Hi there, thank you for checking out my fic! I disclaim any ownership of One Piece, because Oda does it better than I would anyway. This story is just for fun. I hope you enjoy reading it. Please let me know if you do (or don't, I am pretty open to any sort of commentary you feel like throwing out).
If there was anything Eustass Kid hated in life, it was needing somebody else's help.
He'd basically built a reputation on being an asshole who took what he wanted - no questions, no compromises, no diplomacy. So he'd made a few enemies in his time; big deal. It happened. You didn't make it to the New World by being an angel. In Kid's opinion, his methodology had worked out pretty goddamn well so far, and being labeled a bastard was a badge of pride.
The only problem with this sort of life's philosophy was that when you ended up needing a favor from someone, you were really short on options for who to ask. Kid was a shady character. He was left dealing with other, similarly shady characters when he needed something.
Which was how Kid came to be in a certain infirmary on a certain examination bed, being disdainfully glared at by one Doctor Trafalgar Law, Complete Psychopath, M.D. "What was it you needed me for, again?"
Kid steeled himself, which was hard. He'd been twitching nervously for the last 48 hours; it was as though his muscles, sensing that something was deeply wrong, had begun to alert him of this fact by becoming entirely uncontrollable.
"I can't sleep. You've gotta do something," Kid repeated, a frayed nerve snapping at the amusement evident in Law's tone of voice. "And fuck you, this is serious! I'm in pain here."
"Let me assure you that you're not alone on that count." Law's voice was a dry mutter. He sighed, sounding resigned, "How long has this been a problem for you?"
"Almost a week. I think. It's just...really hard to keep track of anything anymore." Kid ran a shaky hand through his hair, which felt greasy despite a bath only a few hours prior. He wasn't lying: each hour that stretched out without rest only made him more jittery, as if there were beetles crawling under his skin. He scratched at them absently, "Am I going crazy?"
"It would be an awfully short trip if that were the case. No, it sounds as though there's something more at work, especially given Mr Killer's account of events. Would you mind walking me through them yourself?"
Kid nodded spasmodically. God, he was thirsty. Or maybe hungry, he couldn't tell. Being awake for so long had totally fucked his internal schedule. He chewed on the corner of a fingernail, eyes twitching over the weird ass things in jars that Law kept in neat little rows all along one side of his infirmary. What a freak. He wouldn't have come here if Killer hadn't insisted, but that'd been two days ago - or was it three now? - and at that point, Kid hadn't yet progressed to the utter desperation he found himself in presently.
He'd gone without sleep in the past, one day or two punctuated by little naps that weren't restful, but this...it was worse than pain, worse than drowning. It was helplessness. Hell, it practically felt like he was drowning most the time: trapped in tight skin, unable to do jack shit as he powerlessly watched the clock tick interminable minutes by. His eyes had turned scratchy and sore from being open for so long.
Law touched his hand, and Kid just about jumped out of his skin. "Whenever you're ready," the doctor prompted in a soothing tone of voice.
"Ahm," Kid began. His eyes wouldn't settle on anything other than Law's gaze, which was more intense than he felt like he could handle at the moment. "It was about a week ago. Ran into some crazy characters and had a bit of a fight." That was an understatement, but Kid had come out alright - physically - so he didn't bother to elaborate. "There was a fruit user, he knocked out half my crew in the first few minutes just by lookin' at 'em. They crashed hard and were out for almost twenty hours!"
Law raised a single eyebrow in interest, but otherwise didn't interrupt. Kid noticed that they were still holding hands, and his was shaking in the doctor's sure grip. It was just his frazzled nerves talking, but he laughed nervously and jerked his fingers away. His palm was gross and sweaty anyway. For some reason, Law was able to make him feel dumb and self-conscious in this current state of weakness. Kid rubbed a finger into one itchy, red eye, "Lazy pricks."
"But you did not succumb to the powers yourself, correct?"
"Nah, it was just me and Killer, couple other guys. Took 'em down hard for messing with my boys." Kid punctuated the statement with a serrated smile.
"Did the fruit user physically contact you at all?"
"Well, he hit me a couple times when I was hitting him."
"And no one else is having the same symptoms as you are?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I mean no. I mean, it's just me." Kid's fingers scraped over his stubbly chin; fuck, it had never been so hard for him to keep from moving as it was right now.
In contrast, Law simply leaned back in his chair, staring at his steepled fingers for a few long moments - that seemed to last for-ever in Kid's mind - before he rose to pick through a stack of books. Kid's distractable brain was more than happy to enjoy the fresh scenery of Law's backside; he'd never really given the doctor credit for how hot his ass looked, filling out those tight jeans without an inch to spare. "It sounds to me as though you've had a run-in with a user of the Neru Neru no Mi - the sleeping fruit."
