Hello, everyone! I know up to this point, the story has been limited to Kid's perspective, but I thought it was time for Law to tell his side of the story, so this chapter is all Law-POV.
This chapter also contains mentions of Doflamingo/Law. All other standard disclaimers apply, and please pay attention to the warnings posted in summary and in the first chapter.
If you like what you've read, please let me know! I'm also very open to criticism of any variety. Thanks for reading!
Law remained where he was, the pleasant tremors of orgasm still jumping in his muscles. Pleasant, still - despite how they'd come about. He was fairly sure he'd gotten some splinters in his back from this latest round; like a typical pig, Eustass was already asleep and sawing logs. His master never managed to last much longer than ten minutes after the fact, a pattern that Law had become familiar with, filing the information away for later use.
Because it would be used, someday very soon; all the little weaknesses Eustass had shown to him were the keys to his undoing. All Law needed in the meantime was careful control over his unlimited patience, a rather herculean task during the more humiliating moments of his servitude.
He yawned before rising to to wash. The mirror's reflection was more irritating than it needed to be: color high on the cheekbones, mouth swollen, dark hollows beneath his eyes. It was a nostalgic sight that he hadn't been forced to see for many years, not since Before, when everything had first been stripped away. The use was written clear on his features, familiar but so different from the youth in that poster Eustass had dug up. How the fuck had he found that? It was the last thing Law wanted to be reminded of, his only advantage up until now being Eustass Kid's not insignificant ignorance.
But now he knew, giving the man just one more weapon at his disposal.
Or so was the expected response. Unfortunately, Eustass never bothered to follow Law's expectations. There was a reason he'd spent most of his life burying his past - even if he was a pirate, he'd been a slave first. For many, that wasn't a taint that was easily washed away. He expected Eustass to be angry, having been sold used goods, but the man behaved almost jealously; it was absurd.
Why would Eustass ever feel...like that. The captain's thought patterns were often mystifying, but then again, it'd become clear very soon after Law was sold that his master had no idea what to do with a slave in the first place. Law was fairly certain that Eustass completely forgot the reality of their situation half the time - as if Law were simply on his ship for a pleasure cruise. But when Eustass remembered, well...Law was well acquainted with such appetites.
His face burned and he splashed cold water on himself, not that it helped. Some things were impossible to wipe away. This entire experience of vile servitude was dredging up far too many things that were best left buried. But that was the point, wasn't it? To return him to where he belonged.
In the beginning, Law had been certain that the other man was aware of his history - the Before - and was using it against him. But it became obvious over time that Eustass, for all of his sadism, was not maliciously cruel. He was stupidly cruel - the vicious curiosity of a delinquent child, eager to rip the wings off an insect just to see what would happen. Or maybe Law wasn't giving him enough credit; it was hard to, when Eustass's hunger manifested itself in the most pitifully unimaginative of ways.
If Eustass had known about his history and chosen to use it against Law, he could have done so, and to great effect. But he hadn't.
Even now that Eustass knew, he didn't behave as expected. And Law found that very, very curious. A thing to be thankful for to be sure, but Law was not about to spare praise on Eustass for anything. He had no fondness for his master beyond what Eustass could get him, which at the moment, was quite a lot.
He left Eustass snoring on the floor. He'd probably remain like that for at least an hour - more than enough time.
There was a communications relay two storefronts up from the inn they were staying at; Law had made note of it when they'd first arrived, but did not head for it directly. He left their inn going the opposite direction. It really wouldn't do to end up followed by Eustass's nakama, slight as that chance might be. The sunlight and fresh air lent a clarity to Law's thoughts, and he let his mind wander as he himself did through an open market that lined the street.
If he wanted to, Law knew he could just disappear into the crowd. Eustass and his nakama would look for him, they'd likely tear the island apart, but it would be for nothing. Law knew how to become invisible when he wanted to. It had been his original intent, a simple but effective plan of escape once Eustass's ship docked at a substantial enough settlement.
Unfortunately, that was before the captain had shown him that damn map, and now Law's curiosity was piqued.
He hadn't been lying about the circumstances of his capture and sale, and the possibility of getting back inside one of Vegapunk's facilities was too attractive to ignore. Particularly when he had nothing left to lose. He could've allowed Eustass to be destroyed by the logia user they'd encountered on the open ocean, but the unfortunate fact of the matter was that his master was worth more to Law alive than dead. He suspected that would change before long.
Law fed his master just enough information to interest him and ensure that he investigated the Vegapunk outpost; the man was pathetically easy to manipulate. Now it was out of the question for Law to abandon his carefully-laid plans - he'd be damned if he allowed Eustass to plunder such valuables in his absence. They belonged to Law; he'd been the one to find out about the research facilities in the first place. He just had to put up with the bastard in the meanwhile, which was proving more difficult than anticipated, particularly with Eustass's new discovery of Law's own history.
Law knew his captor. Eustass was like a dog with a bone.
He paused at a stall selling glass baubles, more to ensure that no one pursued him than to inspect the wares. Eustass must've truly taken him for a fool to allow such freedom unsupervised. Such carelessness confirmed Law's theories that the captain had never owned a slave before; he practically treated Law like an odd member of his already-odd crew half the time.
But then again, Law had no real appreciation for Eustass's intelligence. He probably shouldn't have been so surprised when he observed no one following him. Law set on his way, taking the most weaving route through the market just in case.
For all of his stupidity, it was Eustass's brutish strength that Law was most interested in. He could've stolen the map and disappeared with it in hand, but Law had no intention of letting things happen as they had before, with his crew in tatters and himself captured. If it took his entire life rectify that mistake, Law would see that it happened.
Things had begun well, but then again, Law favored strategy and stealth above force. It hadn't been until deep into the Marine installation that things turned bad. His crew had several close-calls along their way; the facility was as fortified as a prison and designed to keep those already within from escaping - apparently the Marines were quite content to allow intruders inside their walls because anyone careless enough to be captured was quickly added to the roster of experimental subjects. No one in Law's crew was fool enough to fall for one of the Marine's boobytraps - Law had a low tolerance for idiots and didn't make a habit of allowing them on his ship - but there was clear evidence that those who'd come before were not so fortunate.
It likely should've been the first sign that things would turn sour. Traps alone could not account for the number of...samples the Marines had acquired. They'd likely have been plucked from Marine jails or sold by slave merchants - looking back, Law knew this to be the truth.
Despite their gruesome findings, Law's crew were able to obtain a large cache of advanced weaponry, not to mention restocking their dwindling stores of medical supplies. The journey to the New World had not exactly been easy, and Law was not about to embark on the second half of the Grand Line unprepared.
