Hello, campers! I apologize for being so long with the update. I also hope things are up to your standard of expectations, and ask your forgiveness if not - I meant for this chapter to be more substantial, but I guess I really just wanted to write some porn cause that's what ended up happening. So fair warning - plenty of gratuitous sex in this chapter!
To everyone who has reviewed thus far: I could not do this without you! It's amazing how encouraging every review is to me and I appreciate everyone's opinions, so please feel free to let me know what you do and don't like. Thanks!
Law came awake in an instant.
His mind snapped to awareness but he did not allow his body to react similarly. Someone's hands were on him and it took a long, sleepy moment to remember that it was Eustass. The lesser of two evils, he supposed.
Law remained, for all intents and purposes, asleep - he'd learned Before that it was in these moments, when his master attempted to coax him awake, that he was able to exercise the only power he had: to deprive his master of what he wanted, which was Law's time and attention.
He let the moments drag, counting each one. He tried to determine what Eustass was up to - something smelled terrible, but it was a chemical stink rather than the unwashed reek the man had been covered in earlier. There were few things that could match that odor in terms of offensiveness. Regardless of what Eustass wanted, there was something deeply satisfying in ignoring him, in denying his attempts at gentleness.
As if such tactics would ever work, hah. Law wished he could laugh similarly in the man's face. He didn't like this new turn things had taken recently. He blamed his own infirmity, the concussion having sparked a series of debilitating headaches that left him curled up in bed in the dark for hours on end. He knew time was the only solution but Eustass didn't share his patience and was prone to hovering anxiously. The very idea was irritating; the last thing Law wanted was a caretaker. This sort of pity was what he'd been trying to avoid since the very start, and why he kept his personal history to himself.
Although Law spent most of his life playing in shades of grey, he really hated this new twist to their relationship. He needed clarity between himself and Eustass. He wanted to draw hard lines that separated them, with himself on one side of the divide and Eustass on the other: enemy. It was a status that did not permit ambiguity. Eustass could do whatever he wanted for whatever reasons, and Law would not allow himself to be swayed by anything. If Eustass thought kindness would win him any sort of advantage, he was sorely mistaken.
That all being said, Law knew he couldn't complain overly about the change in his treatment. He would take such incidental pleasures as they presented themselves. Eustass was currently doing something with his hands, calloused fingers gentle. There was that sharp stink like turpentine again; Law wondered if the migraine was distorting his sense of smell. He knew he'd have to wake eventually, and wrinkled his nose in protest. "What are you doing that smells so awful?"
"I'm makin' you pretty."
Law glared from beneath slitted eyelids; Eustass was painting his fingernails. He tried to jerk his hand away but Eustass held him fast.
"Don't move, you'll make me mess up."
"Why?"
Eustass shrugged. "I was doing my own, thought I'd do you too."
"You really shouldn't have," Law grumbled. Eustass's garish habits had always a bit of a mystery. At least they kept him relatively well-groomed; there were small mercies to be found in the most unexpected places. "Has anyone ever told you that you're very strange?"
"Never to my face." Eustass gave him slanted grin, hair a mess as it flopped in his face and eugh, Law really wished he found that less charming than he did. When did that start? Once his migraines let up, he was going to have to mount some serious personal introspection if this was what his life was turning into.
Law glared at his fingernails as though they'd personally offended him, which was close to the truth. "Well, there's a first time for everything."
"Surprised you never did this yourself, with all the tattoos you've got. It fits."
"Those are practical in comparison. This is utterly ridiculous."
"You know what your problem is? You got no sense of fun." Despite his light-hearted tone, Eustass was clearly taking his task seriously. His hands hardly shook as he painted Law's with a delicate brush, his own nails already groomed to perfection. It was better than having raggedy cuticles and grime caked beneath the nails, which Law imagined to be more in keeping with Eustass's persona. Maybe he wasn't giving the man due credit. Then again, he often had a hard time giving Eustass any sort of credit to begin with.
Eustass finished Law's pinky without a fleck of paint astray. "Ta-dah. Now hand me the other one. And don't touch anything until those dry."
Law obeyed; if he was going to look foolish, the least he could do was match. "I feel stupid."
"But you'll look great, so who gives a fuck about anything else."
"As if that will help." Law yawned widely and watched without focus as Eustass busied himself. This was a strange thing to wake up to. Actually, if Law were honest, the only strange thing about it was that it'd taken this long for Eustass to begin dressing him up as he pleased. It was something Doflamingo had made a practice of, often to emphasize his ownership and Law's powerlessness. He'd marked Law's hands with his sigil, and burned a slave-brand into his skin. At least Eustass chose less-permanent means to mark him, but that was likely only a matter of time.
