I am so, so, so, so, SO SORRY for being so late with this! It's been almost a month! I can't believe it! I mean, I did rewrite this chapter about 6 different times, but that's still no excuse! Please, forgive me for being so late, and I hope that you enjoy and can forgive me!
Chapter Two
By the time that the sun had set, leaving the world in a vast and beautiful display of colours that painters could only dream about, Kidd stepped outside of the Hatchery and drank in the cool night air. Above him, he heard the laughter and merriment of the Shadow and Star dragons, swirling around each other in their nightly dance – a strange display of flight that they so loved to perform for themselves. Though no one had ever seen the entirety of the dance, due to the fact that the darkness of night surrounded them during the display, the redheaded beast enjoyed the small glimpses he was able to catch as he left the Preserve each day.
He heard the sound of a snort, and a grumbling yawn, and turned to face Tobias, who was lying down next to the door of the Hatchery. He tilted his head and let out a soft sigh. "Are you leaving now?"
The redheaded beast smiled and walked towards the icy beast, gently cupping his large and scaly cheeks within his calloused hands. "Yeah, I'm heading home. Why? Wanna come with me?"
"No," the dragon sighed. He gently shook his massive head, snorting a little bit, sending a waft of warm air that smelled like rotting carcasses, but Kidd had long ago gotten used to the smell. "But, you're leaving soon, aren't you?"
The vampire chuckled softly and nodded, gently patting the beast's forehead. "Yeah, hopefully. I won't be gone for too long, and when I come back, I'll have a surprise for you."
"Promise?"
"I promise," Kidd smiled, and gently pressed a kiss to the icy beast's forehead, gently patting him. He drug his hand along the scales as he walked towards the massively white shoulders, and climbed onto the Frost Dragon's back. He settled himself quickly and tangled his hands within the blue mane. Tobias took flight into the chilly night air, staying lower to the ground so they could avoid colliding with the other dragons who were playing in the night. A cold wind blew in the sky, causing Kidd to develop goosebumps on his uncovered arms. It was difficult to talk over the wind that brush past them, so neither male said anything. But they didn't have to – just a simple touch or a look could say more than words ever would. Kidd gently ran his fingers through the blueish hair, conveying comfort to the beast, telling him that everything would be okay. As they flew, the moon decided to grace the night with her glowing presence, casting a shadow of the duo onto the ground, making the dragon's white hide sparkle like freshly fallen snow.
Soon, Tobias landed at the bottom of the hill that sat at the end of the Preserve that his father traversed over daily. He gently plucked Kidd off of his back, and gently set him on the ground, making sure that he wouldn't stumble when he let go of the smaller beast. The Frost Dragon gently pressed his forehead against the other's chest, and let out a pleased grumble that reverberated in his chest when he felt his father wrap his arms around his snout.
After a few tender moments, the duo separated, and Kidd gave the icy beast one last kiss, before he turned and began climbing back up the hill slowly, bidding Ronny farewell and peaceful dreams as he past the elderly dragon. As the vampire crested the hill, moonlight shone on his pale skin, giving him a sort of ethereal glow. He inhaled the cool, crisp night air, letting himself breathe in the night – it was much nicer on the ground then up in the frigid air. Even though vampires were fine with surviving in the daylight, they were truly creatures of the night. That was when they truly felt alive and at ease. The redhead's relaxing muscles could attest to this fact.
As Kidd walked down the familiar dirt path, down the hill that lead to the cobblestone street, he stripped out of his sweat-soaked t-shirt that was clinging to his skin, seeping all of the warmth from the pale flesh. It had been a fairly easy day, but he still felt absolutely exhausted and the stress that was weighing down on his shoulders couldn't be alleviated by the night. The thought of being able to travel to the human world… it just put him on edge. He hoped that he would be approved…
As heavy and worn work boots came in contact with the cobblestone of the street, the mansion at the very end of the street – the Nico house's – door burst open, only to reveal a man with bulging forearms, strange blue hair, and was only clad in a speedo and a Hawaiian styled shirt. He was grinning like an absolute idiot, his smile stretching from ear to ear. His barefoot tapped against the stones as he raised his arms over his head and pressed his forearms together, exclaiming "SUPER!" at the top of his lungs as the two start tattoos on his arms touched together. Nico Robin, their neighbor and friend, calmly stepped out of the house, past her husband, and nodded at the pale vampire, in a calm greeting – the complete opposite of the man.
"Good evening, Kidd-san," she smiled politely. She was dressed in a tight purple dress, trimmed with black lace that fit her perfectly in all of the right spots. Yes, Robin was an attractive woman, but she just wasn't Kidd's taste.
"Hey," he waved, feeling a bit awkward. Then again, the pale beast always felt very uncomfortable under his fellow vampire's gaze. It was always as if she was studying you, trying to figure out your deepest secrets.
