Pulling My Strings 〆『Law x Reader』

T?E?TY

     His lip curled in disgust as he remembered our encounter with the last auction. I nodded, knowing what he was thinking.

     "They are after something. And I know what it is." I decided to inform him on what I was doing in this desolate place. "They've come here for me, Zoro. And in all honesty, I came here to try and lure them out—." He cut me off.

     "Do you know how dangerous that is?!" I flinched, I've never heard him yell like that before. "You could have been hurt or captured or worse!"

"I didn't want to wrap you all into my problems!" I hissed back, anger welling up inside of me.

"Whether you think that you're saving us or not, your problems are our problems!" He smacked his chest right above his heart. "F/N, you're our friend! We won't let you go through these things alone, especially Luffy! Especially Trafalgar!" I stiffened, opening my mouth to say something back. But a noise stopped me.

     My heart sank as the sound of clapping reverberated around the square. Both Zoro and I snapped our heads into its direction, watching as a mysterious figure lurked in the dark. I heard a laugh while backing up so I was beside Zoro.

A woman walked out into the light, clapping slowly in a mock. My breath caught in my throat. "It's her..." I whispered, seeing Zoro glance at me in my peripheral.

"It's so wonderful to finally see that beautiful face of your's again," Yoon said with a smile, the corner of her eyes creasing with age. I didn't make any move to attack, keeping my devil fruit unactivated. Zoro made a move to draw his swords but I slapped my hand on the hilt to stop him.

"What are you doing here? On this island of all places." I asked, staring straight into those dead eyes of hers.

     "I think you know why. Considering you decided to come here all by yourself." She sent a piercing glare into Zoro's direction. "But it seems someone has ruined our plans."

     She said our, that means there are others here. We're most likely surrounded. "Have I done something to you? Or is it just my bounty that you're after?" I swallowed my other inquiries, trying to buy some time.

     She took a few more steps towards us, making anxiety travel up the curve of my back. I didn't know what this woman was capable of. The only information I had on her was that she ran the Carpe This Diem group, no other knowledge was disclosed. And that was what made her all the more terrifying.

     Faster than I could react, Zoro unsheathed his swords and dipped into a fighting stance. "Another step and I'll slice that pretty head of yours right off." I bit back my chastise and activated my own powers. It was time to stop playing around. "Now, who sent you?!"

My legs shook with fear as her face squinted into a wicked smile. Predicting her confession, I braced myself, my breaths becoming short and uneven.

"I'm acting upon your father's orders," she paused, enjoying the panic in my eyes as the following words rolled off her tongue. "The warlord, Doflamingo!"

     Time stopped. The world spun around me as my gaze unfocused.

Zoro choked, mass confusion and shock racing through his expression as his eyes widened. "W-What are you talking about?! That's impossible!" He shouted at Yoon, denial blanketing his sentences.

     I surrendered, arms falling limp at my sides. Months of keeping my secret from the Strawhats and the Heart Pirates just went down the drain. My mind flooded with images of their betrayed faces, hurt and sadness tanking their pupils. I had lied to them.