Law spread his fingers out, admiring the new additions. Eustass was right, it didn't look half-bad. Now, with his painted nails, and the matching gold bracelets from before, he truly looked the part of Eustass Kid's pet.
"How's the head?" Eustass asked.
Law shrugged, the migraine that'd sent him back under the covers had lessened to a dull throb. The pain was never as excruciating as it'd been the first day he'd awakened, but it was accompanied by crippling nausea. "I'm alright, just tired."
"Good." Eustass didn't even look up from his work.
Law knew the man blamed himself for the injury, for being unable to fix things. It was a familiar frustration, one he'd felt himself back when he'd first learned how easily a human being could be damaged and how slowly that damage was repaired. "Are you having any second thoughts?"
"About what?"
"About our course of action. About pursuing the Marines, even after everything that's happened."
"Heh," Kid gave a snort of laughter. He grinned at Law, eager. "That only makes me want to take 'em all down that much faster." He blew over Law's painted nails to dry them. "Make no mistake, they're asking for this fight. Been asking for it ever since we sailed into the New World. And if they want a fight, hell, I'll give them the biggest fight of their lives."
Law didn't hide the smile pulling at his mouth. "I'm glad to hear that."
"Figured you'd feel the same way. You're not one to back away from a challenge any more than I am."
Eustass was more or less correct, but overall, Law was simply pleased that all of this trouble wouldn't be for nothing. If Kid were overprotective, he might've given up on their mission - he was only interested in the Marine base through what information Law had shared with him. His stake in the endeavor was limited. Law had suspected the man wouldn't back down but hearing it first hand was a relief. He'd risked much, including his life - twice now - for them to turn back at this point.
"Okay, finished," Eustass announced. "Now, feet."
"You must be joking."
"'Fraid not." Eustass smirked and fished beneath the covers until he found Law's ankle.
"It's cold," Law protested. He was only wearing his shorts but even so, he wouldn't have noticed if Eustass were closer; the man put off heat like a furnace. The weather was noticeably cooler since they'd left Sweetcane. "Whoever thought I'd miss that dreadful heat once it was gone."
"Yeah, we've drifted into a fog. Doesn't seem to be burning off."
"What time is it?" Law had lost track of late, with the headaches. He'd rise in the morning, his internal clock still useful for something, and help Wire prepare breakfast. It was typically after that when something would twinge in his brain, sending him back to bed before the real pain began. He hadn't made it through a complete day without rest since he'd been slammed with that rock.
"Beats me, noon-ish. Hard to tell without the sun about."
"I wonder if the change in climate means we're getting close..." Law let his sentence trail off, thinking. The question was close to what. It had been weeks since he'd had a good look at Eustass's map, but he suspected they were in range to pick up their goal, the island harboring the research facility that'd started this whole mess.
"Could be," Eustass answered without pausing in his work. He was just as careful and delicate with Law's feet as he'd been with his hands. "I know what you're thinking. You're scheming about what we'll do once we get there, aren't you?"
"Scheming?" Law asked with mock effrontery. "Me?"
"Yeah, you, and don't act so innocent. You never stop thinking."
"Thinking is different from scheming."
"It's the same damn thing when you're the one doing it."
"I'm beginning to suspect you doubt my motives, Eustass."
"Gosh, whatever would make me do that, hmm?"
"I did not drug you earlier. I thought we'd agreed upon that." Law felt testy annoyance creep into his words. He didn't like being accused of crimes he hadn't perpetrated. He'd certainly own anything he orchestrated, but he'd never be stupid and foolish as to poison Eustass that openly. And if he'd meant to kill the man, he would've seen that he stayed dead.
"If you're so offended by the implication, maybe you oughta do some thinking on why it's so easy for me to believe."
"I won't apologize for things I haven't done."
"And if you want trust," Eustass said, finishing with one foot by pressing his mouth to the inside of Law's ankle. "Earn it."
Law snorted and glared at the window, which showed a cold, clouded-over world. He wasn't about to work to earn anything in this relationship. He didn't have to. It would be just another added humiliation. Besides, he only ever intended to destroy Eustass in the end; such work, if he pursued it, would simply be wasted. His master already trusted Law to a foolish extent, allowing him casual freedoms that his status didn't permit, allowing him to carry weapons, treating him like the shadow of an equal. What more should Law abase himself to earn?
But then again..., the contrary part of his mind began. Having Eustass's trust and then using it against him, using it to bring him down would almost be worth it. If Eustass ever did foolishly become enamored beyond his simple physical desires...it would be like carving out his heart only to have Eustass do the cutting himself.