If Law had anything resembling vanity, it was a taste for the finest biomedical necessities and pharmaceuticals, and they were available in spades - the price of doing business with human experimentation. Many of the items had been developed by the legendary Vegapunk himself, though there was little evidence of the scientist himself.
Everything, including their escape, would've gone as planned, aided as their were by blueprints of the facility. If only the last person on earth Law had ever wanted to run into hadn't shown up.
Law had become too bruised by life to believe in luck or coincidence and the paranoid, suspicious part of himself was certain that Doflamingo had somehow orchestrated the entire thing - the perfect trap for wayward prey. But Law's rational mind knew precisely how silly that theory was just on its own. Doflamingo had never been possessed of patience, and his easy boredom often leant itself to twisted ends that Law was only too familiar with.
When he'd learned of the man's presence, Law purposefully separated himself from his crew. They did not leave him willingly, but Law insisted: he knew which of their two groups the shichibukai would pursue. And though Law resisted, he was easily subdued - there were really few ways to combat Doflamingo's fruit ability, which controlled him as simply as if he were a marionette. His own powers could be stolen from him and used, so Law didn't even risk the chance.
It was a terrifying lack of control that Law remembered from when he'd been at the other man's mercy before. If Doflamingo wanted to, he could rob Law of everything, including his ability to breathe.
"You're lucky, very lucky to have gotten off all by yourself, Trafalgar," Doflamingo simpered. "I was hoping to watch you kill your nakama. What a disappointment."
"I guess you'll just have to content yourself with me." Even if he was afraid - and he was, terrified, almost to the point that he felt nothing else in every fiber of his body - Law refused to let it show. To let it show would be to make it real, and Law could pretend, just for a little longer. As long as he needed to.
"Is that what you think? No, this is merely a delay. I've been short on forms of entertainment, so I'm planning to make this last."
Law's stomach sank, almost folding inward on himself, knowing the others must be captured as well. He was unable to bargain for their safety as Doflamingo's closed fist cuffed him across the temple - the man's hands were so large that it was like being slammed with a mallet, everything grey as Law collapsed.
He drifted into unconsciousness, feeling his body lifted and moved - and the fear never left, never subsided and only plagued him with nightmares until he awoke some time later.
His arms were secured in shackles and looped over a meat hook in the ceiling, leaving Law to dangle helplessly. His feet only barely grazed the floor, and his arms, shoulders, and wrists screamed with the slightest movements. He'd been stripped naked and was cold.
This was all to be expected.
Law knew this game, he'd felt it before: the way he hung exerted pressure on every joint, growing worse with time and the slight swaying motions of the ship as it bobbed in the ocean. The fact that his feet could touch the floor was an invitation to steady himself, spare the pain and relieve the pressure. But he was too far off the ground to hold himself stabilized for long - and the harsh imbalance once he was swept off his feet was more painful than the relief steadying would provide.
The goal was to exhaust the subject and make them more pliant; Law knew from experience that the paltry comfort of catching his feet beneath him for only a moment was not worth it. It only wore one down faster, adding mental strain and frustration with each inevitable failure.
The truth of this torture had become evident over time. Law had learned through trial and error. He knew he would need his mind later if he was going to make it through this.
Greater than anything was Law's fear that he would be left to hang until his hands were rendered useless, turned blue and dead after so long without circulation. This element, too, was part of the game, and designed to induce panic. Law hated how successfully it worked. No matter how effective it was, he was not some rabbit to thrash about as if trapped in a snare. That simply would not do.
He experimented with his Ope Ope no Mi, but concluded that the shackles on his hands were likely seastone. Even so, he flexed his fingers as best he could, even after they'd gone numb and fumbling. He wondered if his crewmates were held in a similar manner, or if they'd all simply been disposed of on the spot. Law tried not to think about it too hard as the very idea served to gut him as effectively as a fish.
How long he remained there, hanging, Law did not know. He did his best to attain a state of meditative calm, and even drifted in and out of sleep occasionally. The gentle rocking he felt as his body swung told him he was on a boat, Doflamingo's by all likelihood. He'd never wanted to return to this place, particularly as he was now. Helpless. Certainty spoke to him that everything up to this point had been done with careful intention, this welcoming-back ceremony.
Would Doflamingo fuck him while he hung from the ceiling? Law wondered if he had enough of himself left to keep from screaming if that happened.
The answer eluded him, and Law came fully awake with a cold slap of seawater as it was thrown across his body. He gasped, jerking, and was unable to stop the pained whine that the motion provoked. It was like needles driven into the spaces between his bones.
"Is my hospitality really so boring that you'd fall asleep already?" Doflamingo asked. He set down the bucket he'd used to dowse Law. There was a lever placed in the floor, and he ratcheted Law higher until they were face to face. It took time, what with the shichibukai being at least three heads taller than Law was.
He'd always felt slight in the other man's presence. It'd always been attributed to youth, his childish assessment of things. Law was old enough now to realize that he would always be smaller; it was the intrinsic nature of things.
"The Hanged Man?" Law shook the water out of his eyes, giving the torture its proper name. Now, with the added distance from the floor, there was no chance for him to brace himself, completely at the other's mercy. "I thought you would've come up with new tricks since I was gone. I know how this one goes."
"It's tried and true."
"And leaves no lasting damage. So am I to assume you want me in one piece?"
"You're welcome to assume anything you like. Life holds few guarantees." Doflamingo paused before him, smile leering and anticipatory. Law could see his reflection in the warlord's sunglasses and schooled his face into a neutral expression.
"I've really been...waiting for this," Doflamingo said, and his voice was an eager sigh. "You simply can't imagine. You had me so fooled, little bird. I thought you'd been domesticated. Right up to the day that you flew away."
"You should've known better than to believe I was broken."
"But your acting was so convincing, you ought to be complimented on it." Doflamingo cupped the side of Law's face, before sliding his hand down to loosely circle his neck. "Or maybe I only saw what I wanted to believe..."
The implied threat of those hands on any part of his body set Law's heart hammering away, but he didn't allow it to affect his expression. The shichibukai could likely see his pulse jumping in his throat anyway, but the man gave no indication.
He began a slow circle around Law's body, inspecting him. "I don't like it when the marks I leave on a person get cover up, Trafalgar," he admonished, flicking Law's hands where they were strung up above his head. He tapped the backs of each, "But these are rather fetching decoration. I like what you've done to yourself."
