When Law woke up, his head was buzzing like after a night with way too much alcohol. His hands shot up to his head to squeeze it, to somehow help him getting the huge headache away.
His eyes opened slowly, and the light of a new day crept between his lids.
What had happened? He couldn't remember one bit. The last thing he remembered was sitting in his library room, next to the living room, reading a book in front of the fireplace.
He blinked a few times and started to see a bit clearer. He lay on his back in his bed. The curtains were wide open and the sun shone powerfully through the glass. The clock beside the window showed past 1 pm.
Law shot straight up, looking through his room, horrified. No one was in there. He was alone, and it was nearly silent. Only faint noises of cars outside and the constant ticking from the clock filled the room.
"H-… Hello?" His voice was rough and scratchy, as if it had been overused.
Then suddenly, another fear settled down in him. He looked down on himself and – he was dressed. Pajama pants and tank top. Normal sleeping outfit. Had someone given him drugs? But beside his head, he felt good. That meant nothing, though. Had someone robbed him?
He had absolutely no clue.
אָמֵן
An hour later, he was in his kitchen, thinking of what he should do. He knew that he had been absolutely alone in his home yesterday. So, he must have been knocked down before realizing it. But that theory was also standing on crumbly feet – his library looked totally untouched, the blanket lying on his armchair normally, like he had just stood up, and his book from yesterday lay face-down on the recent page on the table. Nothing had changed. No signs of burglary or a fight.
Maybe someone had filled the room with a gas to make him unconscious? But why would that person go through the trouble of setting him up in his sleeping garments and even take him to bed?
Worrying and guessing around, he had to admit, that this wouldn't bring him any answers. At least he had a trump in his sleeve.
"Corazon, I need your help!" he spoke loud and clearly into the empty room.
Seconds later, a light appeared, becoming brighter and brighter. Law had to shield his eyes - at least his headache had disappeared. Then, the form of a tall man started to materialize from the light.
Law felt a relief inside him. Corazon always looked over him, he would've known if something bad had happened to him. Maybe Law had been knocked out and Corazon had saved him and put him into bed.
The light disappeared, and Corazon stood in Law's kitchen in full form. His white jeans and white shirt with black prints of various Christian symbols still shone a bit, but that was already familiar to Law. What wasn't quite familiar was the wrathful look in the eyes of the archangel.
Law wanted to open his mouth and ask what was wrong, but Corazon silenced him.
"I know why you called me, and I really wished that we wouldn't have to have this conversation in your whole life." He sat down on the kitchen counter, his wings folded together on his back, letting his long feet tangle in the air.
"You want to know what happened last night. But first I want to let you know, that… I'm really; REALLY mad at you. I thought I had taught you better. But you managed to trample all my warnings with your feet!"
Law couldn't believe the words he had just heard. What the hell was going on?! Why was his guardian so mad at him? What… just WHAT in the world had he done wrong?!
"Corazon, I… I don't understand. Why are you…? I mean I call you here, and you just throw these hate-filled words at me! I don't even know what happened last night!"
His guardian looked up at him, now a new emotion showing in his eyes. "Wait. You don't know? Law, don't lie to me. If this is how you want to get out of this, then I'm telling you: don't even try. I may be an idiot sometimes, but I won't forgive you if you betray me."
"But I REALLY don't know! Look, I was sitting in my chair yesterday around late afternoon; read a book wrapped up in a blanket. And now I wake up in my bed, having slept for GOD KNOWS how long, and somehow I missed like 20 hours of my life!" It was silent after that. Law's breathing had increased during his explanation, and now he looked Corazon in the eyes, trying to make him believe in his words.
The large man stared back for a while, than shook his head. "Denial," he murmured, barely-audible.
"Wait – What?"
"Nothing." Corazon said a bit louder. "I want to believe you, that this is the truth you're speaking, which means you really don't know what happened. And the only reason I can think of is, that your mind hates and doesn't want to repeat yesterday's incident." He hopped down, suddenly losing his footing and finding hold on the pillar at the end of the kitchen isle. "Damn these floor-polishers!" he muttered.
Law snickered a bit, finding it secretly adorable when this happened. He knew from previous accidents that Corazon couldn't really hurt himself with his clumsy actions, so he just watched and helped him up again on his feet.
"But of course you know what happened, don't you? I mean you watch on me, you must have seen it." Again Corazons face darkened a bit. He towered over him, looking down on him with his forehead wrinkled.
