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Forbidden Fruits

Chapter 4

That night Trafalgar Law was sitting in his bed reading a thick medical book when he heard a rock being thrown at his window. At first, he ignored it, immersed in a book others would have found utterly boring. To him, it was fascinating to learn about the different procedures one could take cutting up a body to do work on the inside. He didn't understand how people became grossed out about it.

Another pebble hit his window with a light tap that would have startled Bepo into a barking frenzy, had he not been preoccupied with mooching off of his grandmother's late night snack downstairs. Law stubbornly refused to acknowledge the noise and continued reading.

The sound of glass smashing made him drop the book on his bed, losing his page. He leapt to his feet, crossing his small room to his window. His foot kicked something on his floor that tumbled away and he could feel glass underfoot.

Outside in the inky darkness he could make out a large outline crouched in the oak tree that grew beneath his window. The form crept forwards on a thick branch towards him. With an annoyed hiss that belittled his current anger Law slid the window up, opening it.

"Portgas Fucking D. Fuck-Ace, how dare you break my fucking window!"

Ace scrambled inside the tight squeeze that was Law's bedroom window, falling into a heap of limbs on the floor below. Luckily none of the glass that was there pierced into his skin. Instead of his usual board shorts Ace was wearing flannel pyjama bottoms. He was, however, lacking a shirt to cover up that muscular chest of his.

"You fuck-up," Law snarled once more, flinging a pillow in Ace's general direction.

Ace caught the pillow, but only because of the aiding light that came from Trafalgar's bedside lamp. "Shit man, I'm sorry. I'll replace it. Again."

"You'd better," growled Law, ripping his pillow out of Ace's hands and placing it rather daintily upon his bed. "Now what do you want?"

"Well, Luffy's sleeping over at a friend's house and I don't want to stay by myself with the old geezer. I was lonely," Ace explained, trying his best to evoke some emotion other than frustration and anger out of his friend. "So," he started, countenance brightening considerably, "I decided I'd pay you a visit and hopefully-maybe-please-stay-over?"

Law retrieved his book, spent a long silent minute trying to locate his last reading point, and dog-eared the page before setting it down on his bedside table. "You're sleeping on the floor," he finally said.

That was all Ace needed to hear to confirm that Law wasn't mad enough to kill him in a most painful manner while he slept. Overjoyed, he leapt onto Trafalgar's bed, splayed his arms and legs and snuggled into the well-worn quilt that smelt strongly of his best friend, all man with a hint of spicy cologne. He loved that warm quilt, even if it was well-worn from having been passed throughout Trafalgar's family members way back in the day.

"Hey, I said on the floor, you useless mutt. Sleep on the mess of glass you made and maybe you'll lose enough blood that you'll be dead in the morning. Then I can give you to the old hag to chop up and use in her stew."

Rather than begging to stay on the bed, as he knew that wouldn't work on the dark-haired boy, Ace instead reached out and tugged Trafalgar on top of him. Law squirmed and engaged his much bigger counterpart in a fierce wrestling match, one that ended with him tucked under the blanket with Ace holding him down.

Ace giggled, in his usual deep baritone, his triumph. Law only scoffed and chalked Ace's win up to the fact that he hadn't had much sleep lately.

"Let's talk about hot guys," Ace said after a moment of sizing one another up. He didn't like the eerie silence that allowed Law to plot his next move to win the battle.

"I'm gay but I'm not that gay."

"Aw, come on Panda, what about those two freshmen who've been following you around lately? The hat duo?"

Trafalgar pulled a face of disgust. "Penguin and Shachi? No, they just think I'm awesome since I told off their teacher earlier on in the year. I'm peer-helping one of their classes."

"You don't think they're hot at all?" Ace asked, curiously watching Law's face contort into another grimace. "I thought they looked kind of cute in those hats they wear. And Penguin was totally blushing when he was talking to you."

"Can we not talk about this kind of stuff right before bed? I just want to sleep."

