, Doflamingo extended his hand towards Law. The boy tensed, expecting a blow, a rejection, some form of harsh punishment. But what happened next caught him completely off guard. Doflamingo's large hand came to rest gently on Law's head. The tall man then crouched down, bringing their eye levels as close as possible, and began to softly stroke Law's matted hair.
"Law," Doflamingo said, his voice now surprisingly gentle, "I don't want your life. Your life was given to you by your parents; no one has the right to take it away. Besides," he added, "your life is not so cheap. You now carry not just your own fate, but the hopes and dreams of your family, your friends, and indeed, all the people of Flevance. Do you intend to simply throw it away so carelessly?"
The sudden shift in Doflamingo's tone was disorienting, yet his words struck Law like a physical blow, a sharp awakening. He was beginning to understand. He did want to live. Doflamingo was right; his life was no longer his alone. He had to live for his family, for his friends, to witness the world's wonders in their stead, and to bring down those devils who had wronged them. Only then could he truly honor their memory.
Law felt a surge of gratitude towards Doflamingo. This man had helped him see himself clearly. But Law also knew this was likely his only chance. He had to seize it. Otherwise, even surviving would be a struggle.
Doflamingo paid no mind to Law's internal turmoil, continuing in his own deliberate manner. "This is an unfair, ugly world, Law, firmly controlled by the World Government. Whether it's the tragedy of the White Town or the countless other miseries inflicted upon people across the globe, it is always the weak who suffer. Why? Because they are easily bullied, deemed lowly and insignificant. In the eyes of the nobles, they are no different from insects."
"Law, I don't need your life. What I desire... is family. Companions I can entrust my back to. I want to stand at the pinnacle of this world with my family, where no one can ever oppress us. I desire to become strong, not just to escape the wretched fate of the weak, but more importantly, to become strong enough to bear the weight of my entire family, to protect them all!"
"Law," Doflamingo looked directly into his eyes, his voice now filled with a passionate intensity, "will you become my family?"
"Why? Why me?" Law asked, his voice choked with emotion. Doflamingo's words had moved him deeply, resonated with his own pain and desires, yet a part of him still questioned.
"Because we are the same kind, Law," Doflamingo declared, his voice like that of a silver-tongued charlatan expertly reeling in a mark. "We are both souls who have crawled out of hell. This is the guidance of fate. We should become family, offering each other unwavering support, and together, we will ascend to the summit of the world!" He spoke with such conviction, unruffled by Law's question, almost as if he were a prophet revealing a divine plan.
"But... I don't have long to live," Law said, his face clouding with sorrow for his own impending demise. "If we become family, then you'll have to carry my fate too."
"Law, the world is a vast place! The sea holds countless mysteries, far too many to count. Don't be so quick to despair!" Doflamingo gently stroked his head again. "Your illness... I will find a cure for you. Whatever the cost, whatever it takes to ensure you grow up healthy and strong, it will all be worth it!"
"Why... why are you being so good to me?" Law asked, his voice breaking, tears finally streaming down his face. Doflamingo's words had shattered his carefully constructed emotional walls. He, who had deemed himself already in hell, who had resolved never to trust anyone again... Doflamingo's unexpected tenderness had breached his defenses. He remembered the nun's words about a guiding light appearing in times of darkness. Perhaps... perhaps Doflamingo was that light, sent by heaven to save him.
"Perhaps," Doflamingo said, standing up and tilting his head back, gazing at the ceiling as if seeing something far beyond it, "I am here to take care of you in place of your family. Let us become family to each other, Law."
"Mm!" Law looked up at Doflamingo, a new, fierce light of determination shining in his eyes.
"Then prepare yourself for hardship, Law. The life ahead of you will not be easy. If you desire power, you cannot afford to be complacent!"
"I will! I'm not afraid! I will live on, carrying the will of my family, my friends, and all the deceased residents of Flevance! Those who once stood above us, trampling us down – I will drag every last one of them from their pedestals!"
"Are you ready, Law?"
"I'm always ready."
"Welcome to hell, Law."
"Haven't we always been there?"