When he'd first been conscripted into the shichibukai's service, Doflamingo had tattooed his mark on the backs of those hands, the first ink Law had ever been given. The leering smiles of Doflamingo's jolly roger were the first things that Law had covered over, reclaiming them with his own symbol. It had been painful each time, but Law had loved watching those smiles get swallowed up by the black cross-hairs he'd asked for. If the artist he'd paid to do it knew the significance of what Law chose to erase, he hadn't shown it. It had been the first unasked-for kindness Law had known since Before, and he'd never forgotten it.
Not to be ignored, Doflamingo's fingers wandered across Law's hip, over the scar - the only remnants of a brand that'd been burned into his flesh. "Got rid of this as well, but with less imagination. A shame; I really hate damaged goods. How did you do it?"
"With a knife and my two hands."
"That must've been painful," Doflamingo smiled, licking his mouth.
That was one way of saying it: Law remembered the way the flesh had flensed off his bones; the knife used had been quite sharp. He remembered the mess, worse than he'd expected. Law remembered passing out without meaning to, he remembered how his skin had been slippery and difficult to slice once he'd really gotten down to it.
He wasn't a stranger to operations. But it was strange to operate on oneself.
Doflamingo continued, "I'll have to mark you somewhere you can't cut it away so easily. Maybe here, and here" - he began pawing at Law's skin, over his stomach and hips, his chest, circling as he went. Doflamingo ended behind him, leaving Law tense before fingers were trailed down his back. "All of this would be nice. I'll turn your body into my canvas, what do you think of that?"
"That you lack creativity."
"There you go again with that troublesome mouth of yours." Doflamingo circled back around, smiling before he slapped Law abruptly across the face. It was more surprising than painful, and Law felt it acutely in his shoulders and wrists where he hung helplessly from the ceiling. He refused to let the pain show. "It seems like you've forgotten the proper use for this," Doflamingo murmured, tracing Law's lower lip with his thumb. "Don't worry, we can remember together."
"I'd rather die."
"Go ahead, then. I'll just busy myself with your nakama instead." The shichibukai shrugged. "It won't be as fun, but I'll just have to make do once they've got no one left to protect them."
Law's jaw tightened and it must've shown because Doflamingo snickered, "The key, little bird, is to never get so attached that you can't live without something. I tried to educate you on that but it clearly hasn't taken hold."
"What do you want in exchange? I have resources to offer - " Even as the words left his mouth, Law hated how easily he played into the man's traps.
"I have everything I want right here. And you're in no position to be making bargains." The smile never left Doflamingo's face as he stepped in close, "Did you miss me? Be honest. And think of what will happen to your little friends if I don't like the answer I hear."
He held Law's chin before kissing him, tongue probing invasively but Law kept his teeth clenched tight, a wall of enamel and bone. He knew he could resist as much as he liked, it would only serve to encourage the other man. Law felt the tell-tale loss of control that accompanied Doflamingo's fruit ability, robbing him of his free will and the man plunged inside once Law's mouth parted. Doflamingo's other hand strayed down Law's back, sliding between the cheeks of his naked ass. Law couldn't help the panic that clawed suddenly at his muscles, thrashing away and whimpering into Doflamingo's mouth.
Doflamingo ended things with a sharp bite on the tip of Law's tongue, pulling away smiling. "It's good that you're afraid. If you weren't, I'd just have to keep going. You were always my favorite, you know."
Law did his best to keep his features calm, all while cursing himself for losing control. It hardly mattered; he would keep the shichibukai as occupied and focused on himself for as long as he could. Doflamingo would want to keep Law alive, but he knew his nakama were not as lucky. They were likely held elsewhere in the bowels of this ship, useful tools for Law's undoing. "That's surprising to me. You were always so brutal in your affections."
"You were the only one who could take everything. It only made you stronger, but the others..." He waved a hand dismissively, "They were only a pale imitation. I pinned my hopes on Bellamy but...he was a disappointment."
"His mind was never very sound."
Doflamingo had several proteges in the works when Law belonged to him. Not all of the children were slaves - some were legitimate pirates, ready for the New Age. Law had never understood their competition for the captain's favoritism, having been the subject of it for far too long.
"I think he was jealous of you, that you got all of my attention."
"Did he learn not to be once I escaped?"
The shichibukai giggled, "It'll surprise you, but some people actually like me."
"That is very surprising."
"I've been watching, you know. As you made a name for yourself. I was surprised you went after notoriety at all; you must've known that would catch my attention."
"Were you proud?"
"Very. And a little bit jealous." Doflamingo's teeth grinned in a wide, white crescent. "I taught you everything, and it just wasn't fair, running off like you did."
Law laughed, bitterly. "I find it hard to believe you were that hurt."
"Rejection isn't something I've much experience in."
"Then maybe I can be the one to educate you this time."
He never saw the blow coming as the shichibukai's fist connected suddenly with his abdomen. Law jerked, vision whiting out for an instant as bile crawled up his throat. From what, he wasn't sure - it'd been more than a day since he'd last eaten - and he choked, spluttering as he tried to gag air back into his lungs. It was so hard to breathe for some reason, and Law recognized distantly that the blow must've caused his diaphragm to spasm. It was somewhat comforting to still be able to think clearly under duress.
Doflamingo's voice sounded very far away beneath the pounding of blood in his ears, "You're in no position to lecture. Particularly when you never took a single lesson of mine to heart."
A narrow thread of hysteria wove itself amongst the seams keeping Law together, threatening to rip him apart. He could imagine the scene very clearly, as if Doflamingo's fist had pushed his soul right out of his own body, and he was now floating in the room. The ghost of himself could see his body swinging like a paper doll, helpless. At the other's mercy, just as his former master wanted it. How he'd always wanted it.
But worse than all of that, Law could see that the nailbeds to the tips of his fingers were turning blue. Oh, dear, the clinician inside him scolded. Cyanosis. Not much time left now, is there? What is more important, your pride or your hands? Better decide quickly.
Law knew that he was going to have to do something very stupid, and the matter-of-fact part of himself gathered itself with determination. It wasn't like there were many smart ways out of this left to be had, if they'd ever existed in the first place. He spat the sour taste from his mouth. It was becoming easier to breathe, so that was at least something. He felt a slow, strange sort of calm settle over him; it was truly freeing to have nothing left to lose.
Law smiled despite himself, "You have me helpless, to play with until you grow bored. But you still don't have everything."
"Oh? And what am I missing, hmm?"