Ace showcased a pout that told his friend he was the worst slumber party host in the universe. The sight was grotesque to Trafalgar. He managed to free an arm out from underneath the quilt and shoved a palm towards Ace's face, pushing the expression clear off of him.

"Fine, fine, I am kind of sleepy," Ace relented, picking up the edge of the patterned blanket. Before Trafalgar could have a say in the matter, Ace had lifted the fabric enough to slide in next to his friend. He grasped the other's body and pressed himself to him, snuggling up to the warmth he found.

Then, without further ado, soft snores were heard and Law saved his breath, realizing that it was impossible to protest against the heavy narcoleptic mass of stupid known as Ace. He settled in, stole his pillow out from under Ace's head, and then rolled over, trying to fall asleep.

Usually, he wouldn't succeed against his insomnia. But he had learned with experiences like this one that having a warm body next to him somehow calmed his mind and put him to sleep like a baby.

That was the only reason Trafalgar didn't kick Ace onto the floor. He wouldn't have slept otherwise.

Elsewhere in the city, Eustass Kidd was having a very fitful night. He tossed and turned in his exceptionally regal four poster bed, feeling himself grow sweatier as the night wore on. By three in the morning he figured it was no use; he wasn't going to sleep tonight, not with his mind refusing to halt its progress processing information.

He rolled into a sitting position, throwing his legs over the side of the bed so they dangled above the floor. He rubbed at his face, ruffled his hair so it went back to standing on end and then cursed to himself. Harsh words made him feel better for only a fleeting second.

It was all that bastard's fault, naturally. That damned racoon-like boy had done him in, humiliated him, and beat him good at his own game. If he had just socked Trafalgar Law in the face while he'd had his chance he would have never lost. Again, he cursed under his breath.

He decided he needed something to take his mind off of the damned pest. He got to his feet, walking out of his bedroom and into the hallway. He didn't bother to be quiet even though it was the middle of the night. Nobody was home but him.

His mother and father, both successful business people, were away from home and wouldn't be returning until later in the month. It wasn't an unusual occurrence or anything; in fact Eustass was used to being by himself, ever since he entered high school. Before that his parents had hired someone to stay with him, not really for company but more to keep their million dollar estate in tip-top shape.

Kidd knew very well that they could care less about the child living there.

Just thinking about his parents brought a nauseating taste to Kidd's mouth and he raided the refrigerator, taking out a carton and drowning the orange juice inside with an extreme lack of manners.

Nobody would know and nobody would care.

He then tossed the empty carton in the garbage and hoisted himself onto the kitchen table. If his parents were home they'd freak. But they weren't and if Eustass managed to break the large oak table he could easily order another one and have it delivered before they even knew anything was amiss.

They weren't home often enough to know what the house really looked like anyway.

Eustass sat still and listened to the eerie quiet that came with being alone in such a vast space. The state of the art refrigerator didn't even offer up a comforting hum. In this silence his thoughts once again drifted and he found himself thinking about a certain dark-haired boy that pissed him off to an unimaginable degree.

Oddly enough, he found himself wishing the boy were here with him. At least then he'd have someone to rage at, yell and beat. It would certainly fill this roaring silence that made him feel uneasy. It didn't matter how many years he spent alone in the house, he still never got used to it.

With a sigh that sounded entirely too loud, Eustass passed a hand over his mouth and remembered what had transpired at school earlier. He honestly had not expected Law to do as he did, kissing him roughly and then running like hell. Well, truthfully he'd expected the latter part but certainly not the former.

Boys and girls alike stayed far, far away from Kidd and sure enough Eustass hadn't received any sort of kiss before Trafalgar smacked one on him unexpectedly. So it was weird and angering at the same time that Law would steal his first kiss, not that Eustass really cared much about its rite-of-passage significance. No, what he cared about was how Law had done it, completely duping him and then leaving him on the ground like a fool.

That damn faggot is going to pay, Eustass resolved, lips curling downwards into their perpetual scowl.

It wasn't long past midnight that Marco found himself sipping from his third beer of the night. He watched, bemused, as his best friend shimmied his butt across the stage, belting out some song he'd never heard.