Kid snorted. "That's gotta be the stupidest power I ever heard of!"
"Yes, the one that has you currently crippled. That stupid power?"
Law's intelligence was both amazing and irritating, and Kid could feel his mouth curl in an expression of pure scorn. "But that's clearly not the case, because I'm not falling asleep!"
"Possibly not, but it stands to reason that if the fruit gives control over slumber to the user, it may also grant the power to prevent it as well." Law had located what he wanted, which was a beat-up old illustrated encyclopædia. He passed it to Kid, open to a page with more information than he really gave a shit about: uses, limitations, how to counter this particular Devil's Fruit. But there was nothing about fixing his fucking problem, so what was the goddamn point?
"The point is, your crewmates woke after a certain period of time. Are you absolutely sure you've at least tried sleeping?"
Whoa, Kid had not realized he'd said any of that out loud. He was losing it, "I'm fucking losing it!"
"Oh, honestly." Law sounded annoyed. And then he was shining a very bright penlight in Kid's eyes, making him squint. "If nothing else, I feel confident in diagnosing an overdeveloped case of hypochondria."
"Can't you just give me some fucking drugs or something? I'm dying here." Kid kind of hated the whiny tone in his voice, but he'd passed the point of giving a shit. His ego had died around the same time as when Killer forced him to pay a visit to the good doctor, and now his brain was demanding in no uncertain terms that it get some sort of treatment. Whatever it takes, it begged Kid. His own methods to fix the situation had been a bit lacking, mostly being limited to a foolish attempt to drink himself into oblivion - call it self-medication. He'd ended up pretty oblivious, and then, pretty painfully sick, followed by being pretty fucking hungover. But no sleep. None. It'd been the first time in years when Kid had been very seriously tempted to cry.
Law's fingers snapped in front of his face, loud as a gunshot. "Holy fuck!" Kid almost fell off the examining bench.
"Pay attention," Law muttered. Had the doctor even been talking? "As I was saying, I'd rather not give you any heavy sedatives in this situation. There's very little I feel confident in using to counteract this sort of Devil's Fruit ability. You could go into a coma and never wake up."
Kid whimpered in despair. Actually, being comatose right now didn't sound half bad.
"However," Law continued, "I can recommend some alternative therapies that may have the desired outcome."
"Alternative therapies," Kid repeated bleakly. He didn't really want to ask for details. He could imagine what it'd be - hypnosis, or voodoo, or noodling around with his pressure points until sleep was induced; why the fuck couldn't Law just give him a nice hit of morphine and call it good? Maybe drugs in general just wouldn't work; the booze sure as hell hadn't.
"It's nothing painful, let me assure you."
There was a long, very long moment in which all Kid could do was repeat the last five minutes over in his head. It was such a chore to think coherently. Why couldn't the entire world just stop for the next couple of days until he got back in control of himself? That would be ridiculous, of course; Kid realized how entitled it sounded. He was just irritated that it took so long for him to even decide, however shitty his choices might be. He typically liked being the guy in charge, making the decisions. Right now, just for once, Kid actually wanted someone else to figure out what was best for him.
It was real fucking dumb to put Trafalgar Law in that role. Kid's brain was screwed up, but it wasn't that screwed up. He knew he was liable to end up chopped into tiny pieces and packed into one of the pickle jars that Law had decorating his room, with the carefully-scripted label stating Kid, Eustass "Captain": Specimen of a Fool.
But there really wasn't anyone else Kid could possibly rely on in this sort of situation, and besides, what was he? A whiny little bitch? Seriously. Kid felt pretty confident that if this deal went sour, he could take the prick down along with the rest of the Heart Pirates' piddly little crew.
Kid steeled himself. Whatever it takes!, his brain demanded; he could almost feel the safety override crumbling as he took a long, hard look at Law and said, "Do whatever you need to do."
"Excellent." Law nodded once, obviously pleased. "Take off your clothes."
"What! Why?"
"Just do what I tell you; I'm not in the mood to fight every step of the way on this. You asked for my help, remember?"
Grumbling, Kid followed the orders. It'd been a long time since he listened to anyone else. He wasn't really sure if it suited him.
