Original fic (pixiv,net/series,php?id=277975) Replace all commas with full stops~
FORTUNE: CHAPTER 10
~I can't wait to see you.~
XxXxXxX
Kid had been working on a big project at work recently, and now, with its successful completion, all staff who were involved were invited to a drinking party organized by their section boss. Framed as a sort of thank-you to the members for their hard work, everyone was thus obliged to attend, regardless of whether they actually wanted to or not.
On the other hand, it was still a celebratory affair, with the boss generously footing the bill for a night of great food and drink. In addition, it had indeed been a while since Kid had the chance to socialize and just hang out with his coworkers, without any deadlines looming over their heads.
As such, Kid wasn't upset about having to attend the party, yet there was somehow a strange sense of hesitation deep within him.
Because he just couldn't shake off the image of Law, waiting all alone at home, while he was out making merry with his pals all night long.
Attending the party meant leaving Law alone for the night. Somehow, the thought of it bothered him more than he'd ever imagined it would.
He knew that the smaller male wasn't seeing anyone at the moment. In fact, there hadn't been any sign of him having a boyfriend for a long while now. Law had been coming home straight after work these days, after which they would always have dinner together. Law's job could be extremely demanding sometimes, requiring employees to pull consecutive all-nighters during the busy season, but Kid recalled Law telling him that work had been smooth-sailing these days, so he didn't even need to do any overtime.
Which meant that Law would be home early, coming back to a large but empty apartment. He would have to make dinner and eat alone, then spend the entire evening by himself. Somehow, the thought of it made something clench in Kid's chest.
He made up his mind to ask Law about it.
Thus, he reluctantly approached the dark-haired man that evening as he was preparing dinner.
"I see. You could have just sent me a text, you know? We're friends, right? There's no need to be so polite."
Law smiled in response, unaware of Kid's internal dilemma.
"But thanks for thinking of me. Anyway, you go have fun. I'm not a child, I can keep myself entertained for one evening. Oh, since you're here, have a taste."
With that, Law passed Kid a small saucer filled with the stew he was cooking.
"... It's delicious."
"That's good."
Law gave the pot a final stir with the ladle and turned off the gas.
"So, would you like dinner first? Or a bath?"
It was a familiar trope Kid had heard from many anime shows, but of course, he knew he would never hear the rest of it. Not from Law. Though it didn't stop him from speaking his mind.
"You're really like a loving wife."
Belatedly, he realized what he'd said, as Law visibly froze and stared at him, cheeks reddening and an unreadable expression on his face.
Kid cursed himself. He'd been doing this too much recently. He really had to start watching what he said, before he really pissed Law off.
But it was all unfamiliar territory for Kid. Aside from Law, he didn't have any other friends who swung that way, so his knowledge about where the boundaries lay was definitely lacking. Just how close could he get to the other man before he started giving the wrong impression? What types of jokes were acceptable, and what was taboo and off-limits? Kid had no idea.
But it was true that him and Law were close, so hopefully the smaller man knew that Kid would never hurt or make fun of him intentionally. That said, Kid was still uncomfortably aware that he'd probably crossed the line this time.
"...I'll go take a bath first."
"OK, no problem. I'll set the table and wait for you."
He felt that he should apologize, but doing so would be making a selfish assumption that he had offended Law. Not knowing what else to do or say, Kid beat a hasty retreat.
Thankfully, Law let him go without any fuss. He was aware that the other man had given him the benefit of the doubt, and for that he was extremely grateful.
Stripping out of his clothes in the changing area, Kid spotted a bottle of bath liquid placed near the bathroom door. He recalled Law explaining how using the product could help to combat exhaustion and calm his body and mind.
God knew how much he needed it now.
The rest of the evening was spent in a manner that had become routine to both men. Enjoying Law's home cooked meal, drinking a couple cans of beer, then ending the day with a smoke.
And that was how a week later, Kid ended up at a local pub with his coworkers, in the midst of a rowdy drinking party.
Eating, drinking, smoking, entertaining a boss who had drunk too much, listening to seniors boast about their own achievements, placating colleagues who couldn't reign in their emotions under the influence of too much alcohol, being offered endless drinks by juniors eager to please their superiors... It was a never-ending stream of insufferable, stifling situations Kid had to sit through, a fake smile plastered on his face the entire time.
If this was what 'going out for drinks with the guys' was like, Kid found it hard to imagine how anyone could actually enjoy doing this on a regular basis. He guessed it was something about the camaraderie.
Try as he might, he couldn't get the image of Law waiting at home all alone out of his mind, and he longed to hurry back. He tried to glance surreptitiously at his watch, willing time to go faster so the party could finish. Unfortunately, he wasn't as discreet as he'd hoped, and a senior coworker sitting beside him caught on to his impatience.
That senior was well-known at work, both for his good looks and lack of tact. However, he was undeniably smart and hardworking, so Kid respected him. Besides, there was no malice behind his blunt manner, and the redhead felt that it actually made him seem less haughty and more approachable. The senior seemed to like Kid too, often helping him out at work with various tasks and projects.
