Hearts

Chapter Eight

Struggles

Störungen

"You didn't leave the money last night." Law said, exasperated. "You know I need it."

"You mean: I didn't leave the money this morning" he countered.

"Fine. This morning. I should charge you extra for staying over. This isn't a hotel."

"What's bitten you? You're quite antagonistic tonight."

"You know those huge words?" there was sarcasm dripping from Law's voice.

Kidd felt the urge to face palm. Or to slap Law. He had a short fuse and a shitty day, and now he had to deal with a moody Law. Great. Really great. Instead of an answer he just searched for his wallet, dug five hundred dollar notes out and put them down on the kitchen table. Then he made his way over to the door.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Law yelled after him.

"Home."

"You don't want to…"

"No. Not if you're in a shitty mood like this." He opened the door. Before he stepped in the hallway he turned around and smirked at the quite confused looking Law: "Don't worry, love, I'll be back tomorrow."

He quickly closed the door before Law could hurl something after him.

Since he didn't spent the evening in Law's warm arms he went with Zoro, Luffy, Ace and Franky to the 'Arabasta'. He hadn't been to the shitty bar in ages. But he couldn't really say he missed it. While Luffy and Franky were causing the usual ruckus on the dance floor, he laid low. He wasn't interested in picking someone up – not if Law waited for him with more or less welcoming arms tomorrow. Contrary to the beliefs of his nakama he could go a night without a fuck. He wasn't an animal, after all. He wasn't up for heavy drinking either, since he wanted to work the night shift with Shanks and Lucci, and he could call it his intuition, or his brooding foresight, but tonight he kinda got the feeling that he should be working with sharpened senses. So he only sipped his beer and listened to Ace rambling about some police officer he apparently fucked. Sometimes that kid had the greatest ideas. Really.

After a rather eventless beer, he waved goodbye to his nakama and made his way back to the shipyard. It was a clear night, and his felt his muscles twitch with anticipation.

When he walked around the ship wrecks and the ships still under construction he spotted Lucci and his bird sitting on a pile of lumber. He sat down next to him, gazing up at the clear night sky.

They both enjoyed their comradely silence, until Lucci said: "Calm night, isn't it?"

"Yeah. A little too calm for my taste, though."

"I think the same. I don't like it."

"Me neither."

Some moments later Shanks appeared, and he briefed them about what was going down this night. Apparently there was another deal down at the harbor – and everyone knew that the harbor was Joker's territory. They were planning on disturbing the deal, stealing or destroying most of their goods and then they would simply vanish in the black of the night. A simple but often quite effective plan.

But before they could disturb Joker's deal they had to take care of their own business: They expected a delivery of unmarked hand guns around one in the morning, and then there was a new customer who was interested in buying huge numbers of arms.

While they were working time flowed by and it was finally four in the morning. They made their way down to the harbor in a black SUV – Joker's deal was supposed to happen around five in the morning. No one in his right mind would let a deal take place at such en unruly hour, but they were talking about Joker after all. That fucker wasn't all right up there, Kidd thought.

After they had parked their car somewhere safe they climbed on the roof of a warehouse, positioned their weapons and waited for Joker and his men to make an appearance. They didn't need to wait long.

But Joker, that craven bastard, wasn't there with them. But they were undoubtedly Joker's men. He spotted that bitch from the club earlier, and then another guy he had seen around before. Also those fuckers overflowed with self-confidence – another unmistakable sign that those were definitely Joker's subordinates.

He didn't need to tell Lucci and Shanks – they already noticed. Now they were only waiting for the other side, as were Joker's men.

The seconds seemed to stretch out and felt like minutes. Kidd could feel how a drop of sweat made its way down his forehead. The anticipation was killing him.

And then finally something happened.

BANG!

Shanks that red haired idiot got shot.

Lucci and he whirled around, weapons already drawn, ready to defend. There weren't many attackers. Just two men who apparently wanted to position themselves on this exact roof to have a better overview of the situation. He didn't know if they were Joker's men or from the group they were supposed to meet with. He figured the latter.

It took Lucci and him exactly two shots to kill the surprised men.

They didn't waste any more time. They both grabbed Shanks and dragged him towards the fire escape.

Joker's men were without doubt alarmed by the shots. Climbing down that narrow and pretty rusty fire escape with the barely conscious Shanks was a challenge, but his artificial arm came in handy.

He acted on pure instinct. Just climb. Just run. Just shoot.

Later he couldn't really recall how the fuck they had gotten down from that damned building. But somehow they had made it safely to the ground. They had to fend off some of Joker's men who had been sent to clarify what the hell had been going on. But that wasn't really a problem.

They slowed down their little odyssey when they were finally a few blocks away from the harbor and the obviously failed deal. He tried to assess the situation. He wasn't hurt, Lucci seemed fine too. Only Shanks got hit, and he didn't know where exactly. He noticed that Shanks' shirt was pretty bloody and that he was barely conscious. Really fucking great. Their one-armed boss was only standing because Lucci and he had both an arm slung around Shanks torso.

"Chopper?" he asked Lucci while they were stumbling down another road, hopefully towards their parked SUV. But he had no clue where they were, but Lucci led the way and he seemed to know what he did. That bastard never got lost.

"Too far away. Grand Hospital."

"Ok."