Admittedly, Thatch had put together a pretty decent band ten years ago. They barely did any original material of their own, sure, but their covers were legendary in this particular little venue. Every Wednesday night they played to an eager audience, mostly comprised of middle-aged people that didn't want to give up on their youth.

He'd been coming out to support Thatch and his crew for a bit less than a decade. When they first begun they'd stunk something fierce and had needed all the support they could get. Now they practically had groupies, though the woman at the base of the stage were more like wives who didn't get enough at home.

Thatch didn't mind as he was never picky with his women.

Marco sighed as Thatch's timeslot came to an end and another group replaced them on the stage. Most likely it would be a band of teenagers screaming their guts out like the last couple times he'd come to watch Thatch play. He grimaced; he didn't want his ears blown out. He hoped Thatch and the other two members would hurry the hell up and pack up their van before–

A garbled sound left his lips as the first waves of feedback crashed into his ears from the bunch of teenagers trying to make sense of their setup on stage. He groaned, slammed back the remainder of his beer, and headed outside for some fresh air. Everyone could find him later; there was no way he was staying in an enclosed space listening to that crap.

There was a crowd at the door waiting to get out. Faintly Marco felt a tad sad for the band up on stage whose audience was leaving them hanging. But another chord from a frazzled guitar revoked any pity just as soon as it had begun to form in his gut.

He made it outside and went to stand around the front for a minute, catching his breath. Then he went around the backside of the venue and found his friends; Thatch, Jozu and Izou all trying to cram as much of their equipment as they could into their rapidly sagging van.

He walked up to them, noting that the amp in Jozu's arms was not going to fit into the tiny space Izou was beckoning too. Thatch on the other hand was too preoccupied chatting up a lady off to the side. Some band leader he was.

"Marco, give us a hand, will ya?" Jozu grunted. His grip on the amp was slipping and Marco quickly strode over to help him lift it.

You guys realize this is never going to fit, right? Marco thought to himself as he eyed the small space that was left in the vehicle. But he wouldn't say that aloud. "Oh, I don't know guys, this one could be a tight squeeze but we'll try anyway."

"This is all because Thatch over there wanted to bring the fancy-pants strobe light system," Izou muttered angrily. Currently he was holding up the van's back door, as they'd somehow broken it so it didn't stay up of its own accord. "We should tie him to the roof and put the amp in his seat."

As much as Marco liked the sound of that idea he shook his head. The police would likely fine them for such behaviour. It had happened before. "No, no, I'm sure we can get this to fit."

Yeah, right, and monkeys will come out my ass, he couldn't help but think. But he and Jozu kept at it, grunting and pushing the amp until they managed to get it to squeeze in between a guitar case and keyboard. When at last Izou closed the back door, Marco was sweating and wondering when he'd become a roadie.

Thatch conveniently showed up just as they were getting ready to leave. "Guess what? I got a couple numbers this time." He seemed incredibly excited, holding up a handful of small papers that looked to be napkins from the bar.

Marco sighed, wholly exasperated with his best friend while Izou struck the man with a fist in the shoulder. It was no secret that Thatch judged how well a live performance went by how many phone numbers he got by the end of the night.

"I hope all of them are trannies in disguise," Izou said ominously as they all piled into the van. Jozu, being the least drunk since his job as a drummer was to keep time for the rest of the band, sat behind the steering wheel. Izou and Thatch climbed into the backseat, Izou flicking a few fingers into Thatch's pompadour hairstyle to mess up his groove.

Marco climbed into the passenger seat amid Thatch's squealing for his hair to be spared by Izou's wrath. They drove out of the Grand Line and towards the East Blue, where Marco and Izou lived. Coincidently, they had houses right next to one another. How this had worked out nobody knew, but frequently Izou barged in on Marco demanding something mundane like a cup of sugar. That was about the worst thing Marco had to deal with when living next to Izou, so it wasn't too bad.