"Yo, brother!" Franky, the cyborg – half human, half robot, so blood still coursed through his veins- said, waving happily. "A new club opened up in the next town! You going?"
"Ah, not tonight," The redhead smiled apologetically, showing off the barest hint of fangs with the emotion.
"Too bad. It's supposed to be SUPER!" Franky grinned, before nodding to the man, and gently took his wife's tiny hand in his large one, before leading her down the street and around the corner. Before they turned down the other street, Robin offered a small wave, and Kidd waved back slightly. He shrugged a little bit, and then walked past the Nico and Dracule residencies, only to come to a stop at the side door of his home. He shoved the shirt he had in his hands into his back pockets, opposite of the gloves that resided in the left back pocket, and then opened the door. He stumbled into the kitchen, which was lit up and filled with the most succulent smells that would make any being's mouth water. A small feast of food was on the kitchen table that was situated in the middle of the room, while the walls had counters pressed against them, pausing only to fit in the kitchen doors, the fridge, and the stove. Cupboards lined all the walls above the counters, filled with numerous dishes, glasses, spices, and god only knows what else.
"You're late," A tanned male said from his standing place in front of the stove. His tattooed hands held a wooden spoon, using it to stir something that was in a pot. There were many pans and other dishes on the stove and countertops within his arm's reach. Golden eyes turned to glare at him, but Kidd paid Trafalgar no mind. The doctor was always harping on his for something or another. The pale vampire decided long ago to ignore his incessant, womanly bitching.
Sitting at the table, behind the massive piles of food, sat Law's mate, filling his cheeks with more food than an average human could eat within an entire day. Monkey D. Luffy smiled brightly at his pale roommate, a bit of either sauce or juice from something he was eating dribbling down his chin.
"Hiya, Kidd!" The teen grinned, after he swallowed the mass of food in his mouth, which should have been impossible, but the redhead didn't question the teen anymore after so many months – it just gave him a pounding headache later on.
"Hi, Luffy," he mumbled, before walking to the table, and pulled out a chair, collapsing into it with a defeated sigh. He was exhausted and starving, but he really just wanted a shower. He leaned back in his chair as he passively watched as the raven-haired teen practically inhaled two plates full of food. Law quickly took those away, before replacing them with a plate of some meat that the human absolutely adored. The inked male gave an unreadable look to his fellow vampire, before he sighed softly.
"Tablets are in the top drawer," Law said, before he went back to the stove, finishing the dishes that he was preparing for his mate.
"Thanks," Kidd sighed, then stood, his back popping in several different places. He trudged to the cupboard, and pulled down a clear glass. He walked past Law, over to the sink, and leaned over, turning the hot water on in the sink. The redhead waited for a few moments, before filling the glass with the warm water, and shut it off when it was full. Setting the glass on the counter, he opened the drawer and pulled out a packet of tablets. He gently popped one of the rectangular pills out of the plastic casing, and broke it in half, and then dropped both halves into the water. Quickly, he replaced the package in the drawer, and grabbed his glass. The halves of the pill dissolved within the water, turning it into a ruby, vicious, liquid, similar to the blood that ran through the veins of humans. Yet, it wasn't the same. It was missing the exact warmth and some other quality that the vampire just couldn't pinpoint. He just knew that something was off.
Kidd travelled back to his sea, sitting back down, and watched at Trafalgar took the plates that his mate had managed to clear in only a matter of seconds. They were quickly replaced with the final dishes of the dinner that had been prepared for this evening. The redheaded beast pressed the glass against his painted lips, and gulped down the pseudo-blood, just as quickly as Luffy managed to finish his dinner. Soon, only empty plates and glasses covered the table. Law seemed less than thrilled – probably because he didn't get to eat his dinner yet. He refused to eat before Luffy did. Most vampires were actually like that. After all, having your mate faint on you wasn't the best thing in the world to happen.
"That was really yummy, Torao!" The teen grinned, laughing in that odd way that Trafalgar seemed to love, if the light blush on his face was ever any indictation.
"I'm glad you liked it," was all the inked male said.
Kidd frowned a little, staring down at his empty glass, feeling a sharp pang of something he couldn't identify in his chest. The little pleasantries that his roommates exchanged on a daily basis never bothered him before, so he wondered why it did now. He figured that was because he grew tired of the artificial blood, and that he longed for a companion – and not just for the purposes of food. How long had it been since he kissed or even held someone? How long had it been since he had felt the touch of another? The redheaded beast couldn't be sure – therefore, he had no idea whatsoever. Far too long, if he couldn't be sure of the passage of time. That decided it – he needed to find out if he was eligible for a trip to the human world as soon as possible.