Law wondered how much he would realistically have to work in order to earn that. He wondered if he didn't have that trust already.
Maybe his hesitancy to exploit Eustass's feelings was simply the headwound talking. The more he thought about it now, the better it sounded. A truly enjoyable payoff for everything he'd been subjected to since entering the captain's service.
Law wondered how forced things were now; how much of Eustass's attention was endured rather than allowed. Eustass permitted Law certain freedoms and he found himself permitting Eustass freedoms of his own - the small fights they used to have over the simplest interactions were frequently forgone. Law wasn't making a fuss over Eustass painting his nails; a month ago, at the start of his enslavement, he would've fought kicking and screaming if his master had tried it. Unlike Doflamingo, whose every touch or word promised misery, there was nothing sinister or demeaning about Kid's attention at the moment; Law could tell the differences between them more easily now. Doflamingo would dress him up to humiliate, and Kid would sit here, painting his finger and toe nails because it pleased him.
Law watched him idly, "Where did you learn to do this, Eustass?"
"Back in South Blue."
"A common practice?"
"Only among the people who spend most of their time rebuilding old engines. You're either looking at this - " Kid flashed his own perfectly-painted fingers. "Or two days of packed-in grease, cause there ain't no point in digging it out when it'll just look twice as bad the next day." He shrugged, "Plus, the varnish keeps your nails from splitting."
"That's disgusting." Law suppressed a shiver. As if the two of them could get any different even now, Eustass had found a way. "Do all the mechanics in South Blue do this?"
"Most. Just for show on me these days. Looks cool, so I keep doing it." He finished with Law's toes, recapping his paint and setting it aside.
Law missed his careful hands immediately - and set about squashing that notion just as quickly. "I never imagined you'd been anything other than a pirate."
"Nah." Kid gave him a smile, full of cocksure self-confidence. He liked having Law's interest. "I didn't start this wicked life of piracy until I got my fruit ability, and that was only three years ago."
"So late? I'm surprised, your control with it seems greater than that."
"Guess I'm just a natural, huh?" Maybe Eustass missed having his hands on Law, because they slid right back to his feet, caressing idly before his thumbs started to work into the sole.
He had strong hands, a fact Law had not yet appreciated fully until they began working the muscle with bruising efficiency. "Not so hard, fool! I need those to walk on." But he felt his spine begin to slacken, part of him hoping that Eustass would continue from his feet to his ears.
"Oh, quit whining," Eustass grinned. "Like always, you protest too much. You're loving this, it's making your toes curl."
"Shut up."
"I should do this more often, it's making you melt."
"Fuck. You." Law hissed, and flipped him the bird for good measure, but not before Eustass's thumb sank into the arch of his foot and he had to bite back a groan.
"Just lie there and take it, it's what you're best at."
"I should kick your teeth in for that comment alone."
"Go ahead and try," Eustass snickered. He clearly knew he had the upper hand, the bastard. "To get back to your question, I think already knowing a thing or two about metal made it easier to get a handle on having a fruit affinity for it."
"You must be the luckiest pirate in the four seas to have such a complimentary ability," Law responded, voice strained. But if Eustass wanted to sit here and carry on a conversation while he worked Law over, he wasn't about to concede the battle quickly. This was the easy part, after all; Law knew how this would proceed. Eustass wouldn't settle for only his feet.
"Luck, fate, who can say? I don't question things, particularly when they go in my favor." Eustass released his right foot before proceeding to the left and repeating his assault. "Kinda like when fate dropped you in my lap."
"That was decidedly not luck."
"Not for you, you mean."
Or for you, Law wanted to say. But that would be showing too much of his hand. He liked Eustass's continued ignorance. He'd been contemplating the strategic benefits of cooperation only minutes before. It wasn't difficult to put theory into practice, particularly when Eustass was turning his muscles into liquid.
He wasn't about to let the conversation end; this was the most information he'd gotten from Eustass for quite a while. "So what were you before, in your other life?"
"My other life?" Eustass smirked, calloused fingers tracing over his ankle before progressing up his calf.
Law shrugged, "What would you call it?"
"My misspent youth? Still the same life, warts and all." He shook his head ruefully before pushing the blankets off Law entirely. Eustass sighed, as though he'd been waiting this whole time just to do that. "Fuck, you really are beautiful, you know that?"
Law felt gooseflesh ripple up his arms and legs, though he wasn't sure if it was from the chill or the look Eustass was giving him. He knew what it was like to be desired; it'd been a fact of life ever since he'd first set out into the world, for better or worse, and he didn't shy away from it. Sometimes he wondered exactly what it was that Eustass saw in him that he liked so much.