"My willingness," Law replied. He had painfully little to bargain with and no promises that his last gambit would prove fruitful. "You can have my body...or you can have me. I won't resist you. I won't fight. I won't even try to escape."
"Who says I don't like a little bit of a fight?"
"I will do whatever you ask. And if you ask me to resist, I will." Law felt something swell - possibly hope, stupid thing - and another part of himself wither at the same time. So much for pride. He had little use for such disposable concepts. "Because we both know that what you desire more than anything is my obedience. You wouldn't have spent so long carefully cultivating it if that were not the case." He held the other man's eyes, obscured though they were. "And I will obey. Anything you ask of me; anything at all."
Doflamingo had stopped pacing. The smile on his face was more frozen than genuine. Law made no indication of victory; instead he closed his eyes, waiting patiently. He didn't move until he felt Doflamingo's breath on his face, "So you did learn a thing or two from me, didn't you?"
"I will only offer this once."
"And your price, then? I know nothing like that'd come free."
"My crew - "
And Doflamingo broke into a gale of laughter, "You are honestly so precious! What a martyr!" Law felt his hackles rise before the man continued, "And so, so predictable. Very well, I will accept your fool's offer, Trafalgar."
He kicked the lever keeping Law hoisted aloft, releasing the tension abruptly so that Law fell with a crash. His legs refused to hold him and he crumpled like something discarded. The sharp stab of needles was immediate and seering in his arms, shooting to his fingertips but even that made something close to joy lurch in his chest. If he could feel his hands, they weren't so far gone to be irreparably damaged.
Groaning, he turned onto his side, easing his arms from where they'd been stretched for too long. He likely made for a fine picture and could almost feel the excitement sizzling off Doflamingo. "My crew." Law's voice sounded as though it were dragged over gravel. "I want them released, no exceptions."
"I've already accepted," Doflamingo sounded delighted. "Though it'll be difficult to deliver on your demands. You see, your little nakama somehow slipped right out of our fingers - my fault entirely, I assure you. I was simply too distracted."
Law felt his mouth go numb, "Wait, you what?" He stumbled onto his knees. "But you said before - "
"I merely suggested, while you inferred plenty. It isn't a lie if you chose to believe a half-truth."
A cold sweat sprung over Law's shoulders, and he realized with the same perfect clarity that'd led him to make such a stupid bargain in the first place that Doflamingo had led him straight into it. He almost wanted to laugh; as it turned out, he really hadn't learned at all.
But trumpeting over everything else was, they're safe, they're safe, they're safe. The rest all seemed insignificant in comparison. Law knew he could die without regret if they had escaped and were unharmed.
"But I will take you up on the offer you mentioned, Trafalgar. Anything I wanted, wasn't that the gist of it?"
"How do I know you're not lying now?" Law knew he would be truly foolish to take everything Doflamingo said at his word. "You could have my friends locked up in some cell in the next room - "
Doflamingo waved a hand dismissively, "You can be sure I'm not lying because I have no reason to. Not anymore, after you've given me just what I wanted. And so easily - I almost wish you weren't so pitifully sentimental."
Law couldn't have known at the time that Doflamingo would use that bargain to see him sold off. He'd been more prepared to return to the shichibukai's service - everything and anything that his master wanted. Law wasn't sure if he would've kept that deal had things come to that; a bargain made on false promises was worthless, and if it would cost his life and his pride, Law had very little problem seeing his honor go with it.
But as he staggered to his feet, legs weak and barely holding him like a foal still learning its legs, Doflamingo pulled their bodies together. Law grunted and tried to get away, but the man tutted, "Ah-ah-ah - anything I want." So Law let his body sag and tried not to notice how his skin crawled as the man practically petted him like a favorite, wayward creature, finally returned home.
"You have such terrible expectations of me, Trafalgar." Doflamingo toyed with his hair. "So let me set your mind at ease. Let us do things the right way - from the very beginning."
Which was how Law found himself on an auction block in Sabaody Archipelago, staring out at a crowd that held many of his former peers, being bid on like a shiny object to be owned. It had spared Law from being violated before sale at the very least. That he would be thankful for, even if the thin veneer of fantasy covering his return to the shichibukai's service repulsed him. He hadn't understood the meaning of Doflamingo's words at the start, but it made sense later on - Law had not come under the man's ownership before by being bought and paid for. Doflamingo likely thought by doing things in such a way made them more legitimate.
Eustass likely thought the same thing, that if he'd paid for a man, he owned him, simple as that. But what they both failed to remember was that Law had not become one of the most powerful pirates in North Blue, and one of the leading bounty heads searching for One Piece simply on his looks alone. And he certainly did not escape from one master only to fall into the hands of another.
If there was one thing Law had to look forward to in this life, it was revenge on both men, simply for underestimating him to such an extent. He would live to see the regret in their eyes.
Law had pocketed plenty of money while captive; it was Eustass's own fault for giving him full run of the ship. He kept a wary eye on his surroundings before ducking into his destination: a booth which was packed to the gills with den-den mushi of all varieties. He was able to rent one for several berries a minute, and gave the store owner a generous tip to ensure the call remained confidential.
Law immediately dialed a number known by heart, anticipation eating a hole into his stomach with each ring of the tiny snail. Finally, it clicked and a voice said, "Who is this? How did you get this number?"
"Penguin." It was with great effort that Law kept his voice from trembling, "You have no idea how I have longed to hear your voice."
"Captain," his first mate breathed. "Oh, thank god."
"'God' has been very cruel to me recently, so don't thank him for shit."
"You're all right, that's enough for me. For now."
"I am...surviving, in a manner of speaking," Law confirmed.
"I will never forgive myself for leaving you at that auction. For losing to that bastard - "
"Now, now," Law cautioned. "We can't blame our dear Captain Kid for getting in the way."
"You might not, but I will."
A laugh stuttered in Law's throat. "Yes, perhaps my perspective is becoming a bit warped."
There was a thick silence on the other end of the line that went on for a worrying amount of time. "I promised you. We promised each other, once we were free. That it would never happen again."
An emotion that Law couldn't identify tightened his throat until it was hard to breathe. Sadness, possibly? Shame? Whatever it was, he swallowed around it, "I don't want to discuss that now."
"I know." Penguin's voice sounded as strained as his own had. "Your situation is already shit, I won't make it worse. But you had no right going off on your own. It's all well and noble but it makes me hate you."
Law knew what was meant; it wasn't fair for those who escaped to bear the guilt, knowing what happened to the one sacrificed. If that was all the injury that came to his nakama, Law would gladly earn their hostility. He kept his voice even and reasonable, "I was the one he wanted, we both know it. I would do the same thing again."