His boots hit the floor with a pair of dull thumps, and Kid was actually grateful to ditch his heavy fur coat. It was more claustrophobic and oppressive than Kid thought he could really handle right now. His pants followed the rest to a pile, leaving Kid in his skivvies on a cold operating table and feeling uniquely stupid. It was only a matter of time before the doctor's long-fingered hands started poking and prodding, and Kid was fairly certain that that would make him pop a boner, and then things would just be awkward.
Law had already started arranging all sorts of stuff beside the operating table: a jar of salve, cotton balls, a dropper bottle with clear liquid. Without any adieu, he pushed Kid's legs open and stood between them, suddenly a whole lotta him all up in not very much of Kid's personal space. Nervous panic started to bubble up in Kid's chest; what the fuck was he thinking, trusting his well-being to this quack?
"This will bring down the swelling a bit," Law said, and it was the only warning Kid got before Law tilted his head back and dripped something into his eye. It made him blink compulsively and then Law had already done the other one before he could even complain. To be honest, Kid was kinda grateful because it was hard not to stare when Law was as close as he was.
Law's expression didn't change at all; he just moved onto the next task. There was the sharp smell of camphor as he opened the jar of salve; medicinal, but not bad. "Close your eyes," Law instructed.
It would've been an easy order to ignore, but by this point, Kid had very little left to lose. He shut his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose.
"Relax." Law started at his temples, slick fingers rubbing in circles until the tension dissipated. It was hard for Kid to keep from groaning appreciatively, especially when Law progressed downward, behind his ears and to the base of his jaw. The ointment left behind a peculiar tingling in its place, and Kid felt his head grow heavy.
Law tipped his chin up, ostensibly so he could continue to Kid's throat. But instead of doing what Kid expected, Law's mouth suddenly covered his own in a gentle press, with the warm sweep of a tongue prising at the seam of his lips. Kid's eyes went wide as he grabbed a handful of the doctor's shirt, letting Law in eagerly. Kid's breath left in a rush, making him even more flustered and dizzy.
Law's tongue was firm and certain as it opened him up. The hands that'd been rubbing knots out of Kid's muscles framed his face, holding him in place so that Law could mount what felt like a very thorough investigation. Kid was sure that Law was cataloguing everything he found, taking some sort of mental inventory as he mapped each fold, crevice and molar. That was fine in Kid's mind - he liked somebody who knew how to kiss. If the doctor's plan was to distract Kid from his current discomfort, he was doing a helluva job at it. Kid worked a hand under his shirt, tracing tight muscle and warm skin with the same precision that Law reserved for Kid's mouth.
Then Law stopped so abruptly that Kid was left a little dazed, like he'd been slapped. He held onto the curve of Law's hipbone and didn't let go. "What? What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Law answered. His hands dropped from Kid's face to his shoulders. "Lie back on the table."
"Um." Kid really felt like he should be protesting. But Law didn't give him a minute to verbalize a thing before he licked right back into Kid's mouth, pressing against him insistently. Kid wasn't even sure if he wanted to complain in the first place, because Law's mouth was soft and welcoming, and he made a pleased little murmur when Kid dragged teeth over his lip.
One of Law's sure hands landed on Kid's knee, making him jump like he'd been shocked. "Lie back," Law repeated. Kid let himself be pushed down, but wrapped his arms around Law's shoulders so that he got dragged along with. The metal table was cold enough to make Kid squirm where it pressed against his spine, but Law was all warm, bare skin once he peeled off his shirt.
Law was touching him all over, with hands and mouth and all in that same determined manner as he'd started things off in. He seemed utterly fascinated by Kid's body, and was doing a pretty fantastic job teasing out all of its secret responses, finding places that Kid wasn't even aware of to make him shiver and whine. Kid wondered if it was a doctor thing, but he hoped it was really just a Trafalgar thing. It would've been more intimidating being the sole focus of all of Law's attention, if Law hadn't obviously been enjoying everything that he found.
Kid dragged the other man's mouth back for a deep kiss, tangling their legs up together and sucking enthusiastically at Law's tongue. All of the nervous energy that'd been keeping him awake for the last week finally had an outlet, and Kid really couldn't've been happier. He rolled them both, wanting to taste Law's skin all the way down to his cock - but there was a wrenching loss of gravity for a moment as they left the table and Kid's forehead bounced off the floor with a hard whack.
"Oh fuck," Kid groaned. That hurt. Law's elbow dug into his ribs for a moment before he wriggled out from under Kid's body. Something sank in Kid's chest, because he was pretty certain that landing on your bed-partner right in the middle of a hot fuck meant an end to all the fun. "Did I squish you?"