"I won't lie to you… yes, I know what happened. But I insist on not telling you. Please, Law, don't be upset at me. But this is for the best, and in particular for your own safety."
With that, he started to turn into bright light again, but Law held him on his arm. "Wait! What do you mean "for my own safety?!" Corazon, don't you disappear on me now, I want answers!"
But Corazon was already half-light.
"Please, Law. You must understand that the only thing I want is to protect you, your life and your soul. I want to keep you away from any harm. It's for your own good not to know a thing, believe me. Have I ever give you a reason not to trust me?"
These were the last words, before Corazon vanished in a ray of light, and left a totally confused Law alone in the kitchen in his apartment.
אָמֵן
"WowowowoWOW. Hold on. You did what?!" Killer asked. He had left the hospital a week ago, his fast healing injuries being kind of a miracle for the doctors in the Saint Bartholomew. He managed to slip away before they could hold him there as their research object.
"I fucked him. And don't you judge me! It was great, I regret nothing, and his watchdog of an arch angel also didn't show up. So everything was cool. Besides, I like him. I mean, look at him, he's totally my type, and man that face while we were at it! I could totally go again when I think of it right now…"
Killer sighed at Kid's rambling. They were sitting on a bench downtown, some drunkards lying on the pavement and kids from the neighborhood selling drugs to the addicts. Killer didn't care – no one could listen to this conversation if he didn't want them to. It was more his looks that made him search for this part of the town, where he wasn't greeted with questioning looks.
"Kid, please be careful. That guy is able to see and hear you even when you hide your presence. And he has the arch angel Corazon as his guardian. Do you even know what that means?"
Kid just shrugged. "As if I care for something like that. He wanted it, so I can't be sued by anyone. And even without consent, I'm a fucking demon; I don't have to listen to any of those shitty heavenly morals. I can do what I want!"
"IF it had been without consent, you would have an army of angels ready to kick your naked ass the minute you had started to rape him. God doesn't take such things likely if the victims are under special protection of his top guardians."
"Yeah, and that's what's fucked up with this world. Choosing an untouchable elite of humans, so much to a righteous god. That's even higher shit than the devil and hell."
Again a sigh from the reaper. "It's much more complex than that, Kid. It makes no sense to question God and the Devil. You weren't there, at the beginning of all. And seriously, be happy about that." In Killer's head, the darkness from that time played again in his head.
Kid looked at him, pissed. "I don't care for that story, and how do you even know? That happened before humankind existed."
"And to remind YOU, I'm not human. I, together with Rayleigh – or more because of him – chose this path between the worlds, to keep everything stable."
The demon mimicked a "blablabla"-motion and turned around, now floating upside down in the air, facing Killer at eye level. "Either way, I don't care who's protecting him. Law is mine, and I won't give him away. Besides, I am not one of those lowlife demons, not even able to take on human form. I hate to say it like this, but I'm still an offspring directly from the Devil, ya know."
He turned around once more. "If that so-called Guardian wants to stand between me and what's mine, I'm gonna show him what I'm able to do."
With that, he took off in a cloud of black dust before Killer could reply.
אָמֵן
It was five in the afternoon. Law still was brooding because of Corazon's half-assed attempt to explain things, and he was pissed. Since he had woken up, he felt kind of… empty. First he had thought that it was due to his lost memory, but Law knew what it was like to have a black-out – many binge drinking nights with his friends and his sister had created enough experiences – but this time it wasn't the usual "What the fuck did I do last night?!". It was deeper, like a long unfulfilled desire, a craving which made him more and more nervous by the minute. Now that the shock of today's waking up had lifted, his nerves were tingling with this new kind of… sensation.
Was this the after effect of the drug in his theory?
But what kind of effect was strong enough to drive his mind crazy but not his body? He was perfectly fine. No high temperature, no trembling hands or cold sweats. Everything seemed fine. Only his brain felt like being trapped in a cloud of darkness, searching desperately for the light.
Suddenly he caught something from the corner of his eye. Black smoke came from the bedroom and then a "thump!" and footsteps. Law's eyes went wide. He recognized the black smoke. It was the summoning stage of a high-class demon, one, that couldn't just be thrown out by wagging a cross in front of his face and chanting "Kyrie eleyson". And he didn't have holy water in his house either.
"Fuck, Fuck, Fuck…" he muttered under his breath.
Slowly, while the footsteps had reached the hall, he sneaked into the kitchen, trying to be as silent as possible.
