Chapter Text
Spider Miles was not much more than a dreary pile of scrap and smoke. But it was still home. A home that you grew up in and learned to love. A home where you lived with your parents and brothers... A home threatened to be stripped away from you. A home you would be sacrificed to keep.
It was like you had been dunked under water when your parents had told you their decision. Your family had racked up an overwhelming debt to the Donquixote family and there was no way to pay it back. You felt for the pressure being brought down on them, but this was their own fault and you had to pay for it.
The options were to lose their home, livelihood, and possibly even their lives or offer something of immense value. They had nothing left. Except, they had you. Their only daughter, a young woman in her early twenties, unwed and single.
They offered your hand in marriage for the forgiveness of their debt. And the worst part about that? It was accepted.
You wanted to throw up. To scream, cry, anything. But all your senses had left you a hollow shell, detached from reality. This wasn’t something your parents could give away like that. They hadn’t even asked you before offering it. That fact repeated in your head over and over during your walk to the Donquixote estate.
The meeting room was bright and well furnished, but the air felt cold. Before you sat your parents at a polished, hardwood table. Opposite to them sat the head of the Donquixote family. Doflamingo. While you had seen glimpses of him from afar it was nothing like seeing him up close. The man was monstrous, bigger than life, and grinning like a hyena. Your mind refused to accept any reality where your hand was given to this man.
It was the sharp scratch of a pen that brought you back into the present.
“There,” your father had never sounded so defeated before, “the papers are signed.”
A deep laugh sounded from the pink feathered man.
“Wonderful,” his grin grew wider. The papers were pulled towards him by some unknown force and his sunglasses glinted down at them.
“Your debts are forgiven,” Doflamingo rested his head on one hand, his stare never leaving your father, “and the deal will be finalized at the wedding ceremony next week.”
Wedding ceremony. Those words didn’t sound real. This was all too fast but you were powerless to stop it.
“I’m sure she will make a good wife for you, she’s a kind woman,” your father struggled out. It almost sounded like he needed to convince himself he was making the best choice. That his faults did not send his own daughter to her doom.
“For me?” Doflamingo’s laugh grew. “As tempting as that sounds, I’ve decided to gift her to my dear brother, Corazon.”
This surprised you and your eyes met his tinted sunglasses. His brother? A door creaked open behind you and your head whipped around.
“Speak of the devil,” Doflamingo grinned. The man that entered was just as enormous as Doflamingo, his height towering over you and your parents as he walked past. “How nice of you to join us, Corazon.”
Corazon did not answer. He came to a stop behind Doflamingo’s chair and analyzed his brother’s guests. His demeanor was cold and uncaring, as if this was the last place he wanted to be. His appearance was a lot to take in. From his makeup to his heart themed hat and shirt to his black feathered coat, he was visually boisterous and intimidating. A cigarette hung limply against his lips, the smoke lazily curling up into the air.
While his purple shades blocked his eyes, you could feel his gaze burning into you. You swore you saw his frown deepen. It felt like he was pissed off by your existence. The coldness of the room grew with his presence.
“There’s some other matters and details to iron out,” Doflamingo continued on, not seeming to care for his brother’s lack of words. His voice started to fade as your mind retreated inward again. Would this be any better? You thought. Who’s to say he isn’t any different from his brother…
The walls felt like they were closing in, your lungs struggled to find air. You needed out.
“Excuse me,” you interjected in a soft voice, bowed, and rushed towards the door. You didn’t care if you interrupted or offended anyone, you could not stand another moment in that room.
It wasn’t until the sunlight and evening breeze hit your skin did you feel yourself being able to relax. Your mind raced with too many thoughts.
Outside, the Donquixote estate had a small courtyard. A stone pathway flanked by shrubs cut through the center of it. It was uncommon to see something this green in Spider Miles. You lifted a hand to hold some of the leaves between your fingers. They were waxy but soft. While it might have looked weird to caress a random bush, it did help to ground yourself.
I can’t run from reality forever, you thought bitterly.
Your world had been turned upside down within a day. You loved your parents dearly and you knew they were looking out for your two younger brothers, but it wasn’t fair. They had no right offering you like a dish served on a silver platter. It was almost humiliating with how your freedom and agency was stripped from you. You were an adult, someone who could have been independent and living off on her own somewhere else. You had only stayed to help your parents get by, but it had turned around to bite you in the butt.
Your father was an honest and hard working man, doing what he can to provide for his family. You were his pride and joy, his precious daughter. He taught you the ways of scrap fishing and welding. The long hours he spent at the factory ensured you and your siblings would have enough to eat.
Your mother was a stubborn yet confident woman. Being as dainty looking as she did, she had a sharp tongue and could stand up to the meanest of pirates. Her insights to the ways of the market helped her swindle and make a profit with merchant ships when they came to port. She was your role model, despite you taking much more after your father.
Then there were your two younger brothers. Sure, they were annoying little snot nosed kids, but you loved them. Their imagination knew no bounds and they would craft games of flying ships and battling deep sea creatures. It made dull days brighter and things wouldn’t be the same without them.