Doflamingo's had been the type of hunger that would ruin, and he'd consumed Law, rebuilding him in his own image. Law knew he wouldn't be the person he was now if not for what had happened Before, and sometimes he wondered about that. If it had been for the best - it'd made him stronger, he would not argue that. His control over his ability had grown in leaps and bounds under Doflamingo's tutelage.
Who would he have been otherwise? It was a question he frequently pondered, a very entertaining what-if story. Likely some boring intellectual, just like his father. He wondered if his only living relative was even still alive, if he'd mourned Law's disappearance. Law never went back to the Institute once he'd escaped. It was just as Eustass said, warts and all; the past wasn't something he could change. Sometimes Law wondered if he would were he given the opportunity.
Eustass was still staring like he could watch forever. The hunger in his eyes was always raw, naked in its simplicity. He just wanted. And what he wanted, he got, through force or threats of force - it was who Eustass was and how he operated. He'd been blessed with a frame and stature that lent itself to easy confidence. Eustass was formidable even without a devil's fruit power. But given one, along with his physical assets, and it was plain to see how that easy confidence could translate to over-confidence.
Law wouldn't dispute how well fate and nature had served the man up until now. But Eustass's hunger, like himself, was chaotic: he controlled it at the moment, but it was wild at heart, and it was only a matter of time before it got loose. Eustass Kid would be in a lot of trouble the day that happened. Law only hoped he would be there to see it.
Until then, he knew he could play a small part in unraveling his temporary master. If Law was going to be fucked, he wasn't going to run from the inevitable. He stretched, letting every muscle flex before going slack; Eustass's pupils practically dilated in response until his eyes were swimming in them. It was viscerally satisfying to see the effects he could provoke. There was a strong difference between them in size and strength - nothing short of steroid use was going to close that gap - but if he had what Eustass wanted, he would use it. He kept his voice bored, even with anticipation stirring inside him. "What're you waiting for, a written invitation?"
"Maybe." Eustass wet his mouth, "Turn over, I'll do your back."
His words tugged at a loose thread of alarm, drawing it tight, but Law did not allow it to show. It was never wise to turn his back on someone with the look Eustass had in his eyes. One could never be precisely sure what they would do. Despite his reservations, he followed Eustass's orders, rolling onto his stomach and resting his head on his cross-folded arms.
Cool fingers began at his shoulder blades, trailing his spine to the dip in his back. Law's nerves shivered in the wake of that touch, waiting to see what Eustass would do next. The man settled over him like a cat slinking over a trapped bird. "You're so tense," Eustass said before kissing the nape of his neck. "I'm not gonna do anything bad to you."
"Mm. I've heard those words before."
"Not from me." Eustass started again at the top of his spine, the touch firmer, more sure. Enough to press the knots from Law's back without pinning him to the mattress. It was a level of consideration Law wasn't entirely comfortable with. Since when did Eustass actually have a handle on how much strength he possessed? Law glared at the headboard just as Eustass's steel fingers began to really get to work, digging into where each of his ribs joined his spine. Law bit back most of a groan, unable to stop it entirely, his back arching up for more.
"See? Too damn tense." There was an annoyingly self-satisfied smile in his voice.
"Oh, fuck you," Law moaned into the pillowcase. Eustass's hands didn't pause, continuing down, continuing to pull Law apart. "Where on earth did an idiot like you ever learn to do this?"
"Believe it or not, I've had my fair share of partners before you - "
"And all of them paid handsomely to put up with your presence, I have no doubt."
"Ha-ha," Eustass laughed but his fingers increased their intensity. Law wondered how wise it was to provoke the man in his current position. "Always got the worst to think when it comes to me, dontcha?"
"I've learned through experience," Law said, and hissed a breath through his teeth as his spine popped, loud enough that he could hear it. His nerves prickled all the way to his toes. "Ah, god! Are you trying to cripple me?"
"You really do make a terrible patient," Eustass muttered.
"Only because you are an appalling nursemaid!" Although he complained, Law found each pop and crack Eustass elicited a satisfying relief of tension and pressure. He hadn't had such a thorough massage since...Law realized he couldn't remember; it was possible that he'd never had one. While he took his share of companions to bed, he'd never been overly comfortable with casual affection such as this. He liked to get his needs met efficiently, which left little room for this sort of treatment. He wondered if he'd have to reevaluate his ways of thinking after he got out of this mess, but that future was so far off that it was easy to dismiss.