When his mother's health deteriorated and during the time immediately after her passing, Kid had to take time off work, and the one who covered for him most was also this senior, who told him to take as much time as he needed to grieve and recover.
However, there were also times when he liked to poke his nose into Kid's private affairs. Like now.
"Hey, your girl waiting for you at home?"
"...No."
"You guys live together?"
"Erm, you're really mistaken..."
Kid knew not how to explain the situation. The one on his mind wasn't a girlfriend, but a mere housemate. In the end, he settled for the truth.
"We're just housemates, and it's just the two of us, so..."
"There you have it. She's your girlfriend, then."
"That's not it at all."
While they were speaking, the other coworkers seemed to have decided it was time to embark on a pub crawl. As the boss settled the bill, everyone gave spirited ideas as to where they should head to next. Kid tried to excuse himself so he could finally catch his train home, but his senior was having none of it.
"You know, you should make her feel jealous and lonely once in a while. It'll really help your relationship."
It was a slightly chauvinistic viewpoint, and Kid felt a small spark of irritation. He would never purposefully fuel such negative feelings in Law.
Not that Law was his lover or anything like that...
"Besides, you got tomorrow and the day after off, right? What about your girl?"
By now, Kid had gotten tired of denying his senior's assumption of Law's identity. With a tired sigh, he nodded.
"Yeah... We both have a couple days off."
"Then you have more than enough time to cuddle and make out with her. You should just let go and enjoy yourself tonight."
"M-Make out...?"
The image of Law's face surfaced in Kid's mind. It was the happy smile when Kid announced the aroma oils as a gift for the smaller male.
Then, the image shifted as his senior's suggestion sank in. For some reason, his mind conjured up images of himself and Law embracing, then kissing...
Taking a deep breath, Kid forcefully shoved the lurid images to a dark corner of his mind. He must have had more alcohol than he'd realized, for the restaurant suddenly felt so hot and claustrophobic. He only had to see the smirk on his senior's face to know that he must be blushing like hell.
"Oh? I take it that you haven't done the deed with her yet?"
"Please leave it."
His head hurt, and he desperately needed to get out. He wanted to go home, see the smile on Law's face, and let himself be fussed over by the other man, but now, even that thought seemed stained and wrong. He must really be drunk.
In the end, he was dragged to the next pub, and the next...
After much drinking and merrymaking, the group decided to head to a karaoke parlor, but the nearest establishment was unfortunately packed, and they found some time on their hands before a room could be made available. By then, most pubs and restaurants had closed up shop for the night, and the group ended up wandering around a 24/7 game arcade.
Kid had not set foot in an arcade since his high school days, and while his coworkers joyfully challenged each other to various fighting games on the machines, he excused himself and made his way to the smoking room for a much-needed break. There, he took out his mobile and fired a quick text to Law.
'Looks like it'll be an all-nighter.'
A few seconds later, his phone pinged with a reply.
'I see. Have fun.'
Thus occupied, Kid didn't notice that his senior had also entered the smoking room until it was too late.
"Seriously, Kid... The nerve of you to abandon your pals in favor of texting your girl."
"...Like I said, it's not-"
"No need to explain, I totally understand."
The senior nodded sagely as Kid sighed. No, the other man didn't understand at all.
"But alright. Since you wanna be so secretive about it, I won't bother you again."
Kid knew he should take the chance to clear things up once and for all, but for some reason, he found himself thanking the other man with a smile.
This was not like himself at all. Normally, he would not tolerate such teasing and probing from others. He would tell them off, berating them for their nosy behavior and squashing all rumors before they could even start. It all seemed so simple, yet he just couldn't seem to get his actions to coordinate with his thoughts tonight. It was surely all the blasted alcohol in his system.
Sliding his phone back into his pocket, Kid headed back into the brightly-lit arcade. Walking through the aisles, he soon found himself in the UFO catcher machine section. Glancing with disinterest at the various prizes on offer, it wasn't long before a familiar character caught his eye.
Bepo.
He remembered how sad Law had been when he'd found out his Bepo strap had fallen off his phone. Maybe if he got this one, it would make Law happy again.
With that singular thought in mind, Kid fished out a coin and fed it into the machine.
To his chagrin, he soon discovered that catching the prize was much harder than it looked, especially for a beginner like himself. Even so, he persevered on, inserting coin after coin into the machine, sure that the investment would eventually pay off.
Before long, he'd gone through his stash of coins, but just as he was about to head to the cash counter to exchange some notes, Bepo suddenly wobbled on its perch, before tumbling over the edge and into the exit slot with a clunk.
"Ooh, congratulations. Got that for your girl?"
Kid sighed and turned around. His senior had appeared behind him again, the smirk back on his face as he waggled his eyebrows. The man seemed to have forgotten that he'd promised to drop the subject just a while ago, and Kid found himself too tired for any further verbal sparring.
"...Yeah..."
Maybe if he gave in obediently to his senior's assumptions, the man would get bored and leave him alone. However, the man's next statement came as a total shock.
"You must really love her, huh?"
Kid could do nothing but gape at his senior.
"...W-Why do you say that...?"
The man gave Kid a quizzical glance.
