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Tangled lives: Chapter Seventeen

Law x reader (she/her)

Chapter seventeen of Tangled lives

Words (for this chapter): 4k

Notes: Sorry everyone for the long wait. Life really got in the way—it honestly feels like I lived a few years in just one month. My grandma passed away, my childhood home got sold, I got sick (then had some dental issues), my dad had some health stuff going on, and a bunch of other small things happened too.

But I’m slowly getting back into my stories again. Writing’s always been my coping mechanism, so I’m hoping to get back fully into the flow soon.

That said, I’m a bit behind on this story, so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep up with the usual two-week schedule, especially with Christmas coming up (and I do want to put something out for Ficmas as well).

I also really struggled with this chapter. It's one of the most important ones, and I kept rewriting it over and over. I’m still not 100% happy with it, but honestly, if I don’t post it now, I’ll probably never stop messing with it, so I guess enjoy?

🫶 @chillerkiller @deputy-azor, @henritherogue, @theprincesss5, @hopelesslover06 @forest-haven @milktearose @moonj-fool @heng-garae @cruziival72 @laube-viendra @aveocadeo @miru-nomi 🫶

After that conversation, you felt even closer to Baby 5. It was all going great. But today, there was something different. She seemed almost too eager, her energy turned up a notch higher than usual.

“You know,” Baby 5 said, bouncing slightly as she fiddled with her phone, “I know a great place we could go to hang out.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Really? Where?”

“It’s a surprise! Come on, trust me!”

You hesitated. There was something in the way she spoke that made you cautious. “What kind of place?”

“Don’t worry,” she reassured, “it’s… interesting.”

She looped her arm through yours and pulled you along with surprising strength. You had to admit, persistence was one of her specialties.

The walk took you through unfamiliar streets, winding down alleys and crossing into parts of the city that you’d never seen before. There was an undercurrent of danger here, but Baby 5 didn’t seem to notice—or maybe she did and just didn’t care.

Finally, you reached a rundown building, one that looked like it had been abandoned for years. The windows were boarded up, and the door was barely hanging on its hinges. The place seemed… off. Something was definitely not okay.

Baby 5’s excitement was practically buzzing in the air. Her smile stretched wide as she took a confident step forward, her heels clicking against the floor. “This is it! Pretty cool, right?

Before you could answer, her fingers wrapped firmly around your wrist, and she tugged you inside. You stumbled, trying to wriggle free, but her grip only tightened. For someone so sweet, too sweet at times, she was shockingly strong.

“Uh… I’m not so sure about this,” you muttered. Every instinct screamed for you to turn around, to walk away, to not be here. “I’d rather just go home.”

Baby 5 didn’t seem to hear you—or maybe she just ignored you. The doors closed with a soft thud, sealing you in, and a chill crawled over your skin, raising goosebumps in its wake.

Then it came—a voice that sliced clean through the silence. Deep. Smooth. Confident. The kind of voice that made the tiny hairs at the back of your neck stand on end immediately.

Your throat went dry. What the hell was going on?

You could barely process what was happening, your mind spinning. Why was he here? And more importantly, what the hell did Baby 5 get you into?

You froze. You didn’t know what was more shocking: the fact that Doflamingo was standing right in front of you or that Baby 5 seemed completely unbothered by his presence.

He took a slow step toward you, his eyes locking onto yours with a predatory poise that rooted you to the spot.

His smile didn’t waver. It was calm—too calm—unsettling in the way a snake might look serene before it strikes.

“Well, well…” he murmured, voice smooth as silk and twice as dangerous. “Looks like our guest finally decided to show up.”

Doflamingo.

The crushing presence of him, that quiet dominance that filled the room until it felt hard to breathe. He stood there draped in effortless pride, his trademark grin fixed like a mask that never cracked. The air itself seemed to bend around him, as though reality had learned to yield to his will.

You swallowed hard, forcing your shoulders to square despite the tremor that threatened to betray you. “I see,” you said, your voice somehow steadier than you felt. “And what exactly are you doing with her?”

You tilted your chin toward Baby 5, who was still rocking lightly on her heels, a cigarette dangling carelessly from her lips. Her short purple dress stood out sharply against the muted tones of the room, almost absurd in how much it drew the eye.

