RED ANCHOR | Eustass Kid x femReader Fanfiction

18 - The Calm Before The Strom

I tried to push the memories aside and focus on the present, on the conversation at hand. But it was hard to concentrate when Law started to explain his plan to take down Doflamingo.

The thought of confronting him again, of facing my demons head-on, was almost too much to bear.

I couldn't stop staring out of the window, watching the depth of the sea. It was calming, yet I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. My mind was still reeling from the memories that had just resurfaced, so I wasn't really paying attention to what Law was saying.

"Hey, are you listening?" Law's voice brought me back to reality.

I turned my gaze towards him, trying to focus. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

"I was saying that our first target is Caesar Clown on Punk Hazard," Law said, looking at me seriously. "I need to catch him to take down Doflamingo."

I nodded, trying to process the information. I had heard of Caesar Clown before, but I didn't know much about him. Law's crew stared at me expectantly, waiting for my response. I felt a lump form in my throat. I had no desire to get anywhere close to Doflamingo or anyone who could bring me to him.  "I...I don't know," I said uncertainly. "I mean, I want to help, but I don't know if I can go back there. Not after what happened." I said my voice barely above a whisper.

"I understand," Law said, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. He looked at me, concern etched on his face. "Your help would be greatly appreciated, but I won't force you to go back if you're not ready."

I looked down at the scars on my arms, the visible proof of my past. "I want to help," I said quietly. "But I don't know if I can face him again."

"You don't have to face him alone," Law said, his voice gentle. "I'll be there with you every step of the way." He had a spark of worry in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just...the memories."

Law nodded understandingly. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that after I left." His expression seemed drained in guilt. "I told you I will keep you away from people like Doflamingo. I think taking  him down will be the best way to keep you safe."

"Do I need to decide now?" I said looking at Law with a drained look. His hand slid from my shoulder to my hand squeezing it softly. "Of course not. You would be a great help but I will take that monster down either way." His eyes were fired with anger and I could feel the dispice Law felt for Doflamingo.

I felt relieved after Law changed the topic from Doflamingo. I wasn't ready to face him yet, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease in the back of my mind. As we walked through the submarine, Law explained the process of how we would emerge from the sea for fresh air. "Every day we have to surface for air," Law said, breaking the peaceful silence. "It's one of the drawbacks of having a submarine as our primary mode of transportation." We stopped at the room with the steering wheel, where Bepo, the bear steering the boat, was adjusting the controls.

"Hey, how's it going, Bepo?" Law asked as he leaned against the wall.

"Everything is going smoothly, Captain," Bepo said while saluting his captain with a nervous smile.

"Good to hear," Law said, nodding in approval. "We'll be needing some fresh air soon. We should hit the surface in about 10 minutes." 

"Of course, Captain" Bepo replied abruptly.

I peered out the window, the water around us changed from dark blue to a lighter shade, and I could see the sunlight filtering through the surface of the water. I couldn't wait to feel the sun on my face and breathe in some fresh air. Law interrupted my thoughts. "We're about to emerge from the sea. It's a bit disorienting the first time, so hold on to something."