They half-ran, half-stumbled for another block, and then finally their car was in sight. "You still there, boss?" he asked, while he and Lucci carefully laid the injured man on the backseat of the car. But Shanks didn't answer. He cursed under his breath and got in the car. Lucci was breaking every single traffic law there was to break on their way to the hospital, which luckily wasn't that far away. In less than five minutes they pulled up in front of the emergency room.

Kidd carefully carried his injured boss out of the car, while Lucci was already on his way inside, doing what he was best at. As soon as he had brought Shanks inside there he was almost instantly surrounded by doctors and nurses, who put the unconscious men on a bed and rushed away with him.

He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

Now all there was to do was to wait.

He sat in one of those clinical waiting rooms where no one really wanted to be – since everyone in those rooms was usually waiting for the outcome of a critical surgery or something similar. Luckily he was alone. He was pretty worried about Shanks – he fucking loved that man – and he couldn't stand the thought of losing him. He had suffered way too many losses in his life. He wasn't sure if he could deal with another one.

The minutes ticked by like hours.

He was bored.

He was annoyed.

He was worried.

Did it always take this long? It was only a damn bullet wound for god's sake!

After another thirty minutes of fidgeting in his rather uncomfortable chair finally Lucci came back. Lucci only nodded shortly and sat down across from him.

This wasn't the first time an injury was too serious for Chopper's little doctor's office or the hospital was simply the closer option – and each single time Lucci was the one who had taken care of bribing the involved nurses and doctors with enough money so they would accidently drop their medical files in the trash after they were done and wouldn't ask any questions where or why they got shot. Lucci could be really persuading if he wanted to. And it made a lot of things easier.

The hospital would keep quiet and no annoying investigation was initiated.

It was around seven in the morning when finally some doctor came and informed them that Shanks would make it.

All of the built up tension suddenly left his body and he felt like he could finally breathe again. Lucci didn't even twitch, but that was expected of him. Always in control, never showing any emotions. He was quite the opposite. Lucci told him once that every single emotion he felt could be read of his face. But he didn't really mind that, since most of his emotions were somewhere in the rage and anger department.

The doctor showed them the way to Shanks room and then they both sat in comfortable silence at his bed, intently watching the shallow movements of Shanks' chest. Apparently the bullet had pierced part of the lung, but that bastard was too damn lucky for his own good. He was going to be alright.

It was around eight thirty in the morning when the door banged open and Luffy, Chopper, Franky, Ace, Usopp, Zoro, Eisberg and Khoza came in. They all crowded around Shanks bed, asked various questions, and were all in all pretty noisy.

And Kidd surely didn't want to handle the whole worried Galleya group. Definitely not. He was fucking tired and now that Shanks was surrounded by his substitute family, he didn't feel obligated to stay any longer. Lucci seemed to feel the same, but the stoic man had to explain in detail what had happened to everyone while he could snug out. He noticed out of the corner of his eyes that Luffy had already played with the buttons on the medical equipment that was still connected to Shanks in various ways, he saw Chopper's shocked expression when he noticed that Luffy was threatening Shanks heath on accident and out of total boredom; he noticed that Ace had his lighter out and was playing with it dangerously close to the curtains… He chuckled to himself, left Lucci and Eisberg in charge of the mad group, waved everyone goodbye and left Shanks room.

He was looking for the closest exit when he noticed something weird out of the corner of his eyes. Something that couldn't be. Something that didn't really made sense. Something that didn't fit. Surely his mind was playing tricks on him. He didn't sleep for over twenty-four hours after all. But then his senses were usually pretty sharp and he could rely on them - even in a sleep-deprived state.

Because he thought he just had seen Trafalgar fucking Law. In a white lab coat. As in if he would work here. And not as a nurse. That definitely hadn't been a nurses uniform.

But then that would not make sense. Why would Law need additional money – and even step that low and earn it through the most degrading way possible – if he worked as a doctor in the Grand Hospital, the most modern and luxurious hospital in whole Grand Line City, if not even in the whole state. While Kidd walked down the hallway he figured that Law would've said something if he was a doctor, right? He would've dropped a hint, anything. But he never did.

And everyone knew that doctors had quite the income. They either lived in stylish apartments in one of the skyscrapers downtown, or owned one of the mansions in those guarded suburban areas of Grand Line City. He once broke in such a mansion, back in his old days, when he was still roaming the streets with Killer. Damn it, he still missed Killer. Some wounds would never heal.

But then… this ink black hair was pretty unmistakable, right? He had only seen the man for less than a second and only the back before the figure had vanished through a door. But that skinny backside…

God damn it all.

His curiosity won over his fatigue and logical reason. He stopped in his tracks and turned around. But right when he had found that door again where the suspicious black haired man had vanished through Lucci caught up with him: "Kidd, good that you're still here. Let's go back to the harbor and check out if there's anything left of value for us."

Oh yeah, he most definitely wanted to know if there was something left of the mess they had left behind when they had fled. And there was a time-sensitive factor to it.

He nodded and hurried with Lucci outside to investigate the outcome of the deal.

The man in the white coat could wait. Some distinct feeling in his gut told him that that man would be for more than one single day at the Grand Hospital. He would for sure come back and find out what – and especially who – was behind that white coat and ink black hair.

Law left a note pinned on the door for Kidd. It read: I'm not home. I had urgent business to attend to. L.

He still didn't have a cell number from that bastard. So now he had to leave