"I'm all right." It was hard for Kid to tell through his doubled vision, but surprisingly, Law didn't look overly pissed. His hands stroked Kid's forehead before peppering it with kisses, lips soft as they closed over each of Kid's eyelids. "Why don't you let me lead this time?"
Kid was pretty much a-okay with that idea, because it directly implied that there would be a next time. And as much as he was enjoying things just now, Kid knew they'd be even better when he hadn't been awake for a week straight. He found Law's mouth, rolling the doctor's bottom lip between his own and murmuring agreeably.
Then Law was gone again, without a word and just as abruptly as before, and Kid was starting to get annoyed with that. Law might be a hot piece of ass in a number of interesting ways, but he was still a colossal weirdo who didn't seem to operate the way any normal person would in this situation. Come to think of it: Kid was pretty sure that no normal person would've used this situation as a way to get into someone else's pants in the first place.
He didn't have time to ruminate for long because Law returned with the salve, kicking his shoes and pants off like it was the most matter-of-fact thing in the world. Kid just watched the reveal of smooth, dark skin and hoped he wasn't gaping too stupidly. Law got naked in the same precise way he'd been using to explore Kid's body, and before Kid even realized it - because his brain was a little fried from all the stimuli just now - Law was literally pouncing on him and leaving a trail of bitemarks from his jaw to his collarbone.
Kid's shorts were whipped off, replaced by cool dry hands against the backs of his knees as Law insinuated himself right in between Kid's thighs. Fuck, he was forward - but that seemed like a complaint Kid ought to have made ten minutes prior, and besides, it wasn't like he wanted Law to stop.
He had about a moment to grind himself appreciatively against Law's hipbone before he registered the doctor's hands sliding up the crack of his ass - and then there were two slippery fingers going right inside, and Kid practically choked on his tongue. The back of his head thumped solidly against the floor while his hips arched right into Law's grasp, wanting more. If he could disregard how rude that initial slide into him had been, it was impossible not to notice how Law really, really knew what he was doing.
Kid's tangled-up tongue must've said something to that effect - or maybe Law was just a mind-reader in addition to everything else, who fucking knew? - because the doctor made a dark, knowing chuckle. "I find bodies interesting," Law murmured. It struck Kid as sort of an odd thing to say when you were two fingers deep in someone. "I find your body very interesting. It's so responsive."
As if to punctuate his point, Law did a little twist of his hand that made Kid's eyes roll back in his head. It was hard to say what exactly Law was doing to him, but it was so amazing as to be almost painful.
Kid's fingernails hurt from scratching so hard against the unforgiving metal of the infirmary floor, and as Law let up the pressure, Kid blinked himself back into reality. "You need to quit messing around and fuck me right now." He might've been more embarrassed about the feeble edge to his voice if he'd still been coherent enough to register it.
"As you wish," Law answered simply, and was then so incredibly close before he was inside, pressing down all at once on every nerve Kid's brain could possibly register. He guided one of Kid's legs to his shoulder, mouthing up along his neck before stopping - again, just like a prick - one hand cradling the side of Kid's face in concern. "Are you all right? Remember to continue breathing."
"Nnngh," Kid growled in response, which was about as much as he could manage. It was starting to get on his nerves - the ones that weren't currently occupied - that Law could maintain the same analytic calm that he'd used during his diagnosis. Kid grabbed the doctor by his short-cropped hair, jerking his face down and biting at his mouth. The movement brought Law lurching forward, deeper, out of his indifference as he hissed, brow furrowed and unable to stop himself from pistoning harshly into Kid's body a second time.
So he was human; that was more like it. Kid signaled his approval with a low groan, meeting Law every inch of the way. He nipped at Law's gold earrings, "Move, asshole. Fuck me and quit thinking about it so goddamn much!"
Law made an appraising murmur before obliging, "Then I supposed you'd better hang on."
Kid laughed, the high, giddy cackle of someone pushed far beyond their normal limits. But he took the good doctor's advice, wrapping an arm around Law's shoulders and digging his fingernails in despite the sound of discomfort he provoked. Kid sighed and moaned, hips arching up to meet the opposing drive of Law's body. Law had braced one hand against the floor and the other against Kid's lower back, near his tailbone, supporting Kid while he systematically destroyed him in hard, punishing blows as their bodies connected.
Kid wondered if this sort of activity was really such a good idea in his state, given the misery he'd sought the doctor out in. He had to admit, this was a lot better than drinking himself into stupidity. Maybe it was just part of the treatment plan; if that were the case, Kid couldn't really complain.
"Let yourself go," Law said, nuzzling his mouth and nose against the side of Kid's face. "Eustass."
