[ frankly speaking, all law cares about is that cora is alive — well, dead, but here and talking and breathing and existing. he does notice the difference in his physique, and the doctor in him files the fact away for a time when he can scan him without trouble, to make sure nothing is wrong, but for now it doesn't matter.

reluctantly (and isn't that a first), he pulls back too, letting go of the coat, ducking his head when cora smiles at him, because if he looks at that smile for too long he's going to start crying again.

not that cora's next words help much with that; law bites his lip hard enough to draw blood, to stop himself from retorting with you shouldn't be, but then the words register and — ]

How?

[ how is that possible? how could he possible know about anything that has happened in the past thirteen years? it makes no sense. but before he gives cora a chance to respond, he shakes his head and continues, ] Never mind. That's not important right now. There's a lot I want to ask too, but first...

That thing is still out there. It hasn't noticed us yet, but the longer we stay here, the worse the odds of us remaining unnoticed.

[ he wants to tell cora everything (well, not everything, definitely not everything, half of dressrosa he will never, ever speak of) and wants to get answers to all the questions swirling inside his head, but not when there's a chance something out there will attack them. not that he's not confident he could win against it... but unlike before, when he didn't see a problem with picking a fight, now it's different. he's not doing one goddamn thing that's putting cora at risk. not one. ]

Is there a place here that's safe?