He reached it in the last second, when the shadow of… whatever it was came into the living room. Even if futile, Law grabbed a scalpel (having such a thing in the kitchen resulted from one of these previously mentioned drunken nights), knowing full well that this would only help him from to certain extent.
He had his fingers closed around the handle when suddenly a voice boomed though his living room.
"Law baby! You here? Are ya in the bathroom?!"
B-… B-… BABY?! What the FUCK was this thing thinking?! How did he even know his name?! But the voice… it sounded familiar…
Before his brain could do any other thinking, his feet were already moving. He came out of the kitchen and couldn't believe his eyes.
In his living room, right next to the couch was a tall man, at least a head bigger than him. His body was half naked, only loose fitting yellow pants covered the well-build statue. His hair was bright red, and the setting sun behind him which shone through his panoramic window created an illusion as if it was on fire. Little horns came out from his forehead, and his eyes were gleaming like pieces of freshly inflamed coal. His skin was pale, almost white and his whole build muscular.
"Done checking me out sweetheart?" the voice of the man was deep with the kind of ring in it that gives you Goosebumps.
Law gave an angry snarl and directed the scalpel against the demons chest.
"Who-. No. WHAT the fuck are you?!"
The demon seemed to be taken off-guard for a second. "Wait, wait, is this role-playing? I mean like okay, nothing against kinky knife-play, but at least you could wear a sexy nurse-outfit, ya kno-"
"SHUT THe fuck up!" Law barked back. What was this asshole talking about? "You haven't answered my question: Who or what are you?!"
Again the demon was silent for a few seconds.
"Wait. You're being serious."
"Well nice that you're finally on the fucking same page!"
"Youuu… don't know who I am. And you seriously want to kill me with that thing." The demon repeated again, gesturing between the knife, Law and himself.
"Yeah, nice one Sherlock, DAMN! Get to the point, or I'm gonna take drastic measures!"
That suddenly made the man giggle. "You mean, you'll call your watchdog Corazon? Sorry honey, but that won't work."
Law paled. How could this creature know about Corazon? " D-… DON'T fuck with me! I mean it!" What a hell of a line. Yeah, that would surely intimidate this servant from hell.
"Oh? But isn't that what we did like, the whole last night?" Suddenly the demon made a fast step forward and stood right before Law, their faces just a few inches apart.
"I don't know why you keep denying what felt so good for you hours ago, but how about we just repeat it?" With those words, he licked the shell of Law's ear.
The doctor wasn't the slightest bit prepared for how that gesture could make his body react in such an abrupt way. His hand let the scalpel fall to the ground and his arms shot up around the body of the demon towering over him.
"Wha…?" he couldn't even finish the question. The urge that had been lingering since this morning inside him seemed to break out now in full force as his body nearly tried to crawl under the demon's skin, clutching so tightly to him that not even a leaf would've been able to fit between those two.
"Law…" said the demon, who returned his almost violent embrace, inside his ear, making him shudder, "…do you really not remember a thing?" his voice seemed to crack at the ending.
"I- no… Corazon, help-!"
"Tsk! I told you that won't help!" Strong hands lifted the doctors' face up. "Law! You invited me inside this house and inside your heart. As long as I'm here, no one's gonna show up." Then he gave him a light kiss on his lips. "They're the rules. Why don't you remember…?"
Law didn't know how to answer. He wanted to remember. He wanted to remember why his body did the exact opposite of what his mind wanted. He wanted to remember why this demon was able to be inside his house and to do these things to him without Corazon showing up and kicking his butt back to hell. He wanted to remember, why a single embrace and a single little kiss by that filthy creature could still his weird desire…
He didn't really notice that tears had started to collect in the corners of his eyes. It was simply too much for him, for 24 hours (actually scratch like the half of it he didn't remember) full of things he didn't understand.
Warm lips came done again on his face, kissing the tears away. It felt good; it felt cozy and familiar in an intimate way.
"What happened last night?"
The question was brought up in a tiny, small voice by the doctor.
More kisses were placed on his face. "I could make you remember. If you want that, of course," the demon replied.
"I think I never wanted something more in my life."
"Beside me, you mean?" the man holding him nearly giggled. "Okay, jokes aside. But don't freak out on me, yeah?"
אָמֵן
"I never do this again."
Law was lying on the sofa, head on Kid's thighs, the demon playing with his hair.
"Well, I told ya not to freak out, right?"