Penguin answered him with a contemptuous snort, but nothing else.
"Be as angry as you like for now, but trust me. I know what I am doing. I escaped from one madman already, and Eustass is only a pale shadow in comparison." Law was certain that his reassurance would fall on deaf ears, but it was as much as he had to offer. He was as protective of his crew as they were of him; the only difference being that he was the captain, and therefore responsible for all of their lives. If his life could buy the rest, he would do it - and had.
"Slip away now and we will find you. We aren't far -"
"I cannot do that. Not at present, at least."
"Why not?"
Abrupt annoyance pulled at Law's patience; he didn't like having to justify himself, even if it was warranted. He'd had enough of people questioning his competence lately. "Because I will not slink away like some beaten dog," he snapped. "Not before biting my master's hand off, that is."
Penguin's voice dripped with contempt, "Your master. "
"It is a curious position I find myself in, because Eustass is singularly terrible at his role."
"You're lying. Or not telling all of it."
Law sighed, rubbing the heel of his hand into one eye. "I'll spare you the details; they are unnecessary. I believe that auction achieved what Doflamingo intended, which was to embarrass and humiliate me before an audience. I doubt he ever imagined someone would actually want to spend such a sum just for me, that...was purely awful luck, I am afraid. If anything, I'm thankful that I was not returned to Doflamingo's service, as lacking as my current situation may be."
"If we'd only had greater funds - "
"Honestly, I suspect that money never entered into the equation in Eustass's mind. His brain is revealing primal, as are his methods. You did the right thing - I would rather be in the position I find myself now than have our crew come out ever worse for wear."
"I knew you would say that." Penguin sounded tense, angry. "But it doesn't make me hate it any less. Or that prick - "
"Believe me, I sympathize. It is only with great anticipation that I am able to endure his company." Law shut his eyes, so much from the last several weeks flooding his thoughts. It was amazing that it had only been a scant four weeks since his original defeat and the beginning of this enslavement. He longed to be back on board his vessel, among friends; he had not allowed himself to think of it before hearing Penguin's voice. Now that he had, Law felt the ache of loneliness sharp in his chest, stealing his breath.
Law grit his teeth against anything further. He would be with them once again, soon. Until then, it was a simple matter of perseverance. He'd known it would be the case when this had first begun. He remembered Doflamingo's words as though they had been etched onto his bones, "I want you up there on stage, in chains, like you belong. I want every pirate strong enough to make it to the New World to see what you really are: a little bird who belongs in a cage."
Hot sweat - humiliation - prickled down his back. Law had no doubts that if Doflamingo had been unsatisfied with the price Law was able to command, the shichibukai would simply take him back - reserve price not met. He'd seen Doflamingo in the audience at that auction, raising the price as people bid for Law, and the fear of being returned to his former owner had been so powerful that he felt it sway his body.
It'd seemed like an inevitability, the return to torture and degradation for amusement. The desire to keep Law alive that had existed Before was gone; he expected his wings to be clipped, quite literally, once at his former master's mercy. Instead of an investment, Doflamingo would now see Law as a treat, to be devoured and savored and, ultimately, disposed of once spoiled beyond use.
Law knew there would be no laughable hopes of one day slipping away. Not this time, not from that man. Law only got a single chance and he'd already used it in his first escape.
But Law also saw some of his nakama there as well, disguised amongst the other auction patrons, and knew Penguin had likely scraped together as much money as possible to buy their captain back. That show of loyalty was so reassuring that Law was able to swallow back everything, painting his face over with an impenetrable mask of disinterest. He didn't dare look at his crew unless he betrayed their presence - he hadn't bargained everything just to lose them again.
So instead he watched the man most intent on winning him: Eustass Kid, a familiar name by rumor only and just about the last person Law ever expected to be purchased by.
At first, he wondered if Eustass was just bidding on him as a joke, to rub salt in the wounds of a newly-enslaved fellow rookie captain. But Law saw the way the man looked at him and realized it was something else, something deeper - he'd seen the look Eustass had in his eyes before, a predatory hunger that Law was only too familiar with.
Maybe Doflamingo realized it as well, because while he kept the auction going, he eventually ceded the prize to Eustass. It was likely that Eustass never even noticed the little bidding war he'd been engaged in. It was like Doflamingo to appreciate the irony of the situation: seeing Law sold off to one of his equals was a new flavor of humiliation. It was surprising that Doflamingo would allow another to claim what was his, but Law knew how mercurial and unpredictable the man's mind could be. He was only too relieved to not be returning to the shichibukai's service; the devil he knew was much more fearsome than anything Eustass Kid could hope to be.
Law was right about that, in a way.
In his mind, Eustass had three traits that made this servitude bearable: he wasn't inclined to share, he didn't speak with his fists, and he knew how to fuck. The last point might've seemed insignificant, but given that Law was purchased specifically for that purpose made it as valuable as the others. At least Eustass wasn't after anything overly violent or sick.
Law was forced to concede a correction: he enjoyed the way Eustass fucked; he could deny it all he liked but the truth remained and wouldn't be ignored. Something had become twisted inside of him to enjoy such treatment. Abuse in the formative years had left their calling card in the most revolting way possible. It was the chink in his armor Law had never known until very recently. It made sense that Eustass fucking Kid had been the one to discover it.
Law's bed hadn't been empty since the Before, so he knew it wasn't simple sexual contact that he craved. One part of forgetting was replacing bad memories with something new, and Law had been very, very committed to paving over what had been left behind. But none of his partners had tripped over that hidden wire inside him that snared around his arousal as efficiently as a bear trap - perhaps because he was not inclined to being trussed up and fucked like a piece of meat for another's amusement. It really said something about how warped he was inside to find such pleasure in it.
Law fought as his lips attempted a grimace; it wasn't like it mattered what the darkest parts of him desired. He'd practically made a science of tamping down nuisance emotions and it was somehow satisfying that all those years of practice from Before still paid dividends.
In the grand scheme of things, Law knew he could do much, much worse; he'd already known worse. But as the saying went, things could always be worse, so comparing his current situation to his past and being grateful that Eustass didn't swap him around or slap him around was saying very little. In the end it didn't matter: he'd already been robbed of his dignity and Eustass just let him pretend otherwise when it suited him. Eustass could and would strip it all away whenever he pleased.
Law had been purchased for a reason, after all. He knew the rules of this game and wasn't stupid.
