Checkmate

Chapter Four

It had been three days since that disaster of a meeting. Three days since he had seen Law.

Look for my sign, Law had said. And so Rosi had. He found the quaint little sub docked at the port of New Marineford, but according to the bear that had answered him, Law was not available.

Rosi didn't make any more attempts to go to Law - he was sure that Sakazuki had people watching him, and there was no way he was going to pull Law more into Sakazuki's political games. He would die before he ever allowed that to happen.

Instead, he kept tabs on the Polar Tang and its inhabitants - the pirates rarely left their sub. By Rosi's count, only once did people come out of the submarine, and that was for provisions for travel.

Law had seemed open to meeting with him, but Rosi couldn't help but worry. What if he didn't really want to see him? It would be a shock to anyone to see a loved one again twelve years after they were believed to be dead. What if Law was so hurt by Rosi and his actions that Law didn't want Rosi around anymore?

After all, Law was a grown man now, not a child in need of coddling.

Meanwhile, Doflamingo had departed immediately, a trail of his victims to show where he had taken off into the clouds.  Strangely, when Rosi had reported that, Sakazuki seemed pleased.

Rosi sighed and ran a hand through his already messy hair. He couldn't focus on the paperwork- directives for the Warlords - but did his best anyway.

A goat bleated.

"I know how you feel," said Sengoku, who was standing in the doorway of the office. "Paperwork can be tedious, I know."

Rosi looked up tiredly, suppressing a yawn. "I don't know how you did it."

Sengoku shook his head with a wry smile. "It wasn't easy, especially with Garp trying to pass his own work onto me."

Rosi chuckled - it sounded like something Garp would do.

"What do you say you take a break?" Sengoku suggested. "Get a coffee and lunch. You've been working yourself hard since the meeting."

Rosi twirled the pen around in his hand. He'd be a fool if he didn't notice the worried look in Sengoku's eyes. "Fine," Rosi said, mostly to appease Sengoku. He went to but down the pen, but it fumbled in his hands and went flying across the room.

Sengoku picked it up off the ground, and coming further into the room placed it on the desk. "You're already clumsy, we don't need you stressed and tired as well."

"Hey," Rosi protested. "I said I'd come, didn't I?"

Sengoku just chuckled.

Together, they walked through the hallways in comfortable silence.  They didn't need to talk to know what was on each other's minds.  That was why Rosi was less than pleased that Sengoku broke that silence.