On the Surface

by Doctor CYANce

Law knew everything about who Eustass Kid was the moment they met, but some first impressions aren't quite what they seem. Kid/Law, modern AU, my submission for One Piece Big Bang 2015. Warnings for mentions of past child abuse/dysfunctional families, organized crime, swearing, violence, drug and alcohol use, and sexual content.

4. Chapter 4

Kid was in love. He saw no point in putting things in lesser terms: he was in love and for the first time in his life, he could tell that it was finally the real thing.

Oh sure, he'd made some pretty similar grand announcements in the past with other guys he'd been seeing, but even then there'd been a few rational impulses reigning him in. Or even if it was love, it wasn't the sort that would stand up too strongly with time, not to mention an honest challenge.

But when it came to Law, he had no such doubts: Kid was as sure of how he felt as he was that the sun would keep rising day after day. He knew it was love and a different sort than he'd ever experienced, because he'd never felt quite this strongly for another person - ever. Even though they'd been together for months, sometimes he would still see Law and his breath would just stop in his chest; he felt a feverish need to be as close to Law as possible - as though he'd become strangely addicted and Law was the only fix, the only cure he would ever need. When they were together, Kid felt at peace. It was the first time he'd felt that way in a long while. All of his vague dissatisfactions and longings were simply forgotten.

It was easy for Kid to get swept away on romantic tides. He was well aware of this; it wasn't a dramatic personal failing, though many would call it a flaw. He was also aware that, despite what life had thrown at him over the years, he remained an enduring optimist. It wasn't something that always worked out that well for him, but even when it didn't, he was unfailingly resilient. He considered the possibility that this thing he had with Law might eventually fall apart, but it was just as likely to persevere/ Only time would say one way or the other. Most of the time when they were together, things felt simply so right that Kid had a hard time ever really getting worked up over if and when they might fall apart.

But that remained a possibility, even if it was remote. Law was impossible to read and nothing scared Kid quite as much as imagining what the doc would say should he ever confess how he felt. It seemed like a sure-fire way to ruin something good. So Kid kept his secret close to his chest, a hidden card waiting for the right time to be played. Maybe he'd never show his hand - who knew? Like a lotta things in his life right now, he was strangely at peace with this possibility.

For most of his life, a sense of calmness and serenity had been very challenging for him to find. Now that he had it, he was terrified that he might lose it again if he rushed things too quickly. Kid would admit to being terrible at keeping secrets, but this one seemed too important to risk even telling Killer, a fact that freaked him out even further. He told Killer everything, always had. They were as close as brothers, and practically were.

The secret built up inside 'til Kid felt fit to burst, the sort of excitement that gnawed away at his bones. It was the first time he'd ever been worried about what he felt. He knew that eventually, he'd need to tell someone but the words he needed didn't seem to exist. They were a poor facsimile of what he felt inside and the inarticulateness annoyed him. It was all just more proof that what he felt was indeed the real deal.

The thing was, in the past, Kid hadn't really been looking for something serious. He had a deep and abiding affection for attractive men, particularly tall skinny guys with finely-sculpted features and legs that went on forever. A good personality and sense of humor helped, and he'd been both surprised and thrilled to discover that Law came with all the things he really liked, perfectly wrapped in a dreamy package. Sometimes he wondered what the doctor was getting out of all of this. Things felt mis-matched, though anytime his insecurities got the better of him, Law was quick to soothe his worries. They could spend hours in bed together, saying nothing because words felt inadequate in capturing what lay between them.

Or maybe Kid was just really inarticulate; who knew. He'd never been very good at expressing his thoughts, which was why he held onto them now. If he just stated it plainly he worried that Law might not take him seriously. He had some dumb romantic notions of putting all of what he felt down on paper someday, and though he thought of it quite frequently, he never made the effort. That seemed like it would solidify things into something real, something that could be targeted or injured, something he could lose if he weren't careful.

Kid was the first one to admit that when they'd just started dating, his interest had been primarily physical. His attraction for Law was and remained very simple, because Law was amazing. Over time, though...despite his optimism, Kid was a realist: he'd been prepared for things to fall apart. It was what had happened in each of his past relationships, which never so much ended as disintegrated. He was terrified of that happening now. He'd never even cared that much in the past but when it came to Law, he was petrified that things might one day end.

Kid knew that one day Law could wake up from their fun little daydream and move on with his life. After all, the doctor had a future. Kid was realistic enough to know that there was little room in it for someone like him.

Though he'd met Law's roommates, Kid had never been introduced to a colleague. He was pretty sure he knew why. People had been judging him his entire life and some of the harshest derision came from those who were highly educated. He had to imagine that Law felt the same way on some level. He was probably too embarrassed to ever introduce Kid to professional company. Then again, it wasn't like Law had that many friends amongst his hospital co-workers, so maybe Kid was just making a big deal out of nothing.

And that didn't even touch on the man's weird-ass family life. Kid wasn't nosey; there were a lotta things in his own life he wasn't exactly rearing at the bit to share. If Law ever needed a reason to split, Kid could give him several, so he didn't question the doctor when he guarded his own personal history. There was something lurking in the periphery that Law refused to divulge, and while that hurt sometimes, he understood. Obviously, if Law was keeping secrets it was because he didn't think Kid could be trusted, and after all, could he really be blamed? They hadn't been dating that long in the first place when you really got down to it, just over six months, more or less.

Kid was always surprised and a little thrilled whenever he realized how long it'd really been. It left him giddy, feeling oddly special and somehow privileged to be worthy of Law's company. The doctor was someone who made him feel important merely by association. Law was so fucking hot and perfect that sometimes Kid felt unbelievably lucky to have him in his life.

But his optimism was tempered by rationality. He had no illusions about how oddly-matched he and Law were as a couple. Sometimes he caught Law looking him over when he didn't think Kid could tell, using their reflections in glass or other objects to observe as though he were an outsider. Kid wondered what he was looking for, or what he saw. It was always calculating and shrewd, as though he were searching for something but Kid had no clue as to what - maybe his faults and imperfections, a decent reason to bring things to a conclusive and decisive end. Whenever those fears got the best of him, Kid would turn around to find Law open and welcoming, generous and just as invested as Kid was in what they had.

Maybe this was just how Law was, the scientist trained to observe and analyze. For all his dispassionate scrutiny, the man himself wasn't cold, exactly. But he did maintain a distance between them despite how close they became in every other regard, holding Kid at arm's length and allowing him to proceed no further. It was a final wall which was proving insurmountable. Maybe he'd get lucky and it'd crumble with time, or if he was really lucky, Law would just let him in through a secret door once he'd finally earned the honor - once he'd finally proven himself beyond the shadow of a doubt.

That'd go a helluva lot quicker if he actually knew what he was meant to be proving. All he could say with certainty was that Law still did not trust him. That realization stung, but Law also wasn't dumping him over it. It wasn't exactly a win or a net gain, but where Law was concerned, Kid was simply happy to break even.

Besides, even if Law remained guarded, he was still open enough that Kid rarely became frustrated by it. Their relationship was a good mix of give and take, balanced precariously between their competing - and not exactly accommodating - schedules. The clinic building kept going up. It was walled in on most levels except the very top ones, where the ambitious architect had seen fit to design a partially indoor roof garden. Kid wasn't really sure what was up with that, more adjustments the hospital hoped to make in order to be seen as ecologically conscious. Or maybe it was for patient happiness; who knew.

For the time being, Kid was on mandatory leave as building examiners combed over their progress looking for errors and shoddy workmanship. Given the size of the project, it would take two weeks before things passed inspection entirely. Until that wrapped up, Kid's job was on pause. He was paid a small stipend but nothing compared to what he would make when working full-time. It was a pain in the butt, and he considered looking elsewhere for temporary assignments, but if he was honest about things, the break was really nice. Not because his work was so hard, but because he finally had some free time to really spend on band practice, which was frequently and sorely neglected.

It also gave him plenty of time to spend with Law. That was definitely a perk. Kid didn't mind earning half-wages for two weeks if he got to spend all the time in the world in Law's company. Of course, the doctor's schedule continued as usual, leaving Kid the only one to really enjoy this brief honeymoon - and no, he did not put it in those terms when in Law's company. He was pretty sure the doctor would just roll his eyes, favoring Kid with one of his uninterpretable smiles before ignoring the comment entirely. It was what Law tended to do whenever Kid did anything overtly romantic.