You grit your teeth and sigh through your nose. No, you would not blame yourself with sticking around to help your family. Your trust was betrayed but they were also victims of manipulation. It was no secret of the powerful grip the Donquixote family had on Spider Miles. It was hard to find anyone who didn’t owe Doflamingo something. It was a crappy situation through and through.
Then the fact you were to be married. A shiver ran down your spine. The thought of marriage never once crossed your mind. You might have dated here or there but nothing serious enough to consider spending the rest of your life with.
What would this marriage even entail? Being a glorified maid was more than likely. While it wasn’t the worst fate, you knew that wouldn’t be the only thing. A wife would also have to… please their husband. Your mind flashed back to Corazon walking past you.
…
A blush raged across your face. No. Impossible. Not happening. A man of that size would destroy any normal person.
You pressed a palm to your face. Now is not the time to think about that. Then when is it? The night of the wedding? Your other palm meets your face and you groan.
There was a shuffle next to you and you startle at the sound. Turning to your side your met with a large, pink shirt. Craning your head upwards you meet the stoic face of Corazon. Being closer to him you could see his eyes through his sunglasses and you could feel his gaze pick you apart. Another thing you noticed was that your head was level with his waist.
You could feel the blush fighting its way back to your face. Not. The. Time.
Turning back to face the bushes you tried to focus on the bush again. The blonde next to you stayed silent but kept his eyes on you. Maybe if I ignore him he will stop existing.
There’s a crinkle of paper and a piece of paper is held in front of you. You looked at it with furrowed brows. Your eyes traveled up the hand to see that it was Corazon holding is. When your eyes meet his he glances back to the paper. You get the hint and turn back to the paper. There’s writing scribbled onto it.
‘Are you okay?’
“I…” your voice sounds foreign to you, “it’s… it’s a lot to take in. I only learned about the deal this morning.”
The paper is pulled back and the man scribbles more onto the paper. He holds it back out to you.
‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
You take a few moments to read over the sentence. You bit your lip and words tumbled out before you could stop them.
“I’m sorry too, it doesn’t seem like you’re too happy about this either.” You frown and stare down at your shoes.
Corazon seems to be taken aback by this and he doesn’t immediately write another response. His head tilts towards the sky in thought. He takes his time writing, even crossing out words to rewrite it a different way.
‘It was unexpected.’ There’s several crossed out sentences before the next legible words. ‘I’m fine with treating this as nothing more than a contract we’re both bound to.’
“Contract, what do you mean-?“ you begin to ask but stop yourself to think it through. It’s treating the marriage as a business deal and nothing more. No playing the part of the ‘sweet caring wife’, the only thing holding the two of you together would be a piece of paper.
“I think I see.” You hum thoughtfully, “So we’ll be two people who happen to share a name and a bed. That… does make me feel a bit better about this.”
Corazon raises a hand to scratch the back of his neck and gives you a quick nod. You take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Maybe this won’t be all bad. Your gaze meets his face again which still holds a cold poker face. It gives you a small chill.
There’s more scribbling on his piece of paper and he holds it to you once again. The small page is nearly full at this point.
‘What is your name?’
You’re about to answer him when you can hear your father yell your name. Both he and your mother stand at the edge of the courtyard and signal to you that it’s time to go. You shoot a glace towards Corazon and shrug your shoulders a tad. Well, there it is.
The corners of his lips move upward a hair before falling back down, as if amused by the timing. He watches you walk past him towards your parents.
“I’ll see you at the ceremony, then.” You say in a soft voice. Corazon gives you a curt nod but otherwise remains unmoving. Without looking back again, you join your parents and leave the estate with heavy hearts.
-
Your home is situated on the other side of the island. It’s a grueling, long walk through the scrap wastes and the events of the day made it worse than usual. Your father continues to open and close his mouth as he tries to find the words to say.
“(y/n)…” he finally begins, “I want you to know this was not an easy decision to make.” He stops and turns to you, his eyes full of sorrow.
“If there had been any other way your mother and I would have taken it in a heartbeat.” His voice begins to crack. “We believed we were doing what was best for our family.”
Your mother, who has been silent up until this point, hisses out his name. “Get to the point.” You could see tears streaming down her face.
“There were… other details in the deal that Mr Donquixote made with us.” Your father says shakily and wrings his hands. “Details I wasn’t aware of.”
A sob breaks from your mother’s throat and she wraps her arms around you. But you remain still, your eyes staring at your father to hear what Doflamingo slipped into the fine print.
“When you are married into the Donquixote family all your ties to us will be severed…” Tears are now falling down his cheeks.
“I thought I was making the best decision to hold our family together,” he chokes out, “but in the end I lost you.” Your father joins your mother in embracing you.
You remain silent and motionless, your mind barely able to process the information. Tears roll down your cheeks as your parents hug you. The setting sun burned your glassy eyes.