He clenched his fingers in the pillow beneath his face, Eustass's hands reaching the curve of his lower back and spreading over the bones of his pelvis and hips. He could feel the man's erection against him even if it went ignored for the moment. Law knew that was not likely to last. But in his state of pliant, lazy arousal, he could hardly find it in himself to care.
Calloused fingertips traced the twin dimples in Law's lower back. He really was feeling much better as a result. It made him wonder if his headaches were partly being caused by tension. Eustass's mouth pressed against one shoulder, "How's that?"
"Mmm."
The mouth continued leaving open, damp kisses dotting his back. "I want to fuck you."
Law snorted; how typically graceless. "Did you waste all this time just to ask me that?"
"I wouldn't say this was a waste."
"What if I say no?"
"Are you saying no?"
Law thought about it, Eustass's mouth never leaving his skin for more than a moment. What did he really want? The answer he found surprised him. "No."
Eustass stilled, hesitating, "No to which part?"
Law rolled to face him, "It doesn't matter. Why are you even asking in the first place?"
"'Cause I want to."
"And what will you do if I say no?" Law glared; this was annoying. He didn't have any doubts of what would happen. Eustass had a predatory stillness about him; that hunger, held in check - for the moment. If Law denied him, he knew Eustass would have other ideas. It was irritating to imagine things would go otherwise. Eustass's erection was still there, heavy and full. A man with something like that didn't take rejection well.
Eustass didn't blink at all, "Say no, and we'll find out."
Law snorted with scornful disbelief. "Don't pretend that I have a choice in this matter."
"Then you shouldn't pretend you aren't interested to begin with," Eustass retorted, one hand darting between Law's legs and molding to his hardening cock.
Law hissed a breath through his teeth, the contact perfect and awful at the same time. "You really are a pig."
"Maybe. But I'm still not hearing a no." His hand began moving slowly, a decidedly different massage but no less enjoyable than what he'd been doing earlier.
"Don't ask a question when you've already decided what the answer will be."
"And you shouldn't put up a big show of how much you hate this when it's obvious you don't."
"How would you know what I do and don't like?"
"I'm observant when I want to be," Eustass smirked.
He advanced, and Law felt a sudden jerk of panic, aroused and claustrophobic, boxed in by Eustass's body and arms. Escape was a joke, just like Eustass's efforts to cajole him into a fuck were a joke. "Just take what you want. Quit insulting me by acting like I have any say in this at all."
To his surprise, Eustass stopped what he was doing entirely, giving a loud snort of annoyance. He reared back to settle on his knees, running a hand through his sloppy hair, "Che, you really know how to ruin the mood, dontcha?"
"And what a mood it was," Law replied with venom.
"That's it, fine! You wanna make me the bad guy, have it your way." Eustass straightened, crawling off of Law and standing. "When you actually feel like being honest about things, you know where to find me."
"Wait," Law said before he could stop himself. He clenched his jaw. How irritating. As if he was about to let Eustass Kid guilt him into sex. All the same, he knew it was foolish to reject Eustass out of spite - he wanted the man's trust; he'd need it in the long run. He was simply so used to being ignored that he never anticipated Eustass would listen to him.
Things were a lot easier when Eustass didn't listen to him. Now that he was, Law wasn't sure what to say.
He rose up, peevish annoyance fighting with a nervous little flutter of panic. It was an oddly unpleasant sensation; he couldn't remember being quite so off-balance before. Law wanted to blame it on his head injury but knew that would just be self-delusion.
Eustass was waiting, though, half-turned. "Well, what?"
Law chewed on the inside of his mouth before speaking. "I wasn't saying no."
"So what were you saying, then?"
"What do you think, idiot?"
Eustass turned fully to face him; his expression was very unreadable. Desire, yes, and a strange control - restraint, Law realized. He'd never seen it there before. The flutter of panic bloomed until he could feel it in his fingertips. Law suddenly wanted very much for things to go back to what they'd been before, when Eustass didn't listen to him for any reason, ever. He realized that he had no idea what to do with Eustass if the man stopped pushing him around; he'd be left pushing against an opposing force that no longer existed.
Law didn't realize his hands were shaking until Eustass knelt beside the bed and twined their fingers together. He kissed the corner of Law's mouth, "Hey, don't freak out. What's wrong?"
"I am perfectly fine."
"Yeah, whatever." Things were very much not fine, and with Eustass in his newly-perceptive mood, it was only a matter of time before he caught on. At the very least, Law was still confident that he could shift the man's attention away from that.
