Press Play [LawLu]

Chapter Twelve: Lami and Cora

The house had been quiet in the last two days. Way too quiet. With Luffy away for the weekend, Sabo hardly there at all the last few days, and Ace back at the tattoo shop, the quietness was no surprise. And Law simply didn't know what to do with himself. It wasn't boredom, Law hadn't been bored in a very long time. 

He didn't have the nerve to be bored. 

Or... maybe he was bored, it had been too long for him tell. 

Regardless, Law sat on the couch by himself, on his phone, not sure what else to do. There was nothing else for him to do really. Then his phone started to ring, Fai's contact was on the screen. Law answered. 

"Hey, what's up?" Law asked. 

"Not much, not much, I'm at Lami's right now," she said. That got Law's attention. He sat up straighter and even leaned forward just a bit. Law wasn't sure where to go from there. 

"How is she?" He asked quietly. 

"She's managing, things are really hard for her you know, she's living on her own while still going to school," Fai took a deep breath. Law bit his lip to keep it from trembling. He wanted to do something for her, anything to make it so she could enjoy her last few months of high school. It seemed pointless now. 

Law hated Doflamingo even more for this. For Lami being left on her own, for whatever he told her that made her not trust Law. 

"I wish I could do something..." Law admitted. 

"Law, don't you think I've tried? She won't let me do anything to help her, she won't let anyone do anything for her." Law's leg bounced. 

"I'm her older brother, I can't just-" Law didn't even know where to go from that statement but it simply felt wrong to let her continue to struggle so hard when he could do something. 

"I know, I know, I felt the same way..." Fai said with a sigh. "But, she's willing to talk to you, as long as I'm here too."

"Really?" Law couldn't keep his voice from shaking. 

"Yeah, how quickly can you get over here?" Fai asked. Law went silent. He didn't have any sort of car at the moment but there was always the bus, he'd have to transfer at least twice- or he could call Bonney. 

"I'm not sure, with-in the hour..." Law said, checking the time on his phone just to be sure. Yeah, if nothing else he could always walk. Law called Bonney though. He promised her gas money and she dropped him off in the parking lot of Lami's apartment building. 

Law climbed the steps and made his way to her door. He wasn't even sure what he had to say to her anymore. What had he intended to say the last time he was here? Law didn't remember. Well, he was here now. 

Law knocked on the door, staring at the flimsy plastic number that was bolted to the door.  Law took a deep breath and waited. He heard mumbling on the other side of the door. Followed by footsteps, then the doorknob clicked and the door opened. Lami was standing in front of him.

"Hi." She said, not making any eye contact with Law. It really didn't take all that much for his little sister to go from looking up to him like he was some sort of hero to not being able to even look at him. Law gave her a sad smile. 

"Hi, Lami," Law said. Lami pulled the door open a little more and made room to let Law inside. 

"Come in," she said, still not meeting his eyes. Law stepped inside his sister's apartment. It was small, a living room that should have been cramped but was filled with an old, tattered couch, a bean bag chair just as worn out, a small TV that sat on top of a coffee table, a bookshelf in the corner, and not much else than that.