As a result, Kid kept the romanticism to a minimum. It wasn't like he was that great at it in the first place.

Sometimes he got the feeling that Law was testing him, though Kid did not know what for. It wasn't clear to him if this was the type of exam one could pass by saying the correct thing at the right time, or if this was the sort of test which relied upon silence. He didn't want to risk the former at the expense of the latter, which left things uncomfortably ill-defined, as though his only option was to maintain the status quo indefinitely.

Even Kid, in his most romantic moments, knew that things could not last like this forever. Maybe one day he would reach the end of his patience, his ability to contain himself, and then he would tell Law the truth of his feelings. After that, it'd all be a matter of dealing with the fallout, whatever that looked like.

But until then, things would remain as they were: comfortable, if slightly constrained. It was a little bit like his current living situation. As much as Kid liked the house and all its chaos, as his focus centered more and more on Law, he found himself weary of the unending interruptions to their time together. For once, Kid just wanted some peace and quiet, and only Law to share it with. He had the feeling that if everything else just slowed down, maybe they could actually hash some of this shit out for a change.

Another proposal that could go catastrophically wrong. It was hard not being on the same page for things like this - except when it came to Law, it was sometimes hard to tell if they were both reading the same book. Usually, uncertainty didn't bother Kid so much; it was a part of life. He tried to remind himself of this every time he got impatient. At the end of the day, he wasn't unhappy enough to make waves when they stood a very real chance of eroding the foundation he was standing on.

As a result, he simply concentrated on the things he could control and manage. He had a lot of free time all of a sudden, what with the building inspection-related furlough. He attended a number of shows, playing in a few himself. The metal band Wire had put together was finally getting good enough to get some bookings, and Kid was playing lead guitar. Their outfit was called Scabmeat, and one night after a show, Kid returned at three in the morning to find Law sacked out in his bed. The doc was still wearing his typical outfit of slacks and a dress shirt, and he hadn't even managed to take off his tie before passing out.

It was surprising, Law didn't make a habit of showing up unannounced but Kid wasn't really complaining. He didn't see enough of Law to begin with. He liked that Law felt comfortable enough to show up and fall asleep without warning, as though Kid's place were his own. As the doctor's residency program accelerated, so did the demands of his schedule. Even when he spent the night and turned in at a reasonable hour, the morning would still leave him groaning and groggy, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the new day.

Kid couldn't really blame him. Being the first one up most mornings left him intimately acquainted with how hard it was to escape a warm tangle of limbs. Sometimes he wondered if he appreciated those mornings only because he knew he couldn't stay, the lure of the forbidden and all that. Even with his schedule free and clear for the time being, Kid still awoke by six a.m., same as always. A noisy chorus of birds had started up in the grey morning light and beside him, Law slept like the dead, his face serene. Kid remained in place, enjoying the lazy silence. It was always nice to be reminded that even without any reason to get up, Law's unique gravity kept him in place and anchored by his side.

The rest of the house was quiet when Kid rose to use the bathroom. He bumped into Killer, who was shaving his face, the only other person awake so early. Kid contemplated surprising Law with a nice breakfast but was dissuaded by the lumpy cuddle pile he found in the front room, made up of some of Wire's friends who were staying for the weekend. Banging around in the kitchen would definitely wake them up and Kid felt his motivation dwindle. He slid soundlessly back into bed, curling up beside Law with comforting familiarity, the kind that lured him back to dreamland before he knew it.

It was several hours later when he finally woke for good. Law was still enmeshed against him, and a headache from oversleeping was pulsing in Kid's temples. Even so, he felt no real desire to get up and moving. They could spend the entire day in bed if they wanted - and had, on several occasions. Kid was pretty sure he could wrangle some morning sex out of the arrangement, he'd learned over time that it was Law's favorite. They'd made each other late for work more than once because of it.

But that was before the house's normal clatter and activity became impossible to ignore, even by Law, who slept as heavily as a corpse. The drone of sludge metal buzzed up from the basement until one of Kid's baseboards began to rattle, and from the kitchen, the fire alarm gave a piercing screech.

Law whimpered piteously and rolled towards him, and Kid shifted until the doctor's face was tucked beneath his chin. There was a day's rough stubble beginning on the Law's face but Kid didn't mind. For a moment everything felt indescribably perfect, and Kid regretted that they should be interrupted at all. He mumbled, sleepily and without thinking, "We should get a place together."

It took so long for Law to reply that Kid imagined the idea had gone unnoticed. But then Law murmured, his voice thick with sleep, "I'd like that."

The fire alarm gave a squawk of finality as it met a swift, crunching end. Muffled swearing broke out in its place. "Should we go help them?" Law asked.

Kid's thinking brain had been so effectively flatlined by Law's answer that it took him a moment to come up with a coherent response.

"Nnn. There's an extinguisher." One of his knees made it between Law's thighs. "Besides, you couldn't pay me to go get in the middle of all that."

"Were you serious?"

"About what?"

"Finding a place. Moving in together."

Kid gave a short, despairing kind of laugh. "I, um. I didn't actually mean to say that out loud."

"So you don't want to."

"That's not what I meant," Kid said, rising to give him a peeved glare. Of course Law would jump immediately to the worst possible alternative. "I'd just been thinking about it a lot. I wasn't sure if we were, y'know...ready."

"Ready. Really." Law lay back and blinked at the ceiling for a moment. There were deep shadows beneath his eyes, proof of his late night. He always looked like that no matter how much he slept, a characteristic look. He was beautiful with them, not despite them.

"I thought you might say no."

"There's the answer I was waiting for," Law said, sounding impossibly old for his years. Like Kid's idea was that of a child playing house. "If that's the case, why did you say anything before you were sure?"

"I dunno. I was just thinking…." He shrugged, pausing for a moment before he continued. "It would just be really great if we didn't have to deal with all this shit sometimes, y'know?" His hand found one of Law's, their fingers twining together. "It's only a matter of time before one of those dumb shitheads starts beating on my door for one reason or another."

Law gave a clipped laugh, one of surprise. He flopped a hand over his eyes but it was too late; once the first giggle was out it seemed impossible for him to contain the rest. He hiccuped and had to bury his face in a pillow.

"What's so funny?" Kid kept his tone cautious. This really wasn't the response he'd been expecting.

"I don't know." Law shook his head as his giggles wore off. "Just...it's a major decision. Usually people agonize over whether or not to even ask."

"Oh." Kid wondered fleetingly if he should've just waited longer, for appearance's sake.

Law tilted onto one side to look at him. "But since you bring it up...I'd like that."

"Really? You're not just saying that."

"No, it sounds nice. Let's think on it for a while, though. I just...don't want it to ruin things as they are."

Kid didn't really see that happening. He never saw enough of Law in the first place to get tired of him and it seemed like a ridiculous thing to be worried about, if that indeed was Law's problem. The doctor tended to be guarded about certain things and Kid never really knew what they were until he'd crossed the line and Law had his hackles up.

"Are you sure you'd want to leave all your friends?" Law asked, sounding suspiciously like a parent.

"Well, yeah, that's kind of half the point. This is fun and all, but…." He sighed, frowning at the ceiling. "Sometimes I just want some peace, y'know? If I want that now, I have to go to the library. Or your place."

"My place is quiet as a library?"

It typically wasn't - at least, not when Kid was around. Maybe that was what Law was worried about. Since they only had occasional time together, it was usually spent doing something, even if that something was as low-key as vegetating in front of the tv with some take-out containers. Sex typically followed, but not always, and when it did, it wasn't even always the energetic or complicated sort, though sometimes Law surprised him.

Not a lot of Kid's relationships ever made it to this quiet, comfortable stage. He really liked it, and for a moment knew exactly what Law meant about rushing things. There was a strong possibility that more time together could spoil what actually made things work, like too much of a good thing.

"Things wouldn't have to change if we moved in," Kid said, giving voice to his thoughts. "I like the way they are. Between us, I mean."

"If we move in, you'll learn all sorts of things about me that I've kept under wraps."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Like how much of an obsessive neat freak I am about certain things. Like the bathroom, for instance."

The pointed mention was namely because the one at Kid's house was perpetually foul. It happened with so much traffic and no dedicated janitorial staff, and it wasn't like anybody routinely volunteered for that job. "You're only saying that because the shower's growing mushrooms."

"Oh, is it? I haven't used it since the first month we were dating." And even then Law had considered it an appalling mistake.