He'd made a promise to himself that first night in Eustass's company, the first time Eustass fucked him, when that little flaw inside of him reared up and made its presence known, begging to be debased and responding far too eagerly to the unwanted attention: Law would see the captain's head rolling on the deck of his burning ship before this was all over. Until then, he was prepared to wait as long as it took to see that it happened. There would be no escape without revenge first - just as Law had been sold, he would buy Eustass's life with diligent patience.
And so, as his body remembered all too quickly how to respond under Eustass's hands, his mind remembered as well - the most important skill he'd learned from Before, the ability to yield. It was disturbing how readily it all came back. He would become as fluid and indestructible as quicksilver, and the tighter he was held the faster he would run through Eustass's fingers, only to reform once free.
Eustass held him at once too tightly and allowed him too much freedom, as his ability to contact his crew could attest. As long as Law was feeling charitable, there were a few words of gratitude he could offer for the captain's lack of imagination; for his over-confidence and for the arrogance that would be his undoing. Law once thought Eustass stupidly over-trusting, but had begun to believe that the man was simply so outrageously cocky that he did not even consider Law a threat in any way at all.
That realization stung a bit. But Law recognized what such ignorance offered: let Eustass go on thinking that he was some weak pushover, it was simply another weapon the man handed over of his own volition. They were caught up in an intellectual arms race that Eustass remained blissfully ignorant of. It was for the same reason Law refrained from using his powers - they would serve him better if kept secret, reserved instead for the perfect moment.
Everyone could be deceived. Powerful men had a nasty habit of ignoring their surroundings, to their own detriment. Such underestimation had allowed Law to escape once before.
So when Eustass shoved him face-first against a wall or the floor, or took Law while he was bent over the captain's desk, he could fight however he liked but Law knew the way things would inevitably end.
He remembered the heaviness, Eustass bearing him down, the dampness of his breath against the back of Law's neck as hands curling over his hips, canting them upwards. Law's hands were pinned more often than not, a loss of control that was less invasive but still reminiscent of Doflamingo. It had taken concentration to ignore the stirrings of panic that rose too quickly to the surface, but Eustass provided the opportunities for much needed practice.
It was easiest when it all happened quickly, when Eustass was impatient and harsh. Law remembered the way his spine curved, wanton, like a cat in heat; the hard press of Kid at his back forcing him open, always too much, too fast, but just what Law wanted all the same. His heart hurt, tight in his throat, as though waiting to fill that empty place inside him, eager to leave room for nothing else, not even breath.
It was pointless to deny how hard it made him to be used like this, even if Law hated it. If there'd been a way to excise that piece of his mind, he would've done it. A simple enough operation if he could locate the source. He missed the naivete that that would've allowed him to believe such things were possible.
And so he ignored the way his body came alive under Eustass's hands; Law simply grit his teeth and endured. He knew how to distance himself from pain, to protect his mind within an impenetrable cocoon that nothing could injure. His body could be had, but Law's mind was his own.
Law shook himself from his thoughts. He was still on a schedule. "How are things on ship?"
"Just as you left us."
"And how was that? I did not learn of your escape until too late."
There was a long pause and the annoyed click of Penguin's tongue; clearly, the man was still angry with him for surrendering himself. It was likely the only thing that had kept his nakama safe, so Law ignored it. "When you left - " his first mate was very careful not to say the word 'abandon', but Law could hear it clearly. "We were able to make it to the ship. Took on some damage getting away, but nothing that punctured the hull. We've managed any repairs - not much else to do while on your trail."
"Good, good. I need you ready. My ability to contact you will be very limited, but if you are able to track us, things could turn out well, better than I could have ever hoped."
"What're you talking about?"
"I mean that everything is going to plan," Law said, and sighed with eagerness.
"What plan is this, then?" Penguin asked, sounding skeptical.
"The same plan we started out with," Law replied. "As it turns out, Captain Kid is both reckless and easily manipulated, and comes with vast resources. Including the location of another of Vegapunk's facilities, this time very close to my current location."
"Oh, no." Penguin sounded despairing. "You must be completely out of your mind!"
"Don't be so cautious! This is an excellent opportunity. And for once, I have nothing left to lose," Law laughed, excitement rearing back up inside of him.
To have Eustass Kid lead the assault on Vegapunk's facility would exempt Law and his nakama from much of the danger. Given that Eustass knew little of what to expect made things even better: like a bull in a china shop, Eustass would charge through the outpost leaving it in tatters, not even recognizing the valuable from the worthless. Law would be able to easily clean up in his wake, without endangering his crew a second time and gaining all the artifacts he'd originally set out to loot from the Grand Line station. "Let Eustass Kid rip a hole in the Marines. I will be there to clean up after him, and our crew will be the stronger as a result."
"I seriously hope you know what you're playing at," Penguin moaned. "This is exactly the type of thinking that got us into this mess in the first place."
"Yes, you're right; and now I'm going to fix things."
"Eustass was a thorn in our side straight from that auction house," Penguin reminded him. "Don't discount him. Don't forget how clearly obsessed with you he is. That can be advantageous or dangerous; don't ignore one over the other."
"I know. I know," Law said, annoyed. Maybe Penguin was right. Maybe he was getting a little ahead of himself, or his hunger for vengeance was blinding him. "Don't worry. That man is a problem, but a manageable one. Leave him up to me."
"Whatever you say." Penguin did not sound overly confident. "Bepo is here, he's dying to speak with you."
Law laughed, "Put him on, then."
There was a shuffling of receivers being passed around, and then, in the most forlorn voice Law had ever heard, "Captaaaaaain~"
"I miss you too, Bepo."
"It's awful without you. We never surface. It's hot and suffocating and Penguin won't let me walk around in only my fur - "
"Tell him it's all right if it gets too hot," Law said. "You're a bear first, after all. And the ship needn't remain beneath the waves on my account. You have the vivre paper, you can track me even without staying in visual range."
"Your paper burned once, it was terrifying!"
"I - " Law started, and swallowed before he said any more. That must've been the time he'd nearly drowned. It wasn't a memory he felt like sharing; his crew was better off the less they knew of his captivity. "It's all right. It was nothing. It's gone back to normal now, hasn't it?"
"But what if it happens again!"
"It won't. I promise you, it won't. I will not die a slave, my friend. I can handle Eustass Kid."
"Please come back to us quickly, captain."
"I will, you have my word," Law promised. "Take care of yourself until we meet again. Tell everyone the same for me."