“She’s just… helping me with a few things.”

Doflamingo leaned back slightly, the light glinting off the pink fur of his coat—flashy and over the top, somehow only adding to the menace radiating off him. It was the kind of attire that shouldn’t have worked for a man like him, and yet somehow, it only made him more terrifying. His voice held an eerie calm, as though this was all part of a game. A game you hadn’t even known you were playing.

Baby 5 suddenly stepped forward, her hand slipping into yours with that familiar warmth, her eyes alight with the same bubbly enthusiasm that had always disarmed you. “Isn’t it cool, though? You get to meet Doflamingo!” she said brightly. “He’s like a big brother to me! We’re family.”

You stared at her, your pulse roaring in your ears. The room seemed to tilt, the edges of reality blurring as your mind struggled to piece together what you were hearing. This was Baby 5—the girl who laughed too easily, cried too easily, and apparently trusted too easily.

Your fingers trembled in her grip, torn between pulling away and holding on to what little sense of normalcy remained.

How could she be so naïve? Or was she not naïve at all? Was she somehow involved in this mess, connected to him in ways you couldn't fathom?

Every laugh you’d shared, every moment of trust—it all suddenly felt fragile, like glass cracking under pressure. You could feel the betrayal clawing its way up your throat, but you forced it down, locking your expression into something neutral.

Doflamingo’s eyes never left you, watching your every move. “You’re not scared, are you?” His tone was light, but there was an edge to it, like a hunter testing the waters to see just how much fear his prey was willing to show.

“I’m not scared,” you said, forcing yourself to sound confident, even though your voice trembled ever so slightly.

“Oh, don’t worry,” he added with a low chuckle, “I’m not here to make trouble. At least, not for you.”

His words hung in the air, a sickly sweet promise, but your gut told you otherwise. You couldn’t let him see how much his presence rattled you. How much that situation was terrifying.

“I don’t know what you want from me, but I’m not getting involved in whatever this is.”

Doflamingo’s smile widened, but it wasn’t friendly. There was something dark and dangerous in the way his lips curled. It was the smile of someone who knew he had the upper hand.

“Involved? No, darling. You’re already involved. Whether you like it or not.”

You narrowed your eyes. “What do you mean by that?”

“Law,” he said simply, his voice dropping to a lower, more threatening tone. “I need him now, but he won’t work with me willingly. However, I know his weakness.”

You stared at him. The mention of his name stirred up everything you had been trying to bury—the hurt, the anger, the confusion.

Doflamingo took a step closer, his gaze never leaving yours. “And that weakness, darling, is you.”

You recoiled, instinctively stepping back and slipping free of Baby 5’s grasp. Her smile faltered, confusion showing across her face before hardening into something colder.

“It’s not,” you said, your voice quivering despite your best effort to sound steady. “It couldn’t be.”

You shook your head, more to yourself than to him, fingers curling around your arms as if you could hold yourself together by sheer force. But your heart betrayed you. It wanted to believe him.

He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t play dumb with me now.” His voice was like velvet, but you could hear the threat lurking beneath it. “Be a dear and call Law. And you better listen, or things might get a little… more complicated.”

You stood there, frozen, your heart pounding so loud it drowned out everything else. You didn’t know what Doflamingo wanted with Law—but whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. You didn’t want him here. You didn’t want any of this.

But Doflamingo’s gaze held you in place—cold, calculating, laced with that unbearable sense of authority. There was something in his eyes that made defiance feel impossible.

“No games,” he said, his voice icy, as if reading your thoughts. “Call him, darling. Now.”

You swallowed hard, the word darling landing like a mockery. Out of reflex, your eyes strayed toward Baby 5, desperate for something but she only stood there, unmoving. Her expression was blank, almost mechanical, her posture that of a puppet whose strings were no longer her own.

Every instinct screamed at you to refuse, to run, to do something. But your body wouldn’t listen. You felt yourself move, slow and unwilling, your hand rising as if pulled by invisible threads.

Your fingers closed around your phone, the metal suddenly cold against your skin. Doflamingo’s stare bore into you, and you could almost feel his satisfaction radiating across the room.