He caught Eustass by the hair, pulling him in to kiss deeply, and that was really all it took. A portion of himself relaxed at this familiar territory. Eustass worried his lower lip and Law opened to him, the long stroke of Eustass's tongue over his own welcomed and returned. Law knew he had only just recently been thinking how beneficial some positive reinforcement could be if deployed thoughtfully. Might as well put theory into practice. Their mouths broke apart and Law felt strangely out of breath. "Fuck me."
"Now that's what I was waiting to hear."
He could hear the grin in Eustass's voice and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "You really just want me to beg for this, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do actually." Eustass nipped at his ear. "Filthy shit like that just sounds so much better when it's said with your voice."
"And here I worried over nothing," Law muttered as Eustass crawled back over him, guiding Law's legs apart and slinking in between. The prick likely just wanted to see if he could get under Law's skin, and there he'd gone and let him do just that.
Eustass traced the inside of Law's thigh, teasing over the hem of his underwear before he sank forward, pressing his open mouth over the clothed bulge that'd formed, breathing out in a hot sigh that was close enough to devotion that Law almost felt himself come undone. "You're just perfect," Eustass murmured, voice a hum against his swollen cock.
"Please just hurry up." Law clenched the pillow beneath his head, fingers knotting in deeply because he wasn't going to end up reaching for Eustass even if he wanted to.
Eustass raised himself up, pressing wet, fierce kisses against his abdomen and hips. He looped two fingers in Law's shorts and they were gone in an instant; fuck, he was hard. But Eustass's mouth didn't touch him once he was bare; that was irritating to the point that he wanted to slap the man on principle alone. Instead he groaned in frustration, fingers digging in deep enough that he could feel the feathers inside his pillow. His newly-painted nails were going to shred right through the fucking thing at the rate Eustass was going.
Fortunately, things wouldn't have to come to that. Eustass trailed a hand from Law's collarbone to dip into his navel before tracing the length of his cock from tip to base. It was impossible to stop the whine of relief from escaping, especially when Eustass's hand closed around him, thumb worrying a spot beneath the head of his cock. "God, I want to make you come so hard. I want to get inside you until there's nothing left to touch."
Law felt a shiver ripple up his spine. There was something powerful about hearing Eustass say that, something about the helpless note in his voice, as though he would do anything for Law in that moment. His hips arched up, into Eustass's hands. It really had been too long since they'd done this - if there was anything Law was willing to credit his master for, it was Eustass's skill at taking him apart. Sometimes that release was welcome, that loss of control - even if they fought over it before it happened. Since his injury, the man had been less assertive than Law was used to, and he was surprised to find he missed it. They'd slept together, but even then, it'd been almost chaste, with limbs tangled but nothing more.
Eustass seemed prepared to make up for lost time, now. It was a relief for Law to turn that part of his brain off that was typically so focused, observing and cataloguing each small touch, analyzing them for a weakness. Eustass wanted to fuck him, and Law was going to let him - Law was going to encourage him. Eustass was starting to listen to him, for whatever reason, and Law wanted that to continue. That was real power, and even if he only ever got just a little, it was enough.
"Hold on," Eustass said, against Law's belly. "Turn over."
"What?" That put a real wrench in the works. Law hardly had time to adjust before he was rolled onto his stomach with Eustass's hand, warm and calloused, tracing along his spine to the rise of his ass.
"Like this," Eustass murmured. Law stiffened, over-exposed and wary. He didn't like having the man out of his sight. Not to mention the distinct lack of dignity that came with fucking this way. He knew Eustass was well aware of the implications, he'd used them against Law before - turning him into something faceless and disposable. No better way to discipline an unruly bitch quite like shoving their face in the dirt and taking what you wanted, teeth against the back of their neck to show them who was in charge. Doflamingo had taught Law with such methods; Eustass hadn't been sparing with them either.
And so when the panic rose up, Law forced himself to go lax and didn't allow it to take hold. He became almost limp; a struggle would only benefit the other man. Then Eustass's mouth was against the back of his neck, open and damp but without teeth, the lines of their bodies molding against one another, back to front without any room to spare. Law arched with his hips and Eustass growled, the heat of his cock hard against Law's ass as he spread his legs apart. It made Law feel breathless, pinned and trapped and waiting. Eustass was probably thinking of it like this, he realized, when he had hands on him earlier. Still predictable; it was reassuring.
He felt the dull nudge of the man's cock between his spread legs, riding over the curve of his backside and a piece inside him went into free-fall. "Use - something." Law hated the feeble edge to his voice; as if Eustass would get this far without intending to slick them both up. "Not much, I don't need - much."
"I know, give me a second."