Law hung up without waiting for a response because to carry out that conversation any longer would be like needles beneath his fingernails. Truly, Doflamingo ought to be admired for how well-planned this punishment had proven to be; it was enough to rob a captain of his crew, it was another thing entirely to make a captain unworthy of his crew, slave to another and separated from them. He sighed, returning the den-den mushi to its dealer.
He squinted at the bright sunlight once he left the stall, starting when he noticed a figure waiting beside the entrance.
"You can handle Eustass Kid," Killer repeated. He'd clearly heard enough to catch that last bit. "I look forward to seeing that."
"I beg your pardon?" Law was fairly sure opting for stupidity was a wasted effort, but there weren't exactly many options at the moment.
"You heard me," Killer said, his mask dotted with holes turning towards Law. "Just as I heard you."
"You're imagining things," Law shrugged.
"Then who're you calling on here, huh?" He crossed his arms, the mechanized scythe-blades hidden for the moment. "You never did come clean about what happened to the rest of your crew. Kid might take you for a fool, but I'm not quite as kind as he is."
"No, you're considerably more paranoid. If it matters to you so dearly, ask the vendor. I'm sure he's logging all out-going calls."
Killer gave a clipped scoff, head tilting skeptically. This one was the trouble, Law had realized that early on: both Killer and Eustass were muscle first and foremost, but Killer possessed a disturbing equality between that and his intelligence. Eustass needed him dearly, because for all his recklessness, Killer was the one to ground him. They made for a formidable pair, and Law didn't question why Killer remained first mate rather than captain because the man had a vicious streak of loyalty that would prevent him from ever considering things any other way.
He was the one to watch out for, in the end. Law had been foolish to not check more carefully for anyone following him.
In the end, it did not matter: Killer simply grabbed Law's shoulder, marching them both back towards the inn. Law allowed himself to be dragged along, silent and bemused; after all, there was very little else he could do for his situation at the moment. But he knew all of that was going to change very, very soon, and he clung to the promise, a little fire inside to keep his hopes burning.
It appeared as though Killer was not going to stop until he tattled directly to his captain, though Law had his doubts if Eustass would even be conscious enough to entertain the complaints. Killer pounded loudly on their rented room's door until he got a response, "Go the fuck away!"
"Kid, I am coming in."
"Fine!" Eustass's voice sounded peevish and sour. How a child like him ever managed to find a loyal crew was a constant source of amazement. "I'm in here."
Which turned out to be the bathroom, where the captain lay in the tub with his damp hair slicked back off his face and a bottle beside him. At least a third of its contents was missing. Law wondered how long he'd really been gone for Eustass to put a dent in the alcohol like that.
"Don't bother to get up," Killer muttered.
"What is so goddamn important?" Eustass had a purple-blue bruise blooming at the joint of his neck and shoulder where Law had bitten him, among other marks. Law had a hard time feeling remorse. If Killer noticed the evidence of their earlier activities, he made no indication.
"Want to know where I found this one?" Killer gave Law an emphatic shake where he still gripped him by the arm. It was going to leave a bruise but Law betrayed no evidence of his discomfort. "Down by the con-com relay. Sending messages."
Eustass fixed Law with a glare that didn't waver. "That right?"
Law shrugged a lone shoulder. "I wasn't sending any messages. I was only seeing if I'd received any. I had a standing account, but it's been deactivated."
Eustass snorted skeptically and downed a shot of whatever he was drinking. If anything, his blasé attitude only served to outrage his first mate more. "Is this even registering with you? Or should I come back when the bottle's finished?"
Eustass shrugged, "Go check out his story if it bunches your panties so bad."
There was a long moment of silent glaring between the two men that Law did nothing to interrupt before Killer shoved him away so hard that he stumbled. "I've never known you be led around by your cock, you damn fool! It doesn't suit you."
And then Killer was striding away, slamming the door behind him for good measure. The smile Law constantly wore did not even tremble; it was a practiced expression that had served him as faithfully as a suit of armor. His eyes shifted back to Eustass as the man yawned expansively.
"I shouldn't've done that. Now he's pissed and I'm gonna have to apologize." Eustass rubbed a palm over his face before propping his head against it, elbow leaned on the edge of his tub. The water wasn't soapy nor dirty and Law spared a quick glance down the length of his naked body, red hair like fire the only color aside from the paleness of his skin. At least Eustass wasn't unattractive. His skin was so pale and the planes of his face and body so hard that Law sometimes believed the man could have been carved from a block of marble, albeit by an unskilled artist. "Oh well. He'll get over it."
"Does a captain often apologize to his subordinates?"
"Only when it's his fault. Sit down."
"Do you want me to join you?"
"If you feel like it. Water ain't real warm." Eustass wet his fingers and flicked them at Law, splattering him with tepid droplets.
Law chose the floor instead, leaning his back against the opposite wall and stretching out his legs before him.
"Have a drink," Eustass offered, passing a shot to Law but keeping the bottle for himself.
Law swallowed his alcohol - which turned out to be rum, and awful - and balanced the shotglass on one raised knee. "It's bad luck to drink in the bathtub."
"No, it's bad luck to drink alone in the bathtub."
"What makes you think I would save you from drowning?"
Eustass laughed abruptly, "Nah, you'd be the one holding me down, wouldn't you?"
Law neither confirmed nor denied the statement, but thinking about it, he probably wouldn't. When he killed Eustass, he wanted the other man to be in full command of his faculties. He wanted Eustass, more than anything, to feel helpless: the same helplessness that was thrust upon Law at the slightest opportunity, so much so that he was fairly certain Eustass was totally unaware of what he was doing.
Eustass took another substantial pull from his bottle and swallowed with a grimace. He stared off at nothing in particular and Law wasn't used to seeing his master in such a contemplative mood. "What troubles you, Eustass?"
"Nothin'."
"That's a poor reason to drink."
Eustass made a half-hearted chuckle. "Sometimes all you got's bad reasons." Law didn't have anything to say in response so he let the silence stretch until Eustass demanded the shotglass, only to pass it back refilled. "Don't make me drink all of this myself."
"It's terrible."
"It's effective."
If there was anything Law had learned from his first enslavement, it was when to keep his mouth shut. He was loathed to admit how much he'd learned in basic manipulation simply from being near Doflamingo. That'd likely been intentional - he was being groomed, not only for pleasure but as a successor or a subordinate. Just think, if he hadn't protected that small part of himself under so many layers of self-preservation, Law could've been captain of a ship in one of the shichibukai's fleet. He remembered what Doflamingo said to him, almost disappointed, "You could've been so much..."