Thatch and Jozu were both successful businessmen by day, evident in Jozu's fondness for wearing diamonds even during the most casual of events. The South Blue was a higher end district sprinkled with mansions and perfectly green lawns. Marco couldn't imagine living there. Never mind that he would never be able to afford it, he just couldn't see himself in a pristine neighbourhood. He liked his life laid-back and unfussy in the East Blue.

Izou and Marco jumped out of the van when Jozu pulled up in front of Marco's house. Thatch bade them a hearty farwell and the two drove off, leaving them standing on the curb with only Izou's keyboard and a box of their unsold CDs.

Marco helped Izou bring the stuff into his house, placing it in the living room. He had it in his mind to try and make a speedy getaway but he ended up tripping on one of Izou's rolled up yoga mats. Luckily, he fell on the couch.

Izou laughed at him with his butt in the air and draped his flowery sash that he'd been wearing over his pinkish violet kimono over that same butt jutting out of his sofa. Izou was a notorious cross-dresser who taught yoga classes during the daylight hours as well as fashion classes at the university. They were both teachers, but apart from grading work they had only a few specks in common.

"Will you join me for tea?" Izou asked after Marco had righted himself on the couch. He tore off the flowery sash and tossed it so it crumpled, defeated, beside him. "It feels like forever since you came over. We haven't had a good talk since…oh, last week?"

"That's not really a long time," Marco grumbled, untangling his legs from the offending yoga mat. He rose to his feet, only to be firmly pushed back into a sitting position by Izou. "I have to get back home and feed my parrot."

"Like hell you do. Who feeds their pet at two in the morning? Now sit and let me make us some tea. I made fresh biscuits this afternoon too." Marco opened his mouth to protest, but Izou beat him to speaking. "You're going to eat my baking and you're going to like it!"

Marco shut his mouth before he could constitute Izou's wrath and the other man went to work in the kitchen, soon bringing out a tray consisting of a dainty teapot, even daintier teacups and his biscuits, setting them down on the coffee table. Marco knew he wouldn't be able to escape now, not with Izou pouring him a cup of tea.

He is really having boyfriend withdrawal, Marco couldn't help but muse. He brought the tea to his lips and drank the steaming contents, tasting a distinctly spicy flavour. He stared down at the contents of the cup, wondering if Izou was trying to poison him for forgetting his birthday a month earlier.

Seeing his puzzled face, Izou clapped his hands together happily to earn his attention. "This is herbal tea that's apparently good for one's sex drive," Izou said with a devious smile. "I couldn't help but notice you had a dazed look on your face tonight. Is there…someone I might be meeting in the very near future?"

Marco chuckled, "No. My sex life is pretty much nonexistent. I've been too busy with work to pursue anyone."

Izou huffed, his shoulders slackening to show his disappointment. "And here I thought maybe at least one of us was getting some."

"You still mad at–"

"Don't say that bastard's name in my presence," Izou snarled, grabbing his teacup and downing the liquid in one angry gulp. He placed the delicate teacup down before saying more calmly, "There is no way I'm getting back with my ex. Not again. Never again. And as of today you and I are going to make a new year's resolution."

"It's not going to be new years for another three months," Marco whined, already knowing where this was headed. Izou, much as the other didn't realize it, was quite predictable. They had made new resolutions during the summer in past years and Marco knew he'd just have to humour his friend.

Izou waved off that valid point. "Who cares? I still say we make a pledge to get new men in our lives. Heaven knows we need some kind of stimulation."

Marco grunted and finished his tea, not able to figure out a suitable reply to his friend's sudden tenacity.

"Toast me with a wafer," Izou demanded, raising a biscuit in the air. Marco relented and dutifully raised one too, clacking it against the one Izou was holding. "To being lonely old gay men."

"I'm not toasting to that," Marco complained.

"Too bad," Izou snapped, "You already did. Now I've been thinking…how about you and I go carousing at The Night Fairy tomorrow night? See if we can pick up some guys?"