You unlocked the screen, your heart rate racing as the light flared to life in your trembling hand, and dialed the number you’d sworn you wouldn’t call.

The phone rang. Once. Twice. Three times. Each one felt like an eternity.

“Yes?”

The voice on the other end of the line sent a shiver down your spine. It was Law’s voice, the one you had tried to forget, the one that had once brought you comfort and now only reminded you of the walls he’d built between the two of you.

Your throat tightened, but you forced the words out. “It’s me… I… Doflamingo wants you to listen to him.”

There was a long pause.

“I’m listening,” Law’s voice finally said, clipped, devoid of emotion.

Your heart sank as Doflamingo took your phone. “It’s time to play nice. I need you. And you need to cooperate. Your little plaything here, well, she’s going to be the key to making sure you don’t have a choice.”

You tuned out on the rest of the conversation. The words around you became a distant hum, muffled and meaningless, as your mind spun out of control. A dozen frantic thoughts exploded in your head—was there any way out of this? How had it come to this?

You cursed yourself for every choice that had led you here. For trusting the wrong people. For letting your guard down. For the moment, months ago, when you’d told Law he could live with you.

By the time the call ended, your hands were shaking violently. Doflamingo, to your surprise, handed your phone back without a word. You took it cautiously and slipped it into your pocket under his watchful eyes.

The silence that followed felt unbearable. Your heart was still pounding, adrenaline coursing through your veins. You wanted to flee, to escape, but there was nowhere to go.

Doflamingo’s eyes never left you, even as he sat down on some leather armchair, tracking your every breath with that predatory stillness that made your skin crawl. Beside him, Baby 5 shifted uneasily. She couldn’t meet your gaze. Her eyes darted anywhere else—the floor, the wall, the ceiling, anywhere but you.

And then—just when the tension felt like it might break you—

Law arrived. His eyes swept across the room in one sharp, assessing glance. Nothing you saw before. He didn’t spare Baby 5 so much as a flicker of acknowledgment. Did he know her? Maybe. Did it matter? Not now.

You felt his gaze settle on you, just for a heartbeat, making sure you were still in one piece. Then, just as quickly, his focus hardened, snapping toward Doflamingo like a blade drawn from its sheath.

“Let her go.”

Doflamingo didn’t even flinch. He leaned back in his chair, a wicked smile tugging at his lips. “Oh? And why would I do that, Law? She’s already involved. I’m sure you know that better than anyone.”

“She has nothing to do with this. She was just my roommate. You have no right to drag her into your games.”

The way he said it, so cold, so dismissive, made you feel like a stranger. Your chest tightened painfully. You thought you had been moving on. You thought you could handle this. But hearing those words from Law felt like a slap in the face.

Doflamingo let out a low chuckle. “Oh, Law. You really are a fool, aren’t you?”

He stood from his chair, walking casually over to where you were standing, but his eyes were firmly on Law.

“She doesn’t mean anything to you?” Doflamingo pressed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He glanced at you, his smirk wide, and then turned back to Law, almost as if he were enjoying the scene unfolding.

“I told you. She was just my roommate. Nothing more.”

But the tone in his voice, the flatness of it, cut deeper than you could ever have imagined. It was as though the very foundation of everything you thought you knew about him was crumbling right in front of your eyes.

You wanted to say something, to scream at him to stop—to tell him that you meant something to him, that you weren’t just some random person in his life.

Doflamingo, sensing your inner turmoil, took a few steps back, his laughter echoing through the room. “Ah, the sweet taste of denial,” he mused. “You think you can keep her at arm’s length now, but you’re wrong. You’ve already let her in.”

Law’s jaw clenched tighter, but his expression remained unmoving. He didn’t even look at you. He addressed Doflamingo instead, “What do you want from me?”

“Ah, that’s what I like about you, Law. Always so direct.” He paused, the amusement on his face only growing. “What I want from you is simple, really. You’ve made quite a name for yourself as a prospering surgeon. I’m sure you’ve heard of my… operations.” He paused again, his voice growing darker. “I need someone like you.”

Law’s brow furrowed, but he said nothing.

Doflamingo continued, his tone dropping lower, more persuasive. “I can offer you money—more than you could dream of. What do you say? Work with me, and I’ll make sure you’ll never have to worry about anything ever again.”

