I've Got No Strings (Doflamingo x reader)

Chapter 1 - Beginning of The End

The room was quiet. The white walls, white sheets, white clothing and the white paper in your hands stung your eyes. The marine nurse shifted uneasily, a drop of nervous sweat sliding down her face, as she waited for your reaction.

''I'm so sorry, Vice Admiral, but...-''

''Don't. Please don't.'' you cut her off. Her pity only made you feel worse, if it was even possible to feel worse at this point. Six months, it said on the paper. That's how long your body would last - if you were lucky. Dr. Vegapunk expressed his regret at your unavoidable end in his letter, but it did nothing to make you feel better. If Dr. Vegapunk had admitted not being able to cure your disease, there was nothing that could stop it.

''Um, if you are feeling well enough, there are a couple of visitors outside, who are waiting to talk to you. Would you like to see them, or should I send them away?'' the nurse asked timidly, still wary of any potential emotional outbursts from you. She wouldn't get any. You were far too tired to act out, instead, you told her to invite the visitors in. Being alone was preferred, but you would have to talk with them sooner or later, so it would be better to get it over with, and then have some time for yourself.

''The first visitor you have is Vice Admiral Tsuru. I'll go fetch her now.'' And with that, she left the room. The paper in your hands was slightly wrinkled, as you had been fumbling with it for a while now. You wanted to tear it apart. The paper with your fate written on it.

''It hurts me to hear that, kid.'' The older woman sighed heavily. ''There's really nothing I can say to make you feel better, huh? To think that something like this would happen now, when you've finally managed to get so far. The others joked that you were probably just nervous, when you collapsed on your way to your first meeting as a Vice Admiral. No one could have imagined something like this. I'm truly sorry to hear it.'' Her wrinkled face showed her remorse.

''Yeah, this sucks for me. Even though I was under the wing of someone like you, it still took me this long to get this position. But there's nothing to be done. It is what it is.'' You finally put the paper away and focused on Tsuru instead. She wasn't looking at you, but staring at the floor in silence, trying to figure out what to say.

''I'm going to resign.'' You muttered, ''I'd rather spend my last few months in peace at my home, instead of running around after pirates. Who knows if I would even be of any good when my disease starts getting worse.''

Tsuru straightened her back, and stood from the dingy metal chair at the side of your hospital bed, ''I understand. If you'd like, I will tell the headquarters about your resignation. I don't think you should spend any time on travelling all that way, when you could spend your time on something better.''

''I'd like that, thanks.'' You replied, with a small smile. Tsuru might have been a though trainer and leader back when you were her subordinate, but she truly was one of the nicest people in the marine. She was never very forthcoming with her emotions, and you were left wondering just how she felt about this situation, when she decided to say goodbye.

When Tsuru had left, the nurse entered the room again.

''The next few visitors are people who claim to be your friends. They're from your home island apparently. Would you like to see them?''

''Yeah, just send them in. They're all I've got left now. We have to discuss what to do next.''

When the door opened again, a small swarm of people came to your bedside, all your old neighbors expressing their great concern, and their joy at seeing you in good condition after your examination with Dr. Vegapunk. None of them knew the whole truth.

Whether telling them or not was the right thing to do, you didn't know.

-

Your home was peaceful, but full of life. It was a relatively small island but with a rather large population, which meant that people were everywhere. It was one of those things that you had loved about the island, but now, you couldn't help the nagging feeling of envy, when you watched the children of the island weave between the crowds, playing tag with each other. They had their whole life ahead of them, so they could enjoy everything at their own pace, unlike you. The townspeople greeted you on your way through the town. Since the island was so small, a lot of people knew each other, but since you became a marine-officer, you had gotten to know even more, as many made sure to thank you for your services when they spotted you on visits home. So when you returned home, a large crowd was there to welcome you back, greeting you joyfully, curious as to why you resigned, but never pushing it, wishing to make you feel welcomed.

Meanwhile, far, far away from your island, there was another island, by the name of Dressrosa. A beautiful kingdom with beautiful scenery, and beautiful people. It's people lived in wealth, and its residents would surely describe themselves as the 'happiest people in the world', and if you looked away from high crime rates stemming from jealous women, you would most likely believe them. A happy country, with a king, who was dearly loved by his people. The king, also known as the schichibukai Doflamingo, stayed in the castle on the top of The King's Plateau. In the castle, at that exact moment, a small figure was running around, searching for someone.

''YOUNG MASTER?!'' a voice was heard through the building. ''YOUNG MAAASTER?!'' it repeated.

''Young master?'' the voice rang out once again, as the small figure peeked out behind the door, looking into a large room, which was void, expect for the table near the open window, on which there laid a newspaper, the pages fluttering in the wind, sporting the headline; ''Vice Admiral (y/n) resigns just days after promotion.''