"Yeah, there's like this hole in the fiberglass and they started coming through about a month ago. I was gonna fix it but Heat thinks they might be edible."

"Seriously, don't let him eat those. And if he does, make sure you have poison control on your speed dial." Law gave a gusty sigh, "This is what I mean. I actually keep a clean house and if you want to live in it, you'd have to do the same. And I'm not about to follow you around and see that you clean up, I don't have the time or the energy for it."

"Jesus, dad. Sorry for being such unwashed filth."

"I never said no - "

"It kinda sounds like a no."

"I just want you to keep your mind open!" Law sat up, looking scowly and frustrated. Maybe Kid should've known better than to ask such a question when they were both uncaffeinated. "It's a big decision and you shouldn't just make it on some spontaneous spur of the moment idea. Besides, won't you miss all of this?"

He gave a sweep of his hand, indicating either Kid's messy room or the house beyond. Realistically, Law probably didn't appreciate either all that much. Like he said, he held certain expectations, which would increase proportionally the more serious things between them got.

For the first time in a while, Kid wondered if the doctor considered their relationship a real one at all, or just some fun they had screwing around - more fuck-buddies than anything else. The dreamy expectations he'd woken up with were crashing back to reality like a satellite falling from orbit and he regretted even asking in the first place. "Just forget about it, okay?"

"We don't have to forget about it," Law persisted. "I just think it should be a decision made thoughtfully. Don't take it personally. I'd be this way with anybody, not just you."

Yeah right, Kid thought, but for once he wisely chose to keep his ideas to himself.

"This is the first time I've ever considered moving in with someone," Law said, a quiet confession. "So I'm sorry if I treat it like the big deal that it is."

Again, Kid remained silent. Why did Law have to make everything sound like a fucking ordeal, when it was supposed to be fun? If there was one thing guaranteed to make Kid even more worked up it was being admonished to not take it personally, or to be more grown-up and serious. He'd never been a real pro at either, and while Law hadn't grated on that particular nerve just yet, it was bound to happen eventually.

Still, Kid refused to get overly mad about it. His stomach was empty and it'd been a shitty idea to even start this discussion first thing in the morning. He rose, finding his clothes and making for the kitchen. He needed to dull the hurt from being rejected - and it was hardly a rejection at that, which was exactly how he knew he needed a snack.

Law was right...he hadn't said no and he'd even said he liked the idea - in theory, at least. Everything with Law tended to be that way, done with more careful thinking than actual acting. Or at least that was the way it felt half the time.

By the time he returned, bearing a cup of coffee for Law - see, he didn't hate him - the doctor was tapping away at his smartphone. He hadn't moved from the bed, though by his expression Kid knew that wouldn't last. "Bad news?"

"The surgery I was involved with last night has developed complications. I need to go in." He looked up and winced. "I'm sorry. I feel like I've ruined this morning."

"It's cool." It really wasn't. But Kid knew that picking at the scap wouldn't help anything. Maybe Law was right and they really did just need to think things over more, and once the doctor was up, dressed, and packed back off to the hospital, all Kid did for the remainder of his day was look at apartment listings online. He tried to imagine what a life with Law would look like: probably a one bedroom somewhere, further from the University and in a quiet area of town that was still on a train line to the hospital. There were several options and Kid did his best to keep the commute down to what Law currently had or less. His own work would send him all over the place so it was pointless to make decisions on that basis.

Despite what his current accommodations might indicate, Kid really could pick up after himself. It was simply a pointless gesture at the moment, when nobody else did the same, and when they had so much company so often that things existed in a perpetual state of fluctuating chaos. In fact, he was vaguely annoyed that Law just assumed he was fine with the status quo. There was a big difference between tolerating a mess and actively causing or liking one. Kid could be real fucking civilized when he wanted to be, and found it just a little unfair that Law doubted his abilities.

Then again, you couldn't build a life off dreams alone no matter how much you wanted to. Maybe that'd been Law's point. Sometimes he could just be downright obnoxious with his sense of responsibility and adherence to rational living.

Kid wondered if he was just wasting his time with this. Who knew where the two of them would be in six months or a year? Law might finish with his program and then get a job offer somewhere across the country; he actually had to worry about that sort of thing. The house's lease would be up for renewal in four months, and that was usually accompanied by a shuffle in who ended up being a permanent resident rather than a constant visitor. Kid had been real happy with the state of things until Law came along. All he'd really wanted by suggesting they move in together was that they spend more time with each other.

He only hoped that the four months between now and when his lease ended would be a long enough time for Law to think things over.

---

Law was just wrapping up a shift in the OR when his phone rang. It was Kid, which wasn't anything unusual, though they had no plans until the weekend. He was surprised to hear Killer's voice when he answered.

"I don't have your number, so I'm using his phone," he explained. "D'you have time to stop by the house tonight?"

"I suppose." While Law didn't mind, he'd been on his feet for nearly twenty hours and was exhausted. "What's wrong?

"Kid got into a bit of a fight. He's not hurt real bad or anything, but he fucked up his eye pretty good."

"If it's an emergency, you should just take him in."

"Nah, he won't go. And it's not an emergency, he just got a good cut on it and I think it should get stitches."

"Have you stopped the bleeding at least?"

"Yeah, for the most part. It's still oozing a bit."

"What part of his eye?" Law adjusted his phone, balancing it against his ear and one shoulder as he nodded goodbye to a colleague. If Killer was calling him, it was serious enough that Kid should've just gone to the ER, but he wasn't surprised to hear the man was being obstinate.

"It's the eyebrow part. He took a good whack to it, split the skin."

"What kind of a fight was this?"

"Just a fist-fight." As though that explained anything. At least weapons hadn't been involved.

Law sighed, more in weariness than anything else. He could certainly stop by and told Killer as much. It would take him around an hour to get there.

"Sounds cool," Killer said. "He's not going anywhere."

Law wondered if the damage was worse than he was implying, but out of all of Kid's friends, Killer was the most responsible. If things had been bad, he would've forced Kid to the ER even if he resisted.

Law wondered what had set things off. It was no surprise that Kid was fighting; despite his efforts to keep himself in check, he was a hothead, as swift to anger as he was to forgive - or ask for forgiveness. It wasn't a particularly desirable trait. To be fair, Law had only heard of such altercations until now. He was encouraged by Kid's genuine-seeming efforts at improving himself.

Then again, perhaps it was all just talk: were he working for Doflamingo, there would be no reason to put a limit on one's violence in the long term. Kid might just be saying things for Law's benefit and so that their relationship continued.

He wanted to believe Kid had a good reason for whatever scraps he got into, but the truth was he likely didn't. He probably had reason to be angry, less so to fight. It hardly mattered now. Law didn't bother to change into his street clothes, sticking with scrubs while he collected a first-aid kit. It would have antiseptic, sutures, and bandages for dressing the wound. He was in his car and heading to Kid's house within half an hour.

Things at the house were relatively quiet, all said. It was late, edging past midnight, and the only people still up were Killer and Kid, who was parked in front of the video game console. He glanced up, a makeshift bandage strapped to his head with a bungee cord. He looked entirely pathetic and not simply because of the wound, though that contributed quite a lot - there was dried blood crusting down the side of his face, leaving parts of his faded t-shirt black and stiff.

He gave Law a once-over from top to bottom. "Whoa. Scrubs. You really are a doctor."

"I'm glad this is what it's taken to finally convince you."

"Thanks for coming," Killer greeted.

Kid sounded aghast. "You called him?"

"Did you think I was stopping by this late just for my health?" Law asked.

"Maybe." Kid's eyes slanted to one side like a petulant teenager faced with discipline. He ignored Law, returning his attention to his game. He seemed numb around the edges, almost like he had a case of shell-shock.

Law left him to it, feeling his irritation rise. He wasn't in the best of moods on his own, and Kid's teenaged routine was making things worse. Still though, his professionalism intervened; it was unfair for him to take things out on an obnoxious patient, even if that patient was Kid. Instead, Law retreated to the kitchen with Killer, who supplied him with a can of beer to take the edge off. It was straw-yellow but better than nothing, making Law wonder when the last time he'd actually had a substantial meal was.

He leaned against the countertop, "I have this feeling he's not about to be particularly forthcoming with me. So what happened?"

"He can tell you. But the short story is, we played a show and there was a real rowdy crowd. Different audience than we usually play for - mainly frat kids, y'know."