He could've been, Law knew. If he'd sold every last scrap that was left of his soul. The memory made his stomach churn, aided as it was by the cheap booze.
"You were right, y'know," Eustass said, interrupting his thoughts.
"About what?"
Eustass opened his mouth and closed it without saying anything. Finally, he said, "Being jealous."
Law almost laughed but held himself in check. He'd hardly remembered that and was surprised. "That's why you're in here, drinking yourself stupid? Because you're jealous? So you're just going to sit in the bathtub and feel sorry for yourself - "
"Hey, it's not me I'm feeling sorry for!" Eustass snapped. His red eyes flared angrily and he sank a few more inches into his water with a slosh. He continued scornfully, "Go ahead and laugh because I'm finally developing a fucking heart or whatever. You could've said something is all I mean."
"Did you really expect me to be a blank slate?" Law inquired. In fact, if he thought about it, it was likely that Eustass had never even questioned anything from Law's past. How typical. "Would it have changed anything if you'd known what you do now?"
"It would've changed everything," Eustass grumbled.
"How so? Explain it to me, then."
Eustass gave him an annoyed look, as though he didn't like having to justify himself. Law wasn't about to apologize for making him uncomfortable. If anything, he felt a vindictive spike of satisfaction: Good. You should feel as terrible as your black heart will allow.
He didn't expect Eustass to ever reach that level of self-awareness; Law's expectations were realistically low. Eustass seemed to puff himself up under the scrutinizing stare like nettled cat, "Fine! When I bought you, you got sold off as a captain, with a bounty - and not a bad one, by the way - and you're a fruit user, and I've seen you fight. You get beat and sold off, not my problem, you lost."
"So I deserved it." Law kept his voice careful.
"No, but you could've fought it and I'm sure you did. Bad luck or whatever that you lost." It seemed now that Eustass was talking, he had plenty of things to say. "Kids, though. Ain't nothing fair about that. Ain't nothing fair about it happening again just 'cause some sick bastard wants to have a laugh at you." He took a thick swig of his drink, face sour as he swallowed. "And there ain't nothing fair about dragging me into this little mess of yours without ever leveling."
"It is naive to demand that the world be fair, Eustass."
"Learned that early on, did you?" Eustass gave him a probing look, as if waiting for Law to elaborate but Law had no intention of doing so.
"Too little credit is given to the resilience of children," Law said simply. "A young sapling will bend only to snap back and strike you in the face. It's once you get older and more set in your ways that you're able to remember each hurt keenly and forget how to move beyond it."
"Don't feed me that bullshit!"
Law held up a hand to silence him before continuing, "I'm not trying to spare whatever delicate feelings you've had injured by this. But if you begin treating me like something fragile that will break if mishandled, then I really will become angry."
"I know that," Eustass scoffed. "You won't break. It's..." He stared off at something indefinable, pointedly not meeting Law's eyes. He finished his thought after several long moments, "It's why I like you."
"I'm more curious as to why this matters to you at all."
"Che," Eustass snorted. "You matter."
"No, I don't. If I did matter, you would release me. But you won't."
Eustass contemplated his remaining rum critically for a long minute. Law was starting to feel it work its clever way through his system, tingling in his fingers and dulling his nerves. He'd missed a good drink now and then, and wasn't about to cheapen the experience with the shit Eustass was consuming.
A hot, testy anger threatened to spill over from the dam Law kept it all piled up behind - no, he wouldn't break, particularly not over something so utterly stupid as Eustass's pathetic, weak feelings, which the man now saw fit to inflict upon them both. It was surprising to Law that, more than anything, sympathy was the fuel that finally set alight those coals of simmering rage, turning them white-hot in an instant. A peculiar sensation; he felt slightly dizzy.
"Do not confuse what you're feeling as pity for me." Law let a sharp edge remain in his voice, because Eustass deserved to hear it. This was all such a fucking joke. "You pity yourself because you can no longer treat me like garbage without your conscience getting in the way. Whatever you've got left that you can still call your conscience, that is."
He got to his feet and knew he should just walk away but couldn't. "You can stay in here and drown your sorrows however you feel is most effective, but don't you dare blame your guilt on my pain! I won't have you stealing that from me along with everything else."
Law could feel his face heat and sealed his lips in a thin line, annoyed at letting his anger show. Eustass was just watching him from his tub and for a change, Law couldn't read what he was thinking. But then Eustass waved a hand dismissively, "Yeah, why don't you just fuck off."
Why not, indeed; maybe that was just what Law needed to hear, and he turned on the spot, suddenly tired.
The sun was starting to sink and the entire horizon was brilliant with reds and purples, but Law had no interest in watching it and instead lay in bed and contented himself with the backs of his eyelids. He wondered what to make of the other man's sudden moral conundrum but didn't dwell on it. Eustass's feelings weren't his problem except for where they could be exploited.
Law wasn't sure if he'd sunk low enough to use these particular emotions against Eustass, but with the proper provocation, anything was possible. And Eustass seemed to be full of motivation for him today.
The conversation he'd had with his crewmates earlier was fresh in his mind: regardless of what happened in the meantime, he had a goal and things were progressing satisfactorily. One way or another, he was getting off of Eustass' ship once he'd gotten what he wanted at the Vegapunk outpost; if Eustass felt so goddamn awful for him that he released Law from his enslavement all on his own, that was just fine. Law would still have the revenge he wanted either way - it wasn't a condition he was willing to compromise on.
It would be easier to take pleasure in destroying Eustass if their mutual enmity continued but Law wasn't about to let his own hatred for the other man go, even if Eustass had a change of heart. In fact, if he considered it, that sort of betrayal might be even sweeter. It wasn't Law's problem if Eustass got attached.
He remained dozing for nearly an hour, his mind delightfully empty, when Eustass started sloshing around in the tub. It was several minutes later that the bed dipped under his weight as he curled up, his forehead dampening the back of Law's shirt where it pressed against him. Law didn't move at all - let Eustass think he was asleep; the man stank so much of rum that he'd be out before long.
"Hey," Eustass said before long, as if asking if Law were awake. His voice was thick with intoxication. Law knew he didn't have to answer, but murmured in reply. Eustass rubbed a hand over Law's stomach idly. If the bastard wanted sex he was in for a mean surprise in the form of Law's elbow to his gut. Law waited for the advance but it never came, and Eustass simply sighed against the exposed skin at the nape of Law's neck, "Does it ever get lonely in that walled-up tower you built around yourself?"
"No."
Law answered without hesitation, but he didn't particularly appreciate the insight.