a story for old time's sake

[getaroom]

[Law's still not sure what truly set her off in the first place. He knows she had some sort of argument with Czes. He was upset about her absence. He wanted her to come home. He missed her and he didn't understand why she had to be gone in the first place. Kyoko said she had explained as best she could without putting him in danger, but it wasn't good enough. He hung up in tears and Kyoko was just as upset.

Law told her that Czeslaw would come to understand one day. He'd come to see that this was for the best -- for him and Kyoko both. It was a harmless comment. An understandable one, even, but Kyoko clearly didn't see it as such. Something seemed to snap in her when he said it. It was an anger and frustration unlike anything he had seen from her before. The reaction was so visceral, so instant, that he was taken aback for a moment and it led to tirade that ended in her saying that the only reason she had stayed so long was because she thought this was the "winning" side.

He responded curtly, telling her that the quickest way to be on the losing side was to be alone.

That was when she left.

He knew she was angry, though he still wasn't sure why, but he assumed she'd be back the next day.

She wasn't, but that was ok. He wasn't trying to tie her down, he wasn't trying to control her life. He wanted her to be able to go out on her own, to do what she needed and wanted to do without having to worry too much. There were days when she didn't come back and that was fine.

She wasn't back the day after either and that was still fine. She's a teenager and she's upset. Very upset. It's natural for her to avoid him and avoid all communication.

Day three and there was still radio silence. He started to worry.

It was most likely irrational, but he couldn't help but start to think he wasn't careful enough. That her lack of communication wasn't just because she was angry at him and because Doflamingo had followed them.

By day four his worry turned to panic and he sent out feelers. They all came back empty handed.

Day five he contacted the yakuza. They owed him for a rush job they had thrown on him and the job would be simple for them. All they had to do was find a fourteen year old girl. It was nothing. They found her within the day.

Finally, on day six he goes to the hotel she's been holing up in and knocks on the door. He still doesn't know what could have set her off like this, but he needs to find out. His voice is soft and commanding, but laced with genuine worry.]

Kyoko? Open the door.