Law felt a weight leaning on him from his right and looked over to see Usui fast asleep. He glanced at the clock. It was only four in the afternoon.

“Oi, Usui. Don’t use people as pillows,” Law shoved the kid lightly with his arm.

“Hm…?” Usui sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Is it time to eat?”

“No,” Law answered flatly. “You’re still dreaming. Soon, the dancing candy canes and elves are going to take you away to a wonderland of fantasy rubbish.”

Usui scrunched up his face in uncertainty, still half asleep. “You’re messing with me, Law no Aniki.”

“You don’t say,” Law turned a page in his book. “I came back after a month away and the first thing you do is fall asleep.”

Usui pouted. “And the first thing you do is read a boring medical book.”

“It’s not boring—“

“Haven’t you read that one already?” Usui asked coolly. “It’s probably your sixth time rereading it.”

“Ano gaki…” Law growled.

Usui yawned and curled up on the bench they were sitting on. Law gave up with an irritable sigh and went back to his book.

The next few days, Law found himself running around the Don Quixote headquarters. Usui would disappear and he’d find him sleeping in a washer that was about to be turned on, or sleeping on a patch of grass on the lawn that was about to be run over by a roaring lawnmower.

If that wasn’t enough for Law’s poor heart to burst from anxiety attacks, Usui had begun sleep walking. Law had to save the little brat from falling off the ledge of the headquarters grounds, he had to swoop in to keep him from losing his head in the obstacle course that nobody uses.

It had been one of those stomach jumping to his throat moments when he found Usui hobbling over to Baby Five’s room. Usui had let himself in and Law jumped in to catch him when he saw that the girl was stark naked. They stared in silence for a second before Baby 5 shrieked like a banshee and kicked Law across the face and out the door.

“Hentai!” Baby 5 blushed, grabbing a towel to wrap around her.

Law pinched his bleeding nose shut and stuttered for the first time in his life. “N-no! It’s not what it looks like!”

She huffed and the door slammed in his face. Law let out a breath of indignation and glared down at the little boy that was sleeping soundly in his arms.

“Walked in while she was heading to the bath?”

Law’s head snapped up to see Doflamingo leaning against the wall with an amused expression plastered on his face.

“Didn’t know you had the guts to do that, Law,” Doflamingo sneered. “Especially in front of your kid brother.”

"Fuck off, I didn't do it on purpose. "

Law glared at the warlord as Usui stirred. The little boy yawned and looked up at his brother.

“Law no Aniki…?”

Law had a tick mark throbbing on his forehead and he lifted Usui up by his shirt and removed him from his lap, tossing him to the side. He stood and strolled away. Usui caught up to him, dancing around his feet.

“Law no Aniki?”

“Don’t talk to me. I’m rethinking my life.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t think my body can take this amount of stress.”

“Why’re you stressed?”

“Because of you.”

“What? Why?”

“Your very existence is troublesome.”

“Eeeeeh? You’re not making any sense, aniki.”

“Why did I have to end up with you as my little brother? Why couldn’t I have had a more normal—“Law clamped his mouth shut and his eyes hooded.

“Law no Aniki?” Usui said hesitantly.

“It’s nothing, imoto,” Law said distantly, picking up his pace. “I just need to be alone for a while.”

Usui paused in the middle of the corridor and watched his brother disappear around the corner. He had on a befuddled mien.

“Imoto?” Usui murmured, baffled. “When did I turn into a little girl?”

Doflamingo’s giant hand landed on Usui’s head and ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry about it, little Sin. Brother Law has a lot of issues you see.”

“Are one of those issues me?”

“Undoubtedly,” Doflamingo couldn’t have been more insensitive. “You’ve been causing Law a horrid amount of hassle.”

I was wrong.

Usui bowed his head and bit his bottom lip till it bled.

He didn’t want to be a hassle to his older brother. He didn’t like to see Law sad or angry or tired and he most certainly didn’t want to be the cause of it.

Usui halted in front of Law’s room and stared at the door. After a few moments of deliberation, he decided to go straight to his room that night. He thought Law might want to be alone sometimes. Now that he thought about it, it might’ve been very inconsiderate of him to think that he was always welcome.

Usui reached his own room and entered. Closing the door behind him. He crawled into bed and laid there, wide awake. He gazed up at the dark ceiling and he felt chills rack his body. The shadows looked sinister, the air was vibrating with hostile intentions. He heard ominous sounds that were frightfully similar to cold blooded laughter.

“It’s scary…”

His first instinct was to run to Law’s room. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. He had to do this. He wouldn’t be a burden to his brother any longer. He had to learn to fend for himself.

But…

The tiniest noise made Usui flinch and he couldn’t very well sleep, rather, he was wide awake because of the darkness of his imagination. He ducked his head into the covers and curled himself up into a ball. What was the matter with him? He’d been able to sleep just fine before.

His breathing hitched and he whimpered. Slowly, a dark thought surfaced from his brain. Mocking and deriding him.

It’s because you’re weak that Law is tired and frustrated. He’s better off without you and one day he’ll realize that and leave. You’re nothing but a burden.

Usui was paralyzed in his bed. Law no Aniki is going to leave…? But he’s going to come back, he always keeps his promise to come back.

He’s forced to come back because of you. He’s chained to this palace, this island because of you. He wants nothing more than to travel the sea and you’re what’s keeping him from doing so.

I don’t mean to!

But you are. You’re an impediment in Law’s life. Once he realizes that, he’ll leave.

Is that true…?

Usui tried to wipe his tears away but they kept coming.

Was that all true…?

Usui threw the sheets off of him and he ran to the door. He’d speak with the one man he trusted almost as much as his brother.