The lube was startlingly cold, warming quickly against Law's skin. He almost whimpered when Eustass's finger pressed forward, inside; he was aching for this, right to the pit of his stomach. "That's good, that's fine - "
"Are you sure?"
"Just do yourself and it'll be enough. I want to feel it."
Eustass sucked a wet kiss against his hairline, "If that's what you want." He sounded doubtful, but he always spent too much time with his fingers anyway. Law hadn't contradicted him until now because more was better than less. Such considerations were irritating, because it made it more difficult for him to hate Eustass when he was thoughtful. Over time, Law's control over his body grew, and he had learned Eustass's: the way he slid in, forcing Law open was something once detested but now he was craving it. There was always a moment of surprise as his muscles resisted, an involuntary response that Law could only gasp through, when it felt as though he would be torn apart until his body yielded. The sweet parting as that happened was difficult to articulate; it was relief, it was sublime.
Then Eustass was pressing in, in, slow and relentless until Law was so full it was difficult to breathe, as though the space inside of him had been displaced. Eustass paused, their skin catching and dragging before he was in all the way; Law's voice began and died with a half-formed sound that was pleasure and pain at once.
"Okay?" Eustass's voice was too concerned for Law's taste.
"Mmm. Yes. Don't stop." He gripped the sheets with both hands as Eustass moved, adjusting his position, shoving them both forward until Law caught his knees and pressed back. He could feel Eustass's breath pant against his shoulder, their bodies coupled and moving smoothly like a ball-joint in its socket. No anatomy lessons please, Law scolded himself. Completely the wrong time for it. Law could only imagine it was his rational brain coming loose and trying to find purchase on the way down. Better just to tumble free and enjoy the trip, and Law bit the inside of his mouth to stop a helpless giggle from finding its way out.
They found a good, easy pace and kept it, Law's vision going narrow as he buried his forehead against his pillow and ignored everything that didn't have to do with Eustass's very wonderful cock filling him up over and over. God, it was a little unfair that someone as thick-headed and coarse as Eustass knew to fuck as well as he did. More fuel for that arrogance; Law would hate him for it if he wasn't currently appreciating what it could do for him. Eustass's rough hand grazed along the inside of his thigh, guiding him further apart, and Law almost shouted for how perfect the angle was for a single instant.
He wasn't that far gone, fortunately - not that far gone yet. Stupid fucking bastard, his brain swore, though he wasn't sure which of them he was cursing at. Law pushed back, gaining some purchase by using his feet and bearing his weight against them, enough so that he could raise up on his elbows. Maybe he shouldn't have been so cavalier about the amount of slick they'd used, he could feel that pleasant stretch twisting into a slow burn, not enough to hurt but an unwelcome distraction. He didn't anticipate this lasting over-long, so it likely would not even matter.
Eustass palmed over Law's cock, pressing it against his smooth stomach and worrying his thumb over the top. It was enough to make all the air left inside him rush out all at once, body clenching and Eustass groaned loudly in his ear. They fell forward together, Eustass pistoning quickly with his hips.
Then he was - inexplicably and quite surprisingly - pulling out completely, leaving Law whining at the loss. He glared over his shoulder, "I told you not to fucking stop, you - "
"I'm not." Eustass sounded like he was coming undone. "Getting dry, that's all." Law was preparing to tell him what a terrible reason that was to put a pause in the proceedings as Eustass sat back, pulling Law along with him. Fresh slick was already wet on his cock. "You're always so tight, it's impossible how tight you are - " his voice muffled against Law's shoulder as guided himself right back in, the angle sharp and smooth. Law arched in his lap, head falling back, and he just really hated when Eustass was right.
His breath sounded loud enough to be a sob, and Eustass turned Law's face towards him, over his shoulder until their mouths were loosely together. They were hardly kissing, only sharing heavy breaths. Eustass was an even pulse inside him, one that Law wished would never stop. He reached behind, found Eustass's back, dug in his fingernails. Non-verbal communication was about all he had left, but he got an agreeable murmur in response, a quickening of Eustass's hips as they snapped forward and up.
Law let his hand drift back to his own flesh, finding a rhythm that worked, something that matched the pace he was riding on Eustass. It was perplexingly hard - but then again, so was thinking - and it took him a solid moment to realize it wasn't on his part: Eustass was becoming erratic, hips jerking as his cock practically stabbed into him. It didn't hurt but it was awkward. Law tried to return things to the liquid slide of before, but Eustass's breath hitched loudly in his ear. He clutched at Law, drawing them together flush and there was an unmistakable shudder through his entire body that Law felt where there were connected, shoulders to hips, where he was positioned in Eustass's lap.