Law spoke up, voice colder than before, “Money doesn’t interest me.”

Doflamingo’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second before it returned, more sly than before. “Ah, I see. So, it’s not money that you’re after.” He took a step closer to Law, his eyes gleaming with a sinister spark. “Then what is it? Power?”

Law’s eyes narrowed, but he gave no indication of fear. “Power doesn’t matter to me.”

Doflamingo chuckled darkly, walking past Law, standing right next to you. “You really are a hard one to crack.” He stopped, turning back toward Law with a mock look of consideration. “But maybe I’m going about this the wrong way.”

Law’s expression shifted slightly, as if preparing for whatever Doflamingo was about to say next.

“How about her? You know, your girl here.” He let the word hang in the air like a poison. “What would you do for her? Would you do anything to keep her safe?”

“She is not my girl.”

You knew Law wasn’t heartless—he never had been. He liked to pretend he was, to wear that cold detachment like armor, but beneath it all, you’d seen the cracks—the quiet kindness he tried to hide.

Yes, he had hurt you. He broke you. He walked away, carved distance where there used to be warmth, like you were nothing. But that wasn’t cruelty. That was protection. His version of it.

You could see it now, clearer than ever. The wall he built between you wasn’t made of hatred—it was made of fear. Fear of dragging you deeper into the world that devoured him before. Fear of losing you in the same way he’d lost so much already.

He wished he could be heartless. But he wasn’t.

He cared—for Bepo, for Shachi, for Penguin… for you. And despite everything, you knew that somewhere, buried beneath all that iron resolve, there was still a fragment of that care meant for you.

Doflamingo laughed, a loud, mocking sound that echoed off the walls. “Is that so, Law?” His laughter died quickly, replaced with an unsettling calm. “You really want to play that game? Do you?”

Every word that came from his mouth was like a threat wrapped in honeyed sweetness. Then, as if you’d ceased to exist, he turned away from you entirely. His focus locked on Law fully now, sharp and hungry. To him, you were harmless—too scared, too small to matter.

Baby 5 stood close by, still avoiding your gaze, her shoulders tense. That alone gave you a burst of courage, a dangerous kind of hope.

Your fingers twitched toward your pocket. The weight of your phone felt like salvation. You moved slowly, carefully, trying to mask the tremor in your hands as you tapped on your phone.

But Doflamingo noticed. He always noticed.

Baby 5 moved faster than you thought possible—her arm shot out, and with a sharp motion, she slapped the phone from your hand. It clattered across the floor.

“Tsk, tsk,” Doflamingo murmured, shaking his head as though scolding a misbehaving child. “You really should know better than to test me, darling.”

And from across the room, Law gave the smallest shake of his head—a silent command.

The phone lay on the floor, face down, its screen still faintly glowing. You didn’t move to reach for it. You swallowed hard, keeping your expression neutral even as your mind raced.

Doflamingo turned his back on you again, dismissing you completely. “Let’s not waste time,” he said, his tone smooth but edged with impatience. “We’ve waited long enough for this reunion. You think you can just walk away from me and this situation unscathed? I’ve already killed Corazon. I’ve killed dozens of others. What makes you think I’d hesitate to do the same with her?”

The room felt like it was closing in, walls tilting inward until the air itself seemed thin. Doflamingo’s words looped in your head—”I've already killed”—each syllable a stone pressing down on your ribs. You could barely draw a breath; thinking narrowed to one hard point: those words.

“I’ll give you a choice, Law,” he said, pleasure threaded through the cruelty. “You work for me, or you watch her die. Slowly.” The last word lingered, obscene in its calmness. “What’ll it be?”

The room seemed to wait for the answer along with you.

Law didn’t move. He made no dramatic speech, no thunderous refusal—only the slow tightening of his mouth as he mentally ran the bargain over in his head. You watched his jaw work, watched the decisions shape lines into his calm. It was a deal. One he had to make, for your sake.

Finally, as if the choice had been forced through him, Law spoke, “I’ll agree,” he said. The finality in it was small and terrible. He didn’t flinch under Doflamingo’s stare. “I’ll work for you. But you leave her out of it. Completely. You leave her alone.”