"Yeah… yeah you did." Law turned on his side, facing the belly of his… lover? Well that part wasn't still all unknown to him.
"So, for the record: I met you for the first time in the hospital with that Killer guy. A week later, you showed up and suggested, in the worst way possible to fuck, and I went with it, because, er… how did you say it?"
"Because of your life choice."
"Yeah. Life choice. Surely. Makes sense."
"I told ya."
"IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL!" Law yelled, hauling himself up on the couch. "I- I mean, when someone says life choice, then it's like 'Yeah, what am I going to do with my life, am I gonna study, or climb the career ladder, maybe marry and have children or not' – but surely not… this!" He was now on his knees beside Kid who just looked at him with big eyes.
"But it's exactly that. You chose to be with me, and accept me as part of you. Like falling in love, you know, but more like falling for life."
He leaned forward and started the next kiss with Law, who instantly reacted and opened his mouth. He didn't even want to fight his urges anymore. And why not? It felt unbelievably good, and holding his body back would only be a fruitless struggle. The only question left was why he wanted this all so much.
He had remembered the last hours clearly. The magnificent sex with the demon, his sweet words whispered into his ear, the second round in the shower and the slow aftermath kisses together in bed, little butterfly kisses, which made his stomach flutter remembering them.
"But why?" came the question out of his mouth.
Kid opened his arms, and Law took the invitation snuggling to the bright chest of the demon.
"Because your choice reaches beyond death."
אָמֵן
Somewhere different, it was much louder than in Law's apartment.
The scene of the Eternal Court was an abandoned church high in the mountains – the only place where the Devil and God could both be at the same time. The architecture was only half-existent, and now filled with demons on the one side and angels on the other of the big mess hall.
In front were the ruins of the altar, once great and pompous, now crumbled to pieces. On their remains sat Rayleigh, letting the shouting crowds throw arguments at each other, but listening to each one carefully.
Only two people in the court were silent, steadily staring at each other.
A white suit stood in contrast to black hair. Grey skin framed two piercing yellow orbs, sharp and bored at the same time. God – or better known as "Crocodile" in his human form – was sitting on a white throne between his archangels, head leaning on his propped up hand.
On the other side, in the midst of his highest ranked demons and on a throne of bones was the Devil – in his human form known as Doflamingo Don Quixote. No one dared to say his old name anymore. It was a sin in heaven and a taboo in hell. Only his golden hair and the clear blue eyes hidden beneath sunglasses were indicators of his former being as "God's most favorite angel". A black suit and the contrast of a ridiculously pink feathered coat completed the look.
"Well then… SILENCE!" Rayleigh's voice boomed through the court, and every other noise disappeared. "I see that both parties have good arguments but fail to find a compromise." He looked towards Crocodile.
"What is your opinion on Law Trafalgar?"
The God closed his eyes and his forehead wrinkled a bit. Then his facial expression softened again after some seconds. He stood up, and his voice filled every corner of the court.
"I am deeply aware, that the choice of the human Law Trafalgar would give the Demon claim of his soul." Doflamingo's lips distorted into a grin by these words. "However, this human also stands under exclusive protection of the archangel Corazon." He looked at his side were said angel stood, trying to kill the demon side with his stares. "Which makes the very interaction of a demon with him a crime against the heavenly order and his choice invalid."
The Devil chuckled deeply. "Heavenly order? Who are you trying to intimidate with that?" He also stood up and looked down to Rayleigh. "The moment the human made his life choice, he also lost the special protection of the archangel. His place is hell, and I claim his soul as my right." He directed his look to the archangel. "I wonder why you literally took him under your wing in the first place. You should know that you, above all, can't protect anyone… Rocinante."
"ENOUGH."
Before Corazon could open his mouth, Rayleigh silenced the upcoming murmurs and whispers again.
"As I see it, Law's choice went in first place towards Kid 'Beelzebub' Eustass. Earlier, he made a choice towards Corazon as his protector. Unfortunately, both choices contradict each other." He paused and straightened his posture.
"I will give him one month to decide. If he makes his decision until then, every memory being bound to his other one will be erased from his mind, and the person of his choice will be banned from his existence as well."
Again it became loud, and only the Dark King's fist against the wall (making a horrifying sound of the so called last toll) could calm them down.
"However, if the human won't make his choice until then, I will cancel both his choices and erase all of his memories of this world - and I will take his ability to see angels and demons!"
With this, the Eternal Court was closed and became again the abandoned church on the mountain.