"Hey, Kidd!" Luffy grinned, waving his hand in front of distant rouge eyes, shocking Kidd out of his depressive musings. "We're going for ice cream! Do you wanna come with us?"
The pale vampire shook his head. As much as he did enjoy ice cream, he didn't feel like playing third-wheel tonight. "Thanks, though."
"Are you sure, Eustass-ya?" Trafalgar asked, but he knew that the other vampire wouldn't change his mind. He never would – Kidd was stubborn like that.
"Have fun, you guys," the redhead chuckled, before he rose from his seat at the table. He washed out his glass, then put it in the dish strainer to dry. He bid goodnight to his roommates, before climbing up the stairs just outside of the kitchen.
The house was a very old Victorian style, consisting of seven levels – the first three were used by all three of them, consisting of dens, parlours, a spacious dining room, libraries, a music room filled with a wonderful piano, and other empty rooms filled with different couches and coffee tables. The fourth floor was Law and Luffy's abode, but Kidd had never ventured in there. After all, he liked his limbs intact. However, the fifth floor belonged to only him, and above that was the attic. They had a basement, but the redhead never had a need to go down there.
Kidd opened the door to his floor, and walked into his living room, shutting the door behind him. Compared to the rest of the house, the fifth floor wasn't as lavish and gaudy as the rest of the place – but not by much. Everything was still terribly expensive, and Kidd found that he wasn't too fond of any of it. But, this was his home, and he liked this place. He couldn't think about leaving this house – not after two thousand years of staying in the same place.
Kidd passed through the living room to various other sitting rooms, and then into his bathroom, which was larger than necessary. A large, round tub sat at the farthest edge of the bath, along with a shower next to it. A divider wall was in between the back half and the front half of the room, but the redhead always left the sliding doors open. After all, he was the only one to set foot on the fifth floor.
The vampire sighed as he kicked off his boots and peeled his socks off as well. He tossed them in the corner, and stood, his back cracking once again. He could hear Luffy's excited cheers from below – man, his voice could carry. Kidd chuckled softly and stripped out of his pants, stepping over to the shower and turned the water on. As the water began to warm up, the redheaded beast stripped out of his boxers and goggles, letting his ruby hair fall down to his shoulders. Quickly, he stepped into the shower and let out a deep groan that echoed across the walls as he relaxed under the warm water. It pouted down his body and relaxed his smooth muscles – a warm shower and some food was always the best cure for body aches. Kidd pressed his forehead against the tile of the shower wall, letting his mind wander.
He applied for the right to travel to the human world to search for a mate a little over a month ago. The council at town hall couldn't actually deny his request, because vampires needed to thrive off of the blood of humans, so a mate was a necessity. However, they could postpone his travel date until he was much older. In fact, he was the younger vampire in history to apply – at least that's what the woman said at the town hall when he applied. She also told Kidd that he might not be able to travel until he was at least 2,400 years old – he had a little under 300 years to go, but the pale vampire didn't think that he could last that long…
He thought about what life would be like if he indeed found a mate. The redhead imagined waking up with someone in his arms, sharing loving kisses, making love at random times of the day, cooking for them.. The thought brought a goofy grin to his face, flashing pearly white fangs at the wall. He never used to have these sorts of thoughts, but now that he was so close that he could almost taste it, he couldn't help these thoughts from plaguing his brain. They were almost sickly sweet, but Kidd found that he enjoyed them, none the less. He just prayed that his mate would be easy to find.
Yes, you have to apply to go to the Human World, much like you would apply for a visa to visit another country. And yes, Law and Luffy are together. Why? Do I ship it? Not as much as you think I would - I ship Law with his crew more than with Luffy. Then, why Luffy? He's the only person likely to believe anyone who came up to him and said: "I'm a vampire." So, that's why Luffy, in case anyone was wondering. Again, I am so very sorry that this took so long, and Chapter Three is already in the works, and I am so very sorry... I can't stress this enough... I didn't want to be one of those people that update only once a month, or once over a span of months, but it seems that I did... I am so so sorry... I hope this chapter was to everyone's liking, and that you would please leave a review, and tell me how horrid a person I am for making you wait so long... Once again, please forgive me.
~Shout outs!~
-To the cute little Candy-darkimpluse, thank you for tuning in! I'm glad that you like the idea, and I hope that everything is to your liking. Please, keep tuning in for more!
-To my darling little Candy-Essie, I'm happy that you like it! There was a little more LawLu in this chapter for you, so I hope it's fluffy enough for your liking! :D
-To my ever wonderful Candy-Choco, I thank you for the ideas and the adorable way that you keep me motivated, and I adore you to pieces, my love! :D
-To the anon-Candy, Angelmon, thanks for your support! I hope to see you back again this time around! And awesome name, by the way~!