_

Law wondered if Usui had fallen asleep someplace weird again and after fifteen minutes, he went out to search for the incompetent child. He began to worry when his search didn’t provide any results.

Law made a strangled sound. Where the hell is he?

A door to his right opened and Usui stepped out calmly. He realized Law was there and they stared at each other for a few seconds. Usui took a long, calming breath. Without a word, he rotated around and marched back into the room.

"Oi!" Law was beginning to become exasperated.

The door closed on his face and the lock clicked from the other side. He pounded on the wood.

"Oi! Usui! Open the door!"

"…No."

Law kept himself from kicking the door off its hinges. He took a calming breath.

"You're really trying my patience."

"Sumimasen."

"If you're sorry about it, open the door!"

"....sumimasen."

"Open it!"

Law heard the lock unlock and the door slowly pried open. Usui stood in the doorway with his head lowered.

"What's going on, Usui?" Law scowled. "Explain. Now."

Usui fidgeted and Law waited impatiently.

Usui looked up at Law and then his face made an unattractive exasperated expression that didn’t help with Law’s mood.

“I was going to save this for later,” Usui cracked a pleased grin. “But it’s almost midnight anyway.”

Law’s rage vanished as Usui ducked into the room again and he waited for his appearance. The door was pushed back again and the lofty figure of Corazon filled the opening.

“Cora-san!” Law’s eyes widened in wonder at the sight of the man. “When did you…?!”

The man sneered playfully, as Usui dodged around his slim legs, carrying a long, hefty package.

It was wrapped unskillfully with festive wrapping paper and topped with a tangled ribbon. Usui tried to lift it up to hand it to the boy but Corazon had to assist a bit in the end. Law watched them, utterly flummoxed.

“Don’t tell me you forgot, Law no Aniki,” Usui said teasingly.

Corazon lifted up a piece of paper that said…

“Happy Birthday!” they both commended.

Law blinked as he accepted the box. “Birthday?”

“Yup!” Usui was jumping up and down. “I asked Doffy to do some research since you refused to tell us when your birthday was.”

Law’s mouth spread into a beam and he ruffled Usui’s hair. “Thanks.”

Usui smiled as Corazon observed the scene while luxuriously smoking.

. . .

“A nodachi!” Trafalgar’s face lit up, holding the sword up to the light. “I’ve been trying to get my hands on a good one.”

“It’ll be a while before you can fill it up though, Law,” Corazon teased. “It’s almost a full grown man’s height.”

“I’ll manage,” Law grinned, running a hand over the black sheathe that was decorated with white crosses. He reached the place where red rope was tied near the opening and then the hand guard that had a covering of white fur. “Why have you been away for so long?”

"Business."

Law heard light breathing and he looked over to see Usui sleeping on the floor.

“Again?” Law grumbled. “And on my birthday too.”

“You didn’t even realize it was your birthday until we told you,” Corazon removed the cigarette from his mouth and blew out a string of smoke. “Room.”

A sphere cut the air and surrounded them.

“Shambles,” Corazon flicked his hand, and Usui appeared where a cushion once was and the cushion took his spot on the floor.

“Couldn’t you have just picked him up?” Law’s eyes were half lidded.

“Then I’d have to make an effort,” Corazon leaned forward, his ambiance shifting into solemnity. “This isn’t going to work, Law. It’s too risky.”

Law carefully placed the sword to the side then met Corazon’s gaze levelly.

“If Doflamingo finds out about your name, you’ll die,” Corazon said flatly. “I know you said you would stay for Usui and once there’s an opportunity, escape with him, but you should leave immediately.”

Law held out a hand. “Then give me Usui’s heart.”

Corazon sank back into the seat again. “I can’t do that.”

“Then I can’t leave.”

Corazon huffed a cloud out. “You know why Usui’s always sleeping, right?”

Law didn’t answer.

“Because that’s all his body can do. The experiments are exhausting all his energy and soon all the extra time he had for himself will be taken up by recuperating. If you want to escape with him without the consequences tormenting his everyday life, you have to do it now.”

_

"It's your fault that I can't eat bread, Law no Aniki," Usui scolded.

"How is it my fault?" Law asked as they strolled down the hallway.

"If you hadn't exposed my young brain to your weird quirks, I wouldn't have been brainwashed into hating one of the most common wheat forms of sustenance available on the planet. If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't be stuck with rice for my daily wheat portion."

"There's always oatmeal."

Usui raised an eyebrow. "Who eats oatmeal?"

"Besides, it's your fault for having such a weak mind."

"No it is not. It's your fault for raising me this way," Usui said stubbornly.

Law smirked. "Are you questioning my abilities?"

"Yes. Your caring and nurturing abilities are quite questionable."

They reached the front of the building and paused at the large doorway. Law could tell Usui was pouting. The older boy shouldered his new sword and took a step forward, then pivoted around. Usui lifted his fist with a strained smile.

"You're coming back, right, Law no Aniki?"

Law met his fist and grinned. "As if I have a choice."

He saw a twitch in the boy's mouth and had an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. But he ignored it and turned his back on the boy, walking away.

Usui watched Law join with the rest of the Don Quixote crew and then vanish into the horizon. He went back inside the headquarters after staring into space for a little bit. He walked back down the hall with his hands in his pockets. He suddenly picked up his pace and a smile materialized on his face.

If me being weak is the problem, the solution is simple.

Doflamingo wore an oddly satisfied, smug look as he peered down at the exhilarated kid below him.

"Can you train me, Doffy?" Usui asked hopefully.

"Of course, little Sin," Doflamingo jeered. "What a wonderful idea."

___________________________________________________________________

i won't be updating for a while because of stupid studying and related things. hope you enjoy this little history chapter and the climax is almost here. stay tuned