Maybe it was the use of his name, or maybe Law had just pushed him far enough - it wasn't like there was much further to go - but the doctor's voice and words resonated so deeply inside him that Kid couldn't stop the mean feeling of his body almost unthreading itself. His hips trembled up, following after Law in every stroke, and as the other captain's nimble fingers slid around his cock, it became suddenly too much all at once. The entirety of Kid's muscles tightened in a harsh, gasping second, and he came harder and more than he'd ever done in his life.
It seemed like the world blinked out for a very long moment, or maybe it was just Kid. His body was all tingly and nice when he found it again, and Law was still in him, still moving. It was so hard to respond, even as he wanted to - he wanted to drag Law down, make him feel every inch that Kid had just made it through.
Some other time, his brain muttered. Good plan, Kid concurred. Until then, he was happy to ride out the wave, insensate and exhausted; and for the first time in what had been a very long time, Kid felt himself drift off into sleep.
Kid came awake all at once, sitting bolt upright and gasping. He was still in the Heart Pirate's infirmary, still on the operating table. The room was dark except for a muted lamp, where Law sat at a desk, reading. His eyes shone in the dim light, watching Kid. "Well, good morning. How was your sleep?"
"Um. Fine." Kid's eyes felt gooey, and even if he'd slept - and it'd been absolutely great, the sleep of the dead - he could've easily flopped right back and gone for another twelve hours. But the table he was laying on was metal, and not the most forgiving. His back and hips were killing him - or maybe that was from the blindingly hot sex, as the memories of which came back to him in waves that made sweat dampen his skin.
Law set his book down. "I would recommend another several hours if you think you can manage it. It's still the middle of the night, after all." He yawned, and looked bored. Total clinical detachment. Law seemed about as fond of Kid as he would've been for a bug on the pavement.
Oh, shit. Kid felt his dick shrivel just as his mind started to crawl back into gear. Had he fucking dreamt all of that? Kid wouldn't have put it past himself. Truth be told, he couldn't even remember that many details from the previous night - except that it had been awesome. Everything was still fuzzy around the edges. And now Kid just felt weird because you couldn't exactly work fucking somebody into casual conversation when the whole thing could've just been the product of a sick, sleep-deprived mind.
Law's steady approach made his heart race, which he knew the doctor would feel, especially as he started prodding around Kid's jawline and throat. Kid swallowed hard, and Law could not've looked more neutral if he tried.
Kid was about to come to the depressing conclusion that his chances of getting into Law's pants were just about zero when he spotted a nice, fat hickey right on the side of Law's neck. He stabbed an accusatory finger at it, "Hah! See? We did have sex!"
Maybe that hadn't been the best phrasing, because Law's expression gained an injured little undertone to it. "I would be rather alarmed if you couldn't remember that."
"No, I mean I thought it was a dream," Kid started, but Law's eyes only narrowed. "A good dream! The best, except and - hey, you took advantage of me!"
"It was for your own benefit," Law said, waving away his protestations. "I've never seen such a case of psychosomatic insomnia."
"Psycho-what?"
Law sighed in that very patient way of his. "You were doing it to yourself, dear Eustass. That fruit user may have made it impossible for you to sleep at the beginning, but once you'd convinced yourself that it was permanent, you were your own worst enemy. As is typically the case, I might add."
"You could've just given me some drugs." Kid knew he sounded sour, but found himself unable to care. Now that the adrenaline was fading, so was he.
"I try not to waste good medicine. Particularly considering the alternatives. Natural sleep is always best after all, even if that means I have to wear you out properly beforehand."
There was a little impish smile pulling at the corners of Law's mouth that went straight to his eyes and wow, Kid thought. That was cute. He typically didn't bother thinking about people like that. Especially people who would lie to him, fuck him, and then not even have the good courtesy to stick around and keep the bed warm for him afterwards. Kid knew that making exceptions for this kind of bullshit was bad policy, but he also had the worrisome feeling that he was gonna be making a lot of exceptions where Trafalgar Law was concerned.
The smile on Law's face just deepened, as if Kid was an open book. He put a hand over Kid's eyes, pushing him back down until he was lying flat. "Go to sleep, Eustass. Your mind is still playing tricks on you."
"D'you sleep with all your patients?"
"Only the very difficult ones." His voice was quiet, and then his lips covered Kid's, smooth and dry and gone before Kid would've preferred. He frowned at the loss, but exhaustion tugged insistently at the backs of his eyelids. He could sense Law standing just beside him, waiting.
Kid sighed, his finally-calm mind empty and asleep before he even knew it.