“You’ve made the right choice. I knew you’d come around.” Doflamingo’s smirk never wavered, his hands clasped in front of him like a puppeteer admiring his work. “I’ll give you a moment to say goodbye.”

He turned to you one last time with that smile full of malice. “It was nice to know you, little dove.”

And with that, he and Baby 5 were gone.

You sucked in a trembling breath, your chest tight and aching. Your legs threatened to give way beneath you, the weight of fear and exhaustion crashing over you all at once.

Law didn’t look at you. He stood by the door, his back straight, his hand resting loosely at his side. The faint tremor in his fingers—those tattooed fingers that had always mesmerized you—betrayed the calm he was trying to portray.

Even without seeing his face, you could feel the heaviness in him.

“Don’t contact me,” he said, his voice low, almost as if he was struggling to keep his emotions in check. “You don’t want to get caught up in this any more than you already are.”

The thought hit you like a dagger in the chest, but you swallowed it down, fighting back the tears that were about to spill. You couldn’t let him see that. You couldn’t let him know how much it hurt.

He hesitated—just for a second—then turned his head slightly, enough for you to catch the glimpse of his profile. His next words were softer, almost fragile, as though he hated himself for saying them.

“I’ll keep you safe,” he murmured. “I promise.”

The silence that followed was deafening. You remained rooted to your spot, staring at the door he had closed behind him, a numbness spreading over you.

Was he really protecting you because he cared? Or just because he wasn’t a bad person and just didn’t want some random bystander to get hurt because of him. Had it all been a lie? The closeness you had once shared? The way he’d held you, the way he’d looked at you? The way you had thought—just for a moment—that maybe he felt something too?

Should you even bother thinking about any of it after what just happened—after being dragged into that nightmare simply because you’d needed a roommate? Because you’d said yes to the first guy who caught your attention the moment you met him… and kept it, even more, the longer you got to know him?

Soon Bepo showed up. His eyes scanned your face, quietly taking in the exhaustion, the tension in your shoulders, and the way you were holding yourself together by a thread. He offered you a small, reassuring smile.

“Law told me to wait nearby. He said you’d need a ride back home, to make sure you’re safe.”

A ride? He had arranged for Bepo to take you back? After everything, he’d still made sure you wouldn’t be left alone. That quiet act of care hit harder than any goodbye could.

Bepo seemed to understand the conflict written on your face. He took a step forward, his usual enthusiasm toned down but still present. “I know it’s been… a rough night, but Law’s orders were clear,” he added gently. “I’ll drive you home. It’s the least I can do.”

Bepo wasn’t part of the mess, the confusion, the heartache. He was just a friend—one who cared. That was something you could hold onto.

You exhaled slowly, your shoulders sagging as the fight drained from you.

“Alright,” you sighed. “Thanks, Bepo.”

“Hey,” he said, straightening as he held something out toward you. “You dropped this.”

Your breath caught when you saw it—your phone.

You just stared at it resting in his palm. The last time you’d held it, Doflamingo had been watching you like a hawk, his voice coiled around every breath you took.

“Thanks,” you managed, taking it carefully from him.

The screen was still on—dim, but not dead—and something in your chest tightened. You locked it quickly, your thumb hesitating for just a second over the button.

“You okay?” Bepo asked quietly.

You forced a small smile. “I will be,” you said, though it didn’t sound convincing even to your own ears.

He nodded once, as if accepting that answer for now. “Let’s get you home.”

The ride back to your place was peaceful, the soft hum of the engine filling the space as Bepo drove. He didn’t press you for conversation, and you were grateful for that. He let you sit in silence, your thoughts bouncing in a million different directions, but there was something comforting about his presence.

As the city lights blurred by outside the window, you couldn’t shake the ache in your chest. You had tried to move on, tried to convince yourself that you could let Law go. But every time you thought you were making progress, something like tonight would tear you back right into the storm. And no matter how hard you—and apparently circumstances—tried to convince yourself that you should let him go, your heart still refused to listen.

Eventually, you arrived at your apartment. Bepo parked outside and turned off the engine.

“Here we are,” he said kindly. “You’re home.”

You nodded, not trusting yourself to speak. You opened the door, ready to step out and leave the burden of the night behind you.

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