While Kid's friends and their band fit in well at the Subterranean, there were just as many clubs catering to the other subcultures the University managed to attract, not the least of which being their robust Greek system. Law could only imagine how well Bonney's showmanship and abrasive lyrics would go over there.

That it'd all ended badly wasn't really so surprising in retrospect. Law wondered what the hell they were doing in a frat bar in the first place. "Was Kid the only one involved?"

"Well, Bonney was too, but mainly as the instigator. Kid's the one who really mixed it up. If it makes you feel any better, the other guys look twice as bad."

"Other guys?"

"There were three."

"Ah. Of course." Law gave a short, despairing laugh before taking a thick gulp of his beer. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Why was it no surprise that Kid had taken on multiple opponents? He suddenly felt quite angry; Kid behaved as though he were invincible but he very much was not.

From the sound of things, that little scrap could've ended much worse, with Kid in the hospital - or jail. He'd already faced consequences after losing his temper on the job. What was he going to do if someone decided to press charges? What if he himself ended up in the emergency room? He'd been so outnumbered that he could've easily gotten himself seriously injured.

Sometimes he was so childish that Law couldn't help but be irritated. He wondered why he'd even come here tonight. He should've just made Killer take the bastard in to the ER to get patched up along with everybody else. It was where Kid honestly should've been at this very moment, but of course he treated everything like some frivolous game where nothing could ever go wrong.

But talking sense to him seemed like an impossible task, and Law could see why Killer hadn't bothered. He felt the same...sometimes with Kid, it was like his skull was made of rubber and all common sense simply bounced off.

"This idiot," he muttered aloud. He wasn't surprised when Killer echoed his sentiments in a low, mirthless chuckle.

"I've done my best looking out for him ever since he was a kid. Since we were kids, I guess. As well as you two get along, I'm afraid he's already married to trouble."

"How romantic." Law wasn't sure he liked the competition.

"For what it's worth, he's doing a lot better. He was already getting a handle on things, but...ever since you came along, he's really had a reason to improve himself, y'know? Instead of just because he had to."

"Really, this is sweet, but I am so ready to kill him right now that I don't think I can actually appreciate it." Law finished his beer in two thick gulps. Despite his annoyance, he thanked Killer all the same, returning to the living room to collect his battered charge. "C'mon, let's go. I'll get you all patched up in no time."

"'M fine," Kid mumbled.

"Seriously, it's late. You'll have a scar if I don't do something about your face so don't argue with me. I'm too tired right now, so just save your game and grab your shit, okay?"

"We could just do it here."

"I'm not doing it here, that bathroom is disgusting." By the looks of things, what he'd originally assumed was a cotton bandage on Kid's forehead was actually a wadded-up t-shirt. He tried not to be visibly appalled. "My car's parked out front."

It seemed for a moment like he'd be dragging Kid out by his shorthairs, but the man gave a heavy sigh, tossing his controller at the console. "Okay, fine."

He said it like a teenager being called into the principal's office. Law tried not to be too annoyed, but it was hard on so little blood sugar. That beer wasn't exactly helping matters. It wasn't enough to impair him, and a short drive later they were outside his own apartment.

Kid didn't say a word the entire trip. He simply stared out the window, vacant as a mannequin.

Things were quiet in Law's apartment, unsurprising given the late hour. Penguin was probably already asleep and Shachi at work. Law ushered his moody charge into the bathroom and ran some hot water to clean things up before starting: the cut over Kid's eyebrow was jagged, the skin thin enough that it'd torn a good three inches to leave a ragged wound. Kid definitely should've gone in to have it sewn up, but Law refrained from lecturing him. There was something brittle about Kid, like he'd shatter if not handled carefully.

"This will sting just a bit," Law cautioned before daubing over the damage with some cotton gauze soaked in iodine. He let the disinfectant sit for a few moments while he prepared a needle and suture thread. Under the better lighting, he could see a number of new bruises popping up on Kid's jaw and cheekbones.

So he'd taken a few more knocks than just the one on his forehead; that wasn't very reassuring. Law waited for an explanation but was forced to prompt Kid once it seemed nothing would be volunteered. "Aren't you going to tell me what happened?"

"It's no big deal."

"I can hardly imagine a four-person fight being characterized as 'no big deal'."

"Well, it's not." Kid picked at some of the dried blood crusted against his skin and it flaked off beneath black-painted nails. "Those guys were drunk. It's how things started and why they ended so quick."

"Did you put them in the hospital, then?"

"Geeze, don't be so dramatic. Killer and Heat broke things up before they went anywhere. I bet those jackasses are just puking their guts out in some alley off University Way." He flicked his fingers to discharge some of the scuz. "Same as any Thursday night for pricks like those."

"Why don't you just start at the beginning, hmm?" Law adjusted Kid's face before starting in with his curved needle. "You can concentrate on that while I'm patching you up. This really is a nasty cut. Were you hit with something?"

"Yeah, a beer bottle." He winced as Law began, forehead wrinkling. "It's all Bonney's fault. I hope that's not a surprise or nothing."

"So Killer mentioned. And no, I'm not surprised."

"Yeah, well. I can't really be mad at her this time." He laughed abruptly, "Okay, maybe I can - we shouldn't've been playing that club in the first place. It's not our scene - she knows that. Only reason they even put us on the billing was 'cause she told the manager we sounded like Led Zeppelin."

Law was forced to laugh at the sheer contradiction. He doubted Bonney would've gotten any traction at all had she told them what the band really sounded like.

"Anyway, they kicked us off after three songs. Not surprising." Kid shrugged. "Then when we were packing the van up, all these pricks came out to smoke and started hassling us. Buncha bros, y'know? I hate those guys. So does Bonney, but she can't leave well enough alone." He gave another shrug, eyes drifting vacantly to the mirror where he could watch Law at work. "'Course she starts giving attitude, like she's more macho than all of them together. She talks a good game but when it really comes down to it, what's she gonna do?"

He made to shake his head but Law paused him before he could get far. The skin was thin and required careful work, though if Kid found it painful he made no indication. Their eyes met for a moment, giving Law a start: Kid's pupils were as dilated as a junkie high off his drug of choice. The whites seemed too wide, like the startled eyes of a horse before it bolted.

Kid was looking at him with those flighty eyes when he continued, "Then they called her the c-word, and I - I really couldn't just sit back and keep packing the van up, y'know?"

"The c-word," Law repeated, almost scoffing. As though Kid were so much a child he couldn't swear.

"The c-word is serious business. You can call Bonney a bitch all you want but you don't ever call her that, not when I'm around."

"So you started all of this to protect her honor, how noble."

"Don't make fun of me," Kid said, and then his face crumpled like plate glass cracking. Law had to stop what he was doing, taken aback as Kid shook, his frame gripped and trembling as a rawness poured out of him like pus from a septic wound. He tried to speak twice before finding his voice, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen. I know I fucked this up."

Law was so unsure of what to do that he found himself panicking, suddenly willing to do whatever was necessary to keep Kid from outright crying. He kissed Kid's forehead, stroking through his hair and soothing his torn edges the only way he knew how. The real injury was left forgotten, a comparatively mild insult to what lay beneath.

"You just don't get to treat people like that and get away with it," Kid continued, his voice a mess that he couldn't control. "And these assholes are so used to doing whatever they want. Nobody talks to Bonney like that."

He took a shaking breath, his voice resolving. "So I got right up in that guy's face - just to show him who he was messing with, y'know? I was like, you tell me what you said to my friend, you better say that one more time, and say it to my face."

"Shh," Law murmured, touching his mouth to one of Kid's temples. He regretted asking how things started now that he could see how awfully it had upset Kid, who only continued. It was like a dam had burst inside him, just like it must've been when he'd first lost control.

"I know how scary I look when I'm like that. It's not who I like to be. And even then it wasn't enough to scare that guy, 'cause he just kept going, calling Bonney all kinds of shit, and me with her. So I just flipped out - " he gave a shuddering breath, one that went deep into his lungs like a gasp of pain. "I didn't mean for that to happen. I just wanted to scare him a bit and shut him up but it didn't work that way."

Before Law even knew what was happening, Kid shook beneath tears, as though they physically hurt. He felt a momentary panic; how the fuck did he fix things now? Sure, he'd been angry and frustrated earlier but none of that even seemed to matter in the face of such frank vulnerability. All he could do was pull Kid's face to him, until it was buried against his ribcage. Trembling hands roped around Law's waist, tight as if Kid were hanging on for dear life.