The fingers on his hip bones were going to leave a mark. It didn't take a genius to realize what'd just happened, but even so, Law felt his stomach drop. Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding...He felt wet and uncomfortable inside from the release. Law was hardly able to react before Eustass pushed him forward, spilling him on the bed. He winced, hardened erection sandwiched between himself and the bed. If he'd ruined the mood earlier, Eustass was certainly one-upping him on that count. The man slid free, come inside Law leaving him feeling sticky, wet and used.
Eustass rolled him on his back and Law slapped him away, "Don't fucking touch me, you've already done enough - "
His words were cut off by Eustass's tongue, weaving into his mouth as he crouched above. "Just hold on," Eustass murmured. "I'm still gonna get you off, just let me."
"That's very thoughtful but I am fine." Law felt he'd been tolerant enough, squirming away just as Eustass wedged a knee between his legs. It was less to pin him, more something to grind against and Law took it, shivering up and finding friction. He scratch at Eustass's scalp, the contact too much and not enough all at once. He shut his eyes, teeth gritting as he tried not to moan.
Eustass had the gall to snicker at him. "Yeah, 'fine'. Sure." Eustass's voice was thick, drunk almost. "God, you are so beautiful, you have no idea."
He kept Law trapped beneath him, breath loud against his ear. Why couldn't he leave well enough alone, Law wanted to know, but his mind went blank and empty once Eustass fisted his cock in one sure hand. His hips bucked up, gasping short and shallow. It wasn't going to take much and he was more surprised than anything that Eustass would bother after his own needs had been met. But then again, he'd always liked forcing Law apart - sometimes he seemed to like it more than his own pleasure.
Which was why Law would've loved to deny him, had he been any less far-gone than he was, but it was too late, way too late. It was surprisingly easy to just let go, forget everything between them - a surrender that he didn't want, but was glad to take. Almost as though his brain was abandoning his body in a way he'd never allow were he in control. Eustass could tap into that part of him so easily; Law hated him for it.
Law's stomach trembled and he gripped a handful of Eustass hair, wanting to pull it clean out as his muscles clenched. His release was felt all the way to his toes as they curled in their messy sheets, a helpless sound forcing its way from his throat. It seemed to go on forever, Eustass not stopping until the touch was almost painful on his overstimulated flesh.
Now they had to be finished - Eustass had gotten what he'd wanted, twice. But he didn't move from where he was, curled over Law and practically covering him. He brought their mouths together, slow and lazy, and didn't let up. He spread a hand through Law's release, sweeping it away. Law didn't much care; he felt soaked with sweat enough that the sheets were sticking to him. It left the hair at Eustass's temples damp and spiky. Everything about this seemed off, from Eustass earlier efforts when Law had first awoke to attentiveness now.
Law roped an arm around his shoulders, nudging with his body until they rolled, still connected with their mouths. Eustass was practically breathing through his, stealing the air as soon as Law could gain it. He shook his head, pulling away and Eustass let him go. "Enough. Please." And, surprisingly, Eustass listened to him.
Lips brushed against Law's temple with an odd sort of reverence, the remnants of his wound. The swelling was gone but the skin still showed a mottled, yellowing bruise that faded every morning when Law checked it in the mirror. "How is it?" Eustass asked.
"It's...fine." Law shook his head. He'd hardly noticed it since he'd woken up, particularly not since Eustass had put his hands on him. "It's nothing."
"Good." Eustass pillowed his face beside Law's, eyes half-shut and some stupid smile pulling at his mouth. There was a loopy, euphoric edge to it that seemed genuinely happy. It irritated him; what did Eustass think this was, some sort of mutual arrangement? Of course he did - that was exactly how Eustass was. Law wished he could ignore what it all meant.
He pressed an open palm between them, Eustass's strong heart felt beneath it. If he'd only had a knife and somewhere to go, he could cut the thing from his master's body. It would not be subtle, but would lend a certain clarity to their relationship, a clarity Law suddenly found himself wanting. "Go to sleep."
"Yeah. Yeah, I think I will." And he did, almost immediately, true to his word. Maybe if things had been different, in any other way, Law would've appreciated the sweet, guileless affection in his master's voice.
Law remained awake, even once Eustass began to snore. He was listening to the pulse beneath his hand slow before it reached a steady, regular beat. He could feel it in his palm, echoing the dull tha-thump-tha-thump-tha-thump of his own heart until they were practically equal, soothing in its regularity. Law listened and memorized that sound, knowing that even with it still resting inside Eustass's body, that heart already belonged to him.
Claiming what he owned was only a matter of time.