The cupcake is small to begin with, even more tiny in Corazon's own large hands. It doesn't change his tiny smile as he cradles the baked good with care and hunches over it. The fire he's careful with (oh so careful of not catching alight) from the lone candle set in it. "...happy birthday to me."

@sanguineyonko.bsky.social Impossible not to know who this was (unless you lived under a rock and Cora kind of had but with his line of previous work he'd kept some tabs on the world) and he had made point to avoid as many Yonko and Shichibukai as possible. Paths crossed, sure. Skirting >>

Cora tilts his head. Still in that hat and coat (the coat has seen far better days really) and face still painted. Less a bit how it had been before. Lips just red for now, not pulling higher into an overarching facsimile of a smile. He understand a little as he stands there smoking and watching >>

@deathsleopard.bsky.social [event] Corazon can feel his heart in his throat. Not in fear but it joy. Oh! The memories that flood in at that tiny form. Fragile. Sick. Dying. In pain. Precious as the riches of gems and gold that makes his heart sing with love. Law! Law! Law! Small and cute and >>

@thydesertprincess.bsky.social Cora is not dressed for the desert. Melting away in some alley near the palace? (he thinks it's the palace he really can't remember)Fingers pick at the feathery coat to shed it but still hide under it's mass. The sun would surely cook his fair skin worse without >>

@buggythestarclown.bsky.social The colors are too tempting to ignore. Cora fit more into the role of mime than a clown (though he'd argue he wasn't either despite his tastes in make up) but the bright tents and bustling activity are hard to ignore. They litter the island in a vomit inducing >>

@nitoryuwadoyaiba.bsky.social Impossible to be a spy without having observation haki. Cora is well aware how dangerous this man is (a chill raising his hackles as his haki blares DANGER at him) just by looking at the man. So he opts to look as normal as possible. As normal as someone 9ft tall >>

@deathssurgeon.bsky.social He's not really stalking. Keeping tabs is kinder. But he had to know if Law had been okay. Time gave him snippets. Fractions of what he would have liked and always too far away to do anything. A bounty here. A jump up there. 100 hearts here. A warlord there. Punk >>

"If you want me to not be real I can leave now and we can forget this?" Because it's hurting her and he sees that and he really doesn't want to cause more pain. He's done enough of that for a lifetime. "...but I am here. Do I need to prove it to you?"

"Pretending to be a ghost?" He speaks with sincerity. "...to be honest I wasn't sure you'd even want to see me. The last things I ever said to you were a loaded handful of lies and a nugget of truth." Cora turns his head to smoosh his cheek to the top of Law's hat. "I expected you to hate me."

Eyes definitely catch that movement and Cora's quick to raise (mostly) empty hands up in surrender, cigarette held between two fingers. He doesn't want to fight and would be more likely to flee if attacked than fight back. "...I can go. If you'd prefer. We don't need to resort to violence now."

He grunts lightly at the impact with wide eyes. Pallor fading as an ease settles over Cora's shoulders like a mantle of relief. He'd been expecting more anger, rage, and rejection. Tears he could handle. Arms wrap around Law in turn as he sits there, bundling the man close just like he had when >>

"Why would I want you to join the navy?" He shakes his head, "Law, all I ever wanted for you was to be alive and free." Cora perks up, unable to stop smiling now as he gushes, "You've made a name! You're free! From the family and amber lead! You lived! Grew up! And I could not be prouder."

He can't help but follow, at least out of concern. Timid and lagging but keeping haki sharply trained on her. Cora doesn't approach (taking refuge by a tree instead) so he can worriedly watch her. The sparking of a cigarette prompts a craving of his own. A flick, flash, and rush of flame that's >>

"Seeking you out while Doffy still roamed would be foolish." Cora's voice is still that soft tone, gentle and even. Even if he looks scolded. "I didn't plan to wake up in the snow, Law." There. It's out there. Spoken despite the lie he'd given years ago. He knew Doffy had come to end him and >>

Her look is enough to make him quail. Shoulders hunching and hiding more in that ridiculous coat and hat as he steps back. Aware that he's the reason she's like this. Hurting. The guilt has him stepping out of her way if he's in it (tongue silent and hands to himself) as he does nothing but >>

A flinch, a slow roll over and spitting to the side as he sits up, but doesn't stand. Those eyes now level quietly at Law (caught as he was) with a tiny frown and near timid. "Law." Soft spoken. "I-" He sighs to himself, hands anxious on his bag. "...hey, kid."

"...Still so small..." He tsks as his head tilts the other way, more mumbling to himself than anything, but he makes no move to chase after. He's kept hidden for as long as he's had, knowing it'd be stupid to throw himself out there. One thing to cross paths, another to put himself back in >>

Kind recognizes kind, so the saying goes. Ruddy colored eyes turn, aware of attention when it's on him (hard to not when he's as large as he is and strange as he is) but Cora makes a point to blend in. It's like meeting a stray cat in an alley. A silent stare and a tilt of head in question.

It's somewhat of a trap. Large frame smushed against the brickwork, half hiding in feathers but rusted, blood colored eyes fixed on the mouth of the alley to check if he's being followed. Eyes that widen as Cora's face pales in silent distress when eyes meet. He's quick to try to flee... and >>

Said blond is hunched but it does nothing to diminish his nine foot stature. The downside of being so tall is he looms without meaning to. Cora's distracted, still in that hat, still in that coat (though it's seen far better days) as he exchanges beri at a stall selling produce. His haki pings >>

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⠀ 𝔇𝔬𝔫𝔮𝔲𝔦𝔵𝔬𝔱𝔢 ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔦𝔫𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔢 || 𝓒𝓸𝓻𝓪𝔃𝓸𝓷

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