"I'm sorry," Kid repeated, plaintively. As though he really were begging for Law's forgiveness. "That's the part of me I don't like. It's ugly. My dad was like that and every time I let it take control, I know I'm no better than he is."

"Don't say that," Law said, his throat tight and inflexible. He'd never expected for Kid to show him such deep wounds, the kind that could leave a man crippled from the inside out.

"Sometimes it feels like there's something rabid chained up inside me and one day it'll just tear itself loose. Every time I lose it like that I know it's just that much closer to happening. And then one day I'll turn out just like him." He gave a broken, ragged sound, his whole body lurching. "Like I'm fooling myself that it'll be any different."

And Law had no idea for what he should say. He felt reduced to utter helplessness. For a moment, he felt he could understand where Kid's anger came from though he hardly knew the truth; an ugly secret that Kid had protected for fear of what others would say once they'd seen it. Maybe he expected Law to throw him out, pathetic and half-broken, a damaged shell that'd been repaired poorly and was starting to crack again along its edges. But his fears couldn't be further from reality: Law's heart ached too strongly to ever push Kid away, and certainly not when he was so fragile. All Law wanted was to care for him like something infinitely precious, a three-legged stray mutt who'd earned a place within his heart against all odds.

He stroked a hand through Kid's hair, matted in places from blood. The back of his neck was feverishly hot with emotion. Law felt unable to do anything but hold onto him, as though Kid truly would fall to pieces if he let go. The stitches he'd been working on were left unfinished; they seemed unnecessary. Maybe Kid had had a point about them earlier.

Or maybe all things needed was a little time. Law already felt out of his element. He'd never been very good at coping with the honest feelings of others, and pulled Kid after him as they retreated to the protective confines of his bedroom. It felt like more of a safe haven than it had any right to.

There was still a wild-eyed, panicky feel to Kid, though it was beginning to once again grow numb. Soon he'd be the same as Law had first seen him back at his place. He coaxed them both beneath the sheets, curling against Kid as though his touch itself could heal him.

Kid seemed like an animal, half-tamed by fear and violence, the sort who would flinch from kindness because it was so unexpected. His skin was still strangely heated though he no longer cried; Law drew him in as close as he could, as though they would never be separated.

Of all the things he'd come to dread from Kid and their relationship, this had never even been on his radar. Law had been so certain that any dark secrets would simply trace back to Doflamingo that he'd never looked for any of Kid's own.

Law frowned at his own behavior; was he really so obsessed with thwarting his brother that he'd never bothered to look beneath Kid's surface? Was he so selfish that he fancied himself and his own family's drama more important to Kid than anything in his own life? Law was ashamed to realize how much he'd taken for granted. He was further surprised to learn that, despite the very deep flaws Kid was hiding, Law only felt more devoted to him because of it. He could not stop the way his heart ached in sadness and longing affection, how much he desperately wanted Kid to be his own for as long as Law could have him.

Kid fell asleep before long. Ignoring all else, he was emotionally worn out. For long minutes after, Law's mind buzzed with questions, the need to know all of Kid's hidden secrets. But it'd been ages since he'd last slept and it was pointless to resist once he felt himself slipping. Like Kid's stitches, all of that could wait until the morning, though by the time that came Law felt distinctly disinclined to move. Some time during the night, Kid had shifted beneath the covers until his face was pressed tightly to Law's stomach, leaving them awkwardly positioned yet completely couldn't imagine it was very comfortable, given Kid's injured eyebrow. It was no surprise that he hadn't let it stop him.

In a moment of odd clarity, Law understood that despite Kid's predilections for violence, he would never use it against him. If he ever revealed that side of himself to Law in person, it would be to protect. Law wasn't sure where this conviction came from, but he knew it with certainty.

If he could trust Kid implicitly with that, why not anything else? A little flurry of panic stirred in his stomach, making his toes curl. He was desperate to make excuses where Kid was concerned and it was dangerous.

He dozed, his fingers toying in Kid's shaggy mane until the alarm clock sounded. That was right; it was still a weekday. Fortunately, Kid was still on break while the building passed its inspections. Law couldn't leave him and snuck out to call in a favor from a colleague whom he'd covered for several months back. His shift would be handled, and Law returned to bed, his personal holiday starting off nicely with the warm curl of their bodies finding each other.

"Work?" Kid mumbled.

Law shook his head, "I have today off."

"I love you," Kid said, and Law felt his breath falter.

Kid said it again and each repetition made it more real. For the first time since the previous night, it really seemed like everything would be fine.

They spent a slow, lazy morning in bed. It was filled with unhurried affection, the sort that began and continued without clear direction. Law touched the scars across Kid's shoulders, finally asking about them. His theories were confirmed and despite his contentment, Law felt swift outrage filling his veins. Kid treated things with the sort of matter-of-factness that came from living a harsh reality his entire life.

Law was envious. He longed to be so detached. Kid's father had treated him like an ashtray and Law wanted to track him down and cut his throat. It was the same cold vengeance he'd held onto since Cora's murder; the same tempered rage that left him estranged from his family. Law knew he would never see justice for Cora and the bleak unfairness of it felt like an ulcer chewing through his center.

There would never be any justice for Kid either; he'd been separated from his father since he was fifteen and didn't even know if the man still lived in the city. His mother had abandoned them both when Kid was a child and he had few memories of her.

"I know my dad is a really bad guy - " he flashed Law a wry smile, as if that should've been obvious. "I mean, now I know he is. But when I was a kid, he was cool enough that it kinda made up for all the shitty parts. We used to build stuff together and I don't think I'd be as good at what I'm doing now if it weren't for him.

"After my mom took off, it was just him and me, and it wasn't that bad. He really did treat me right for a while there and it was only bad when he drank."

His eyes looked at something far away for a moment before he continued, "He didn't drink that much back then. And a lotta times he didn't even have to raise his hand because he could just cut me down from the inside. But once he went on disability, all he did was sit at home, watching tv and drinking, and then he was just mean for good.

"I got this big growth spurt in high school and he didn't like that." Kid shook his head in a jittery, nervous manner. "I don't think he liked seeing me bigger than him for a change. After a while, it was just like he spent all day thinking up all the mean shit he wanted to say to me once I got home from school. Cutting me down was like the only thing that made him happy anymore. "

His father had been calling him a faggot and a queer for as long as Kid could remember. As far as he knew, they were simply his favorite insults. It'd taken years for Kid to reconcile that it was the truth.

"Maybe he saw something in me that not even I knew. After a while it didn't even matter. He hates everything and I finally realized there was no point in pretending that being straight would make him like me any better. So one time we were having a big blow-up and I just told him he was right about everything, just 'cause I knew that'd hurt him more than anything...that was the last time I ever saw him. Janet - that's Killer's mom - took me in after that. She's a lot better than anybody I ever had."

Even then, though removed from his father's home, Kid was left living nearby until he turned eighteen. He and Killer had grown up as neighbors; it was how their friendship started and how Killer's mother had known it was time for him to leave his home permanently. She sounded like a tough character, someone used to enforcing boundaries on the rambunctious young men of her own; Kid had become just another one of her sons once he joined the family.

But even then, his anger got the best of him and he was expelled from the public school for fighting. She gave him the choice of alternative schooling, the military, or work, and had found him an apprenticeship when Kid chose the latter option. He began working full-time and never looked back.

In an odd way, Law felt more proud of him than pitying. Perhaps it was because Kid was so clearly a survivor of his experiences. For the first time, Law found himself wanting to share his own history, but still he hesitated. Why did he need to tell Kid what the man undoubtedly already knew? There was no way Doflamingo would give him such an assignment without briefing his agent on the details.

But the impulse remained, beating against the wall of his chest until Law felt fit to burst. He wanted to tell Kid everything until no secrets remained between them. For a moment, Law found it utterly and completely unfair. He wanted Kid to be his own, untainted by his brother's meddling impulses.

Kid shared his darkest secrets with such freedom that Law could not resist emulating his example. He knew it was foolish but his need for a confidant was stronger than his caution. "Did I ever tell you I was adopted?"

He kept things to a general outline, the briefest of facts: his had never been a true adoption; he was fostered into Doflamingo's family after his parents and sister all died of the same leukemia he'd had as a child. It wasn't intended to be a long-term placement because no one expected him to live much longer than a few years, until he succumbed to the disease - the same as everyone else diagnosed with his condition.

He was expected to die. By age twelve, Law's mindset was as poisonous as the cancer consuming his body. If he was to die, he wanted to see the whole world burn with him.