Marco snorted, knowing that Izou would drag him out of his house in his underwear to go seduce men. But this time he had other obligations. Thank goodness for that, as he still hadn't gotten over their last visit to that gay bar. "Sorry, can't. I'm busy."

"What could a lonely old gay man like you be doing on a Thursday night?" Izou asked incredulously. "Or maybe I should be asking who are you doing?" Marco opened his mouth but Izou wouldn't let him speak. "I knew it! Ever since I saw you staring off into space back at the venue! There's something you're keeping from me and I don't like it! Tell me now, who are you screwing?"

Marco sputtered, Ace's cheeky face immediately coming to mind, as that was who was coming over tomorrow. "I'm not sleeping with anyone! I'm tutoring a student. Actually, he's coming over to my place so I'd really appreciate it if you could refrain from dropping in out of the blue. I don't want him to have an unnecessary heart attack seeing you come over in that ugly pink robe and bunny slipper set I got you for Christmas."

Izou cocked a thin, perfectly groomed eyebrow. "Is that not a bit…oh, I don't know, inappropriate? To have a student come over to their teacher's house? What's this kid's name and how old is he?"

"Ace and he's eighteen," Marco answered automatically. "Wait, why do you want to know that?"

Izou clucked reproachfully and grabbed a nail file, crossing his legs neatly. He began to file his nails, bringing them to a point. He liked to have them sharp enough to use as weapons as he was wary of being mugged while doing his yoga classes in one of the red light districts within the Grand Line.

"You know Marco; eighteen is sort of like the shifting sand between a child and an adult. If you fooled around with him and he turns on you and calls the police or whatever they're automatically going to take the kid's side. You could be labelled a rapist. You'd be kicked out of this peaceful neighbourhood for sure."

"Well, it's a good thing I have no intentions of letting that happen then, eh?"

"Still," Izou brightened considerably, "If he's a hot and willing eighteen year old then I'd do him in a heartbeat." Izou laughed jovially, the sound deep and manly. It wasn't a laugh many were expecting to hear from a man who wore nothing but woman's clothing in pastel pinks and violets.

"I mean really, how many chances do older guys like us get to screw around with a younger generation? None."

"Izou, you've got to be kidding me. No way in hell am I letting you go near Ace. He's such a nice, innocent kid."

"I meant you, dumbass," Izou retorted. He threw his nail file down onto the coffee table. "I'm just telling you, if chances present themselves, take them. A student and teacher relationship is always pretty kinky. Well, from what I hear anyway."

"There aren't going to be any chances," Marco snapped firmly. He didn't even know what to saw about Izou's idea of kinky, so he let that comment pass. "I should get going. I have to teach in a few hours after all. And shouldn't you be tucked away in bed in your pink nightgown by now too?"

"Ah well, I'm taking my fashion class on a little field trip tomorrow, so I don't need to be too aware." Izou got up, lifting the tray and all its contents, whisking away to the kitchen. Marco stole that opportunity to get himself to the door and stuff his feet into his shoes.

"Okay, bye," Marco called into the depths of Izou's home.

"Go feed your parrot," Izou replied, busying himself in the sink.

Marco chuckled all the way across Izou's front lawn and onto his, arriving at his doorstep in less than two minutes. He fumbled with his keys for a bit before letting himself in. It was quiet in his home and he tip-toed upstairs so as not to announce his arrival to his pet. There would be lots of squawking otherwise and he wouldn't be able to sleep for another hour until the bird calmed down.

He slipped out of his clothes, went about his usual bedtime routine, and slipped into bed. He fell asleep thinking about the disturbing things Izou had said, subconsciously reaching out across his empty bed and wondering what it would be like to have someone there beside him.

A.N.: It's amazing how everything in this chapter took place in one night, isn't it? Anyways, as always, please tell me your thoughts on this.

My sincerest thanks go out to my intrepid reviewers: Jumpingbeans480, Naomi-nami16, Yujianlong, midsummersunshine, hilian, Magnetic-Paw, Amy Hirosaki, katemonster x3, and AUehara! I love all my reviewers quite dearly.

~Reiki