"Just by the way you're acting, man. You were so focused on getting that prize. Why would you put in so much effort if she doesn't matter?"
"Oh... But h-... She said she wanted this..."
In his mind, Kid sent a silent apology to Law for lying about his gender.
"So, there's some sort of anniversary coming up?"
"No..."
There was no anniversary, or anything of the sort. He had just wanted to see Law's smile.
Kid's senior chuckled as he watched Kid flail for an answer, giving him a triumphant smirk before turning and heading back to the group.
The man was surely toying with him. For the umpteenth time, Kid told himself that all this was due to the alcohol's influence. He was blowing things out of proportion, trying to assign meaning to what had probably been harmless teasing. When he got home, he would have a good night's sleep, and when he woke up, all this would surely be forgotten.
The group continued to hang out all night, first singing their lungs out at the karaoke parlor, then heading to a fast food restaurant nearby for a cheap breakfast. By the time they were finished, the sun was just starting to rise, and everyone finally said goodbye, heading to the station to wait for the first trains of the day to bring them home.
Kid was exhausted. While he had been able to pull several consecutive all-nighters back in his university days, he realized that he no longer possessed the energy to do so. As he trudged back to the apartment, he made up his mind to never again accept such party invitations in the future.
Opening the front door, he was surprised to find Law already awake and washing up in the restroom. A few seconds later, the smaller man emerged, fluffy towel in hand as he dried his face off.
"Welcome home. Would you like to take a bath?"
"Yes, please..."
"You must be so tired."
Kid found himself too tired to even return Law's smile. Thank god they'd decided to go for karaoke instead of bowling. Otherwise, he doubted if he'd even have the energy to make it home.
While he was loathe to spend his precious day off sleeping, Kid knew that it was probably what his body needed. If he didn't, he would surely pay dearly for it the next working day.
Stepping into the bathroom, Kid found the tub already filled with hot water. Law must have gotten up early to scrub the tub and fill it in anticipation of Kid's return. Once he was settled comfortably in the tub, he yelled an apology through the closed bathroom door. A few seconds later, Law's bright voice echoed back with a 'Don't worry about it!'.
Having Law around was definitely the best. Without him, Kid would probably be sprawled on the floor of his room right now, snoring away despite being all sweaty and stinking of smoke and alcohol. His muscles would probably start to cramp and ache from the hard floor, and he'd wake and crawl into bed, only to fall into a second sleep. He'd then wake up in the evening or the next day, feeling totally unrefreshed despite all that sleep. All in all, it would have been horrible.
But now, his body felt slightly better after a soak in hot water, and Kid felt a little of his energy return as he hauled himself out of the tub to dry off. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he made his way back to his room. After he was dressed, Law quietly entered the room and set a glass on the low table.
"Have some water."
Kid joined Law at the table, reaching out gratefully for the glass. The water was cold and delicious, having been chilled in the fridge, and the redhead downed the entire glass in one gulp.
"Are you going to sleep?"
"Just a little."
With a nod, Law made to stand from the table, but stopped as he felt Kid grab his hand. Unsure, he sat back down again.
"Here. I got this for you."
Fumbling around in his briefcase, Kid located the strap he'd won at the arcade and passed it to the other man.
Law seemed frozen as he stared at the item in his hand for a few long moments, before giving Kid a hesitant glance that seemed, for some reason, a little fearful.
"You're giving this... To me..?"
"Well, you like the character, don't you?"
Law looked down at the strap, then back at Kid again. The frightened look in his eyes unnerved Kid, and he sought to break the suddenly awkward silence.
"You told me you lost yours a while back, so I thought I'd get you another..."
"Did you spend a lot of money?"
"Erm... I don't really remember..."
It was true. The night had been so long and exhausting, most of it was little more than a blur now.
"Is it really ok?"
"Yeah, of course... I definitely didn't get it to hang on my own phone..."
That finally served to break the tense mood as Law chuckled. The smile on his face was the best thing Kid had seen all day.
"Thank you. I'm so happy."
Yes, this was what Kid wanted.
To see Law smile.
He wondered if he could find other ways to make the other man smile more. If he could somehow make it such that Law smiled like that only for him.
It was a strange desire. He had never felt this way before.
Too late, he noticed his racing heartbeat. Unlike the desire, this was something he knew well.
Something he had felt very recently, in fact, when his senior had teased him about making out with Law last night.
The familiarity was frightening. He knew he should fight it, but deep down, he knew it was a lost cause. He was already too far gone.
"Let me make your favorite dish for dinner, Eustass-ya. What would you like?"
He didn't know what he said in response to Law's question. His mind was in shock, his feelings a mess.
He had really fallen for Law.
Please leave a review or a comment if you can! ⁽˙³˙⁾
Leenahanwoo: Lol the hardcore fluff is gonna give way to hardcore angst soon. (｀∀´)Ψ Get ready!
Childerika: Sorry for the long long wait! I sorta fell off the map lol... orz But they won't be revealing their feelings for a loooooong time yet. (；・∀・)
haidogirl1406: They're just so sweet to each other (´⌣`ʃƪ)