But even that hadn't mattered to Cora. He'd proved them all wrong, seeking out experimental treatments until one finally worked. Of course, it cost Cora his own life in doing so, a detail which Law omitted. He gauged Kid's reactions carefully but could detect nothing out of the ordinary. He'd never told such secrets to any of his suitors save the first, and didn't know what to expect. Kid simply listened with thoughtful silence, his expression surprisingly unreadable.

"I never imagined I would live to be this old," Law confessed. "I was very fatalistic as a child."

"I wanna see baby Law pictures," Kid said. "You have those, right?"

"Yes. I'm not sure where they are right now, probably in storage." Along with all the other remnants of his family that he'd been meaning to dispose of. He doubted Kid would ever see such photos.

"Get 'em out sometime. I bet you were hot."

"Are you implying that I no longer am?"

"Oh, shut up! You know how hot I think you are," Kid said, laughing. He turned, practically pouncing on Law in a sudden lurch of energy. His eyes flicked over Law's face like he was surprised to see him, an expression of relief. "I'm really glad you didn't die back then."

"What a romantic."

"I love you. You know how many people I've said that to and meant it?"

"How should I know you're meaning it now?"

"I probably wouldn't have asked like that if I didn't mean it."

It was a fair point. On Kid's eyebrow, his half-stitched laceration was puffy and red. Law hadn't even had the presence of mind to dress it before they'd gone to bed, how completely unlike him. The circumstances had been rather extreme at the time - or at least as extreme as Law ever really wanted to see them. He felt a strange sort of honor, that Kid trusted him enough to allow him to see his most vulnerable self.

Even with this proof, something deep in Law's center was as wary and cautious as a hunted deer; he could not share his own darkest fears with Kid, at least not yet. Instead, he leaned forward, touching his lips to the wound. "I should finish patching that up."

"It's no big deal. I don't mind the scar."

"Yes, but I'd mind it. I like your face the way it is." He kissed Kid's forehead a second time before swinging his feet onto the floor. "Really, you shouldn't take yourself for granted."

Kid followed after him as Law made for the bathroom, not even bothering to get dressed. He'd heard Shachi arrive home two hours prior; he would likely sleep until four in the afternoon. Penguin had left an hour after that. Law wasn't worried about the two of them being interrupted and they shared a long shower that morphed into sex midway through. After last night, Law worried the damage would be lasting, but Kid bounced back as though it were nothing. Law wondered if that was a developed trait, the product of an unpredictably violent home.

Then again, it could be all an act, but Law felt tired and weary of considering things in such context. He really needed to stop thinking so much, and concentrated on the amazing things Kid was doing to his neck instead. One of Law's nipples was teased until he squirmed, wrapping around Kid's tall body like ivy. Then Kid was between his legs, holding him up as he ground against him shamelessly. All Law could do was hold on. Sweat broke out over his shoulders and across his upper lip, and Kid had him gasping and spent before Law could even get his bearings. He felt swept away, a loss of control which he did not mind.

However, afterwards - when his brain had fully returned to where it belonged - Law was annoyed to find a purpling hickey on his neck. "Just because I have today off doesn't mean I have the entire week, unlike some people."

"And you look extra-hot with a bruise peeking out from your shirt collar."

"I'm sure my colleagues would all agree," Law muttered. He tied a towel around his waist, gesturing for Kid to take a seat. He inspected the damage to his eyebrow: despite the redness and swelling, Law did not suspect any infection this early. It was likely simple tissue trauma, and he abandoned the idea of stitches in favor of some butterfly closures. It was a bit late for stitches, anyway.

The bruises on Kid's face, knuckles, and elsewhere were all darkening to blue and purple, with a nice shiner swelling up on one cheekbone. There wasn't a lot Law could do for those, but he dressed over the stitches with fresh gauze and antibiotic ointment. "Let me know if you have any swelling or pain while this is healing up."

"Sure thing, doc. How much do I owe you?"

"There's a cafe just up the road, you can buy me a nice breakfast." Almost as an afterthought, he smacked the back of Kid's head with an open-handed cuff, "And no getting into fights after this, I mean it. Do you have any idea what I would do if this had been any worse?"

"Jesus, I'm sorry!" Kid flinched out from under his reach. "Who knew you even cared?"

"I care about you a lot." It was as close to a confession of his feeling as Kid would get for now. Law's emotions came to him slowly but were intensely felt. He had a habit of dwelling on them long beyond the patience of others.

It was getting closer to noon by that point, and they both dressed to leave. Law was pretty sure the cafe closed by two in the afternoon, and he really had his heart set on a bacon and cheese omelet. Fortunately, Kid was on much the same wavelength. The day was grey and overcast, and Law wore his coat for the first time all year.

Bonney was waiting for them once they got to the sidewalk, sitting on the hood of Law's car. She was wearing an olive green military parka with a furry hood, smacking her teeth as she ate her way through a bag of candy. A bike was leaned against the car beside her. "'Sup."

"Have you just been waiting for us?" Law asked. She could've at least called or something.

She gave Kid a nod, "Killer said you'd be here."

"Yeah, so you just decided to ruin things for me, is that it?"

"Man, here I thought getting laid would mellow you out some. What's up with your face? You look like shit."

"It needed stitches," Law supplied. "The rest is all superficial."

"Big deal. Stitches and scars just make you look cooler," Bonney said.

"What, you want me to fucking thank you or some shit?"

"I'm just putting a silver lining to things. Your raw materials left vast room for improvement."

"Really? Did you come here just to start another fucking fight with me?" Kid asked.

"Well, we all know who'd win if that ever ended up being the case."

"Bonney, sometimes you really oughta learn how to keep your damn mouth shut. Seems like you could've figured that one out yourself after last night." Kid shoved his hands into his pockets, scuffing one foot along the ground. "Whatever. We're getting breakfast. You're not invited."

"Aww, ain't that cute." She gave them both a fond smile. "Whoever thought you'd turn out all domestic like this?"

"Oh yeah, like getting brunch is gonna kill my image. You're the only one who gives a shit about that, dumbass."

Bonney shoved herself off Law's car, still smiling. "D'you always have to be such a fucking grouch about everything?"

"Only where you're concerned." With Kid's hands stuffed into his pockets, his arms were left crooked at the elbows. Law slid one of his own through the loop, inching close against his side. There was still a rawness about him, as though his skin had been peeled back to reveal the tenderness beneath. All of Kid's bluster was just another effort to cover over it. "Did you come here just to check up on me? How uncool."

"Oh no, Kid thinks I'm uncool. My confidence is shattered."

"Now, now, children," Law admonished. "Don't make me separate you."

"Yeah, yeah," Bonney said. "I just wanted to make sure your head was attached, but since you're still in a pissy-ass mood, I'll hit the road. You guys go have a nice brunch." She hopped onto her bike, throwing them some devil horns before peddling away, "Stay frosty."

Beside him, Kid gave a grumpy huff at her receding figure. "'Stay frosty'. Wow, what a badass."

"She's just checking up on you. She probably feels bad that you got hurt in the first place."

"Then she needs to say that like a fucking normal person, instead of trying to act all cool and shit."

Like Kid was any different. Wisely, Law chose not to comment, pulling him in the direction of the cafe. "C'mon, food. You won't be quite so cranky with something in your stomach."

"Wanna bet?"

Despite his vocal obstinance, Kid was placated and even cheerful once he'd eaten. The cafe near Law's apartment wasn't anything fancy, but they hardly needed anything more than the basic. Law chose an omelet while Kid had something called the farmer's breakfast, an enormous pile of food that included bits and pieces of every animal possible.

Law watched him conquer the mountain long after he'd finished with his own meal. It felt strange, like a brick wall between them had been reduced to rubble and dust. Law wasn't sure what to do with all of Kid's honesty from the night before. He was used to analyzing their relationship through a specific lens, that which Doflamingo had undoubtedly cast things in. He could typically ignore his brother's meddling overtures but something seemed undeniably altered. For the first time, Law wondered if he'd been wrong about all of this from the very beginning - he wondered if Kid really was all he ever presented himself to be, without any outside influences.

If he was really just and only himself...Law wanted to believe it, no matter how reckless that made him.

Across the table, Kid was finally slowing down. "Hey," he said around a mouthful of potatoes. "What d'you wanna do after this?"

Law shrugged with one shoulder, "I don't know, what sounds good to you?"

"It's your day off. You pick."

"In that case..." Law regarded his coffee mug critically. What did he really want to do? If he considered things in their current light, it seemed like the possibilities were endless. "What do you think about looking at apartments together?"

It looked like Kid had been struck by lightning, leaving him dumb and in shock. "What, really?"

"I've been thinking it over. It's not that I don't want to..." he sighed, leaning back in his booth, its vinyl creaking. "I like you a lot, Eustass. I just don't want this to ruin things."

"But it won't! I mean, I won't let it. You think I'd screw something this important up?"

"Something this important?" Law repeated.

"Seriously, ever since I met you, you've been the most important thing in my life."

"Really." Law wasn't quite sure what to say to that. Kid was always so honest, like a child who'd never learned how to lie.

"Jeeze, what did you think?" Playfully, Kid's foot kicked at his own. "I love you, idiot."

A waitress stopped by to clear away their dishes and refill coffee. They remained silent until she was gone; Law was grateful for the interruption. He wasn't sure he knew how to respond. It wasn't the first time Kid had said that. It still seemed so strange that even though he'd heard it twice before, Law still struggled to believe it.

Even worse, though the words on his end remained unsaid, Law could feel them choking up his throat. He knew he loved Kid. He'd known it for a while.

"I mean, I hope that's not a surprise or anything," Kid began once they were again alone. He busied himself doctoring up his coffee with cream and excessive sugar, his eyes focused at the task at hand. "It's just...I never knew how you'd feel about all that stuff. With my dad and everything. It's not a part of me that I like very much."

"Don't say that. It's the last thing I would judge you for."

"I just don't ever want you to feel, y'know." He shifted uncomfortably, his heart bloody and dripping upon his sleeve. "Afraid of me. Like I'd hurt you or something."

"I know. I've never felt threatened by you."

Once upon a time, Law would've excused all of Kid's history as some made-up fiction designed by his brother to appeal to his heartstrings. It seemed obvious now how false that impression had been...there was no way Kid could fake that kind of emotional rawness. As with everything, Kid was honest and straight-forward, without the subterfuge Law had come to expect. He really didn't know how to handle it.

He straightened, popping his knuckles in quick succession. He felt suddenly eager to change the topic. Proactive movement would leave Kid's honest confessions in the rear view mirror, at least temporarily. "Do you want to look at places today? We don't have to actually go anywhere but let's at least make a list of things we definitely want."

"I like you; you're all business about this."

"Well, we have two months before my lease is up. We can afford to be picky."

"I want a dishwasher. And laundry machines, but they don't have to be in the unit. Just in the building is fine."

"I want a decent kitchen. I has to have a double-sink."

"Why?" Kid scoffed, smiling. "You never cook!"

"That's because I live with Shachi. I used to cook."

"Then prove it and make me a nice dinner sometime."

"You're the one who owes me a meal, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah; I got it." Kid put his card on a tray their waitress provided; ten minutes later and they were on their way, taking a circuitous route back to Law's place.

They passed by several apartment buildings and Kid continued to elaborate on what he wanted. For his contribution, Law needed something quiet that was located near a train route direct to the hospital, preferably with a deck or balcony, though he knew that part was probably asking a lot. At some point, Kid took his hand and laced their fingers together. There were tender scrapes on the backs of his knuckles and Law never wanted him to let go. He wondered what he was thinking with this; they'd been dating less than a year and already he was longing for them to never be apart.

If his brother had any role in all of this...Law hoped he never learned of it, even if it was the truth.

While they didn't go apartment shopping that afternoon - to be honest, it was a bit more of a project than Law had in mind for his impromptu day off - they did make a list of all the details. For days after, Kid sent him listings from internet classifieds, scouting out a few places on his own. Finding a place would likely be the easy part, outfitting it the real chore - all Kid owned was a bookcase and his bed, with a few musical instruments that would be staying at his current place even when he moved.

For his part, Law had his bed, a chair, and the dining room table; he had an assortment of crockery and dishes but nothing close to what was needed for a real kitchen. Living with roommates for so long had meant he never needed to buy certain items of his own, but if he ended up moving in with Kid, that would all change.

Part of him was excited for this challenge, giddy with eagerness - and another part was just as terrified by the entire prospect.

Law wondered what he was thinking with all of this. He was setting himself up for the worse case of heartache once things came crashing to back to reality, but after seeing Kid at his most vulnerable, the doubts that had infected Law's mind only continued to spread; a disease of hopefulness. What if Kid wasn't in Doflamingo's pocket at all? Law was going to feel seriously awful were that the case, after having doubted him for so long. It was unfair, and Law had no idea how to fix his lingering doubts.

They plagued him to the point that instead of giving notice of his intent to move, he found himself requesting a three-month extension on his lease simply to prolong the inevitable.

"You are being an idiot," Penguin scolded as he and Shachi signed the lease extension agreement. They'd accepted as a favor, neither having any solid deadlines of their own.

Law was grateful, and fully aware of his own failings. "Shut up. I know."

Penguin continued, "What are you going to tell him when he finds out your move date isn't for three more months?"

"That I was wrong about when the lease ended."

"I don't get it, what's the big deal?" Shachi asked. "Haven't you found the right place yet?"

"Oh no," Penguin interceded. "It's much more dramatic than that. Law has convinced himself that his dearest-darling is, in fact, a plant sent by the enemy to sweep him off his feet and back into their sinister crime family."

"But Kid can't be with those guys!" Shachi sounded shocked. "He's so nice. I see him at the diner all the time since you guys've been dating."

Penguin fixed Law with a withering glare, "Y'know, I am totally with you for any suspicions you have with that weird-ass family of yours. But Kid isn't with them! How much more obvious could it be that he's totally in love with you?"

Law felt his face heat; sometimes he really did feel stupid getting so fixated on all of this. Then again, Penguin ought to know what a serious matter it was; they'd had several long conversations, a few of which directly concerned Kid. Improbably, he'd won Penguin over after their first four months together.

"For your information," he said, addressing Penguin. "I'm plenty aware of how he feels. And so what? If he's in Doflamingo's pocket, it's not like it really matters one way or the other because I'll end things as soon as I find out. Whenever that happens to be."

He turned his attention to Shachi, "And before Pen starts making me sound like I'm delusionally insane, I have good reason to be suspicious. This wouldn't be the first time my brother tried to arrange my life to fit his own needs. The last time this happened it really did hurt."

"Oh yeah…" Shachi let his words trail off; he was undoubtedly remembering the aftermath of that disastrous relationship. It'd been years ago, but they'd all lived together at the time and Law had been quite morose. "I always kinda wondered what happened there."

Law regretted not sharing the details, but it had been too painful. Only Penguin knew, having helped determine what was going on in the first place.

"Doflamingo's tried similar tactics since, so I hope you can understand why my wariness is entirely reasonable." Law fixed Penguin with a glare while biting out those last few words.

For his part, Penguin threw up both hands in a gesture of surrender, though he did not go quietly. "You are sabotaging the one good thing that's happened to you in years."

"Yeah, don't dump Kid, he's awesome," Shachi said, his voice plaintive. Honestly, Law wasn't sure if he liked how invested they both were. Maybe watching him crash and burn over the years had given them a personal stake in things. "I mean, all you need to find out is if he's working for your brother, right?"

"Preferably without asking him, like a normal person," Penguin supplied. He looked as though he were at the end of his tether, "Hasn't he ever asked you about your family? What the hell have you told him?"

"I told him we're not close and that's as far as it's gone! He really isn't that nosey, unlike some people," Law snapped. "And I forbid either of you from bringing this up with him yourselves. This is my business, and it may seem silly but it's really not a laughing matter at all." He paused, feeling his hackles rising defensively. He didn't like being under the microscope for this. Penguin was right, it did sound stupid when laid out bare like that, but Law had suffered his brother's meddling for too long to treat things like a joke.

"Look," he continued after a moment, feeling calmer. "I really do like Kid. A lot. That's why I'm doing things this way. If I jump into this and it turns out to be a lie - " he felt his throat close up, doing a number on his voice. "I'm really going to be hurt. But the only other way out of this is to break up with him, and I don't want to do that either."

"Why not just hire an investigator or something?" Shachi asked.

"Yes! Get a scrappy private dick to crack the case!" Penguin enthused, before changing his tone abruptly, "You know you're only feeding into his crazy with suggestions like that."

"No, no - hear me out! There's this group that always comes to the diner, they're friends with the owner and the bartender. And Miss Robin - she's always at the bar, just reading, so we've gotten to talking now and then when it's slow." He paused to dig out his wallet, flipping through innumerable business cards and coupons before finding what he was looking for. "Anyway, most of them are students but in their off time they work as fixers - they've got the town figured out better than anybody else I know."

He passed Law the card, it was plain white and read simply, Strawhat Crew: We Fix Problems. A local phone number was printed underneath. Law wasn't sure what he was expecting, "Really? Is this a joke?"

"Jesus, grandpa. Quit rattling your cane over there."

"Look, I don't know if I really want to use another gang to undermine my brother's gang. He might take it the wrong way if he found these people tailing one of his operatives."

"That assumes that Kid is one of his operatives - "

"And we'll just assume that that is the case until proven otherwise, thank you," Law said, effectively silencing that old argument before Penguin could breathe life back into it.

"Don't just shoot me down so quick," Shachi said. "C'mon, they hang out at the diner all the time. I'll talk to Robin and see if it sounds like something they're interested in. They charge for their services but I'm sure it won't be tons."

Law wasn't sure what those nebulous services quite entailed, but a week later he was presented with the opportunity to ask. Shachi arranged things and Law spent the intervening days wondering how desperately he really needed to know these hard truths. As it turned out, quite desperately; it was becoming impossible to even look at Kid without feeling a forlorn mix of adoration and distrust.

Law was beginning to feel a bit heartsick over the entire affair, and for different reasons than he'd feared from the start: he was more comfortable considering Kid an enemy agent than not. Law really didn't know what he would do if Kid were innocent. He didn't know if he'd be unable to forgive himself for doubting all this time.

He arrived at the All Blue and was seated with the crew in a large circular booth; they were nothing like he'd expected. For one, they were all quite young. Shachi hadn't been lying about the majority of them being students. A few were older, and not all were present - Law was introduced around before they got down to business.

There was Robin, Shachi's friend who worked as a part-time instructor at the University; Sanji, the owner and lead chef of the All Blue, who remained only for the introductions before heading back to the kitchen; Franky, its bartender; and Zoro, Nami, Usopp and Luffy, who were students, the latter of which being the ragtag little group's leader. Law felt much of the same vibe as he did with Kid's friends, though in comparison the Strawhats were much more varied in age and profession.

He took a few moments to explain his predicament. His brother's name was well-known, which was a relief - it demonstrated how well they knew the city's underbelly, and underscored the significance of the project at hand.

Their treasurer, Nami, was excited by the big name attached to things. "Scary guy like that means things could get dicey," she said. "We charge extra for dangerous assignments."

"But all you have to do is follow someone for a few days," Law said. All he was asking for was some routine surveillance and even that made him feel dirty. He valued his own privacy highly enough that he didn't like intruding upon Kid's like this.

Luffy provided an explanation; he seemed entirely too young to be fronting this organization, but Law said nothing. "Yeah, but what if we have to follow him somewhere on Doffy's turf?"

"I take it your groups are not on particularly good terms with each other."

"That's putting it lightly." This came from Zoro, who from his build and attitude seemed like an enforcer of some variety.

"No need to worry about such details so early! We'll give you an itemized list of expenses once the assignment is complete," Nami said. "There's also a baseline rate. We charge by the week."

"I'm beginning to wonder if this might not be outside of my personal budgetary limitations - "

"Don't be ridiculous! You need to know the truth, don't you?"

"Quit hitting him with expense reports first thing," Zoro replied. "Nobody wants to hear the bad news before the good news."

"Then there is, I assume, good news?" Law ventured. If there weren't, he'd like to know about it now and waste as little of his time as necessary.

"Of course! We'll take your case, Traffy. Shachi told us all about it."

"Besides," interrupted Usopp. "We don't charge for failed investigations. If we get busted on the job, we'll eat the cost. Plus, we never squeal - not even me!"

"I wouldn't count on that," Zoro muttered.

"Well, that's something." Law wasn't sure if that qualified as unequivocally good news, but he'd come this far already. It was pointless to be dissuaded from necessary expenditures. Honestly, if throwing money at this problem would resolve it, Law was quite willing to throw a small student loan in its direction. "And it's Trafalgar. Or call me Law, I really have no preference."

"Like Luffy mentioned, we do have the basics," Robin said, her voice calm and measured. Her maturity seemed radically out of place in present company. Law supposed he wasn't one to judge given the number of times he got roped into one of Kid or Bonney's crazy schemes. "But perhaps you can fill in a few details for us. While this sounds like a fairly standard cheating lover scenario, your primary interest lies in proving or disproving a link between Eustass Kid and your brother's organization, correct?"

Law wasn't sure if he appreciated the conjecture; he liked to think he was a little better than a jealous partner. Still, he nodded, aware that none of them had any reason to believe the convoluted and slightly ridiculous story in the first place.

"I know it sounds unbelievable - maybe even a little juvenile, but that really is my brother to the core. Doflamingo has done this before, on multiple occasions. And he has the resources at his disposal to do so again. Besides," he paused, feeling strangely obligated to justify himself. "If I didn't care for Kid, I wouldn't be involving you at all."

"Oh, don't worry about that, Traffy. I know 'Flamingo, and I know you're not lying," Luffy said, a wide grin splitting his face from ear to ear.

"We do a background check before accepting new clients," Nami added.

"Especially ones coming from such an auspicious family," Robin said, with a smile that he could not read. "That being the case, what information in particular would you like us to investigate?"

She accepted a fancy-looking cocktail from the bartender, Franky, who presently joined them. He lounged against the side of Robin's seat in a way that was casually familiar and left Law feeling envious. She continued, "Typically, we begin with one week's continuous surveillance, in addition to a comprehensive records report. Surveillance can be extended on a per weekly basis if nothing is discovered, and depending on his personal history, our written report may go quite in-depth."

At this last point, Usopp nodded and added, "If there's anything about him in the system, we can find it."

"And we mean it, too!" Luffy said. "Usopp's a genius, there's nothing he can't dig up."

His companion sat up proudly at the vote of confidence, "They don't call me the Great Hacker Usopp for nothing, you know."

"He doesn't even charge or anything! It's his idea of fun," Luffy snickered, much to Usopp's horror.

"Don't go telling people that!" he hissed under his breath before attempting to recover, giving Law a serious, business-like stare. "B-besides! With great power, comes great responsibility. You might not want to know everything I could find! Have you ever considered that?"

Robin nodded, "Indeed. The most difficult thing you must consider at this time is how deep you would like us to go."

Law could see the inherent dilemma, and knew at once that some unsavory parts of Kid's childhood would likely be in the crosshairs if the Strawhats went digging. "Yes...well. This is already a step I did not want to have to take. I know what an invasion of privacy it is."

"Well, how well d'you know the guy?" Zoro asked. "Any red flags we should go after?"

"Or stay away from."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Thing is, your secrets - and his - are safe with us."

"That's part of what you're paying for, after all!" Nami added. "Can you really put a price on confidentiality?"

She had a point. They were already about to find some deeply personal secrets if they went looking into Kid's background. Beyond what he already knew, Law wondered what else they might find...maybe Doflamingo, or maybe simply more of what Law already knew: the damaged history Kid had already tried to escape from and hide. How much was left out when they were confessing their pasts? A man with violent impulses could run from them, but Law was not so naive as to assume they could be erased entirely.

Even thinking that made him feel like the worst person in the universe. He wasn't afraid of Kid; far from it. But how much of his persona was manufactured? If he were a foot soldier in Doflamingo's organization, who knew how his brother had applied those violent inclinations? The family could disappear a person's criminal history using their own vast resources; it was entirely possible that Usopp and the Strawhats were the only ones who could unearth such secrets.

But still, Law paused in responding; should he warn them off any childhood records? Or was that being wilfully naive? Law couldn't blind himself to what they were doing here. Simply hiring these people was a gross violation of Kid's trust. By this point, Law would be giving in to self-delusion if he warned them off Kid's childhood.

Besides...on a very simplistic level, Law was curious. He wanted to know. He wanted to know everything.

He wondered if, worse than anything, this entire affair was an example of his own unfair double-standards at work: Law was allowed to keep whatever secrets he wanted, but Kid was forced to give his up if he wanted to be trusted. Law steeled himself; he was playing a dangerous game, one which was irreversible once it began.

He sighed; in for a penny was in for a pound. With a confidence he hardly felt, he said, "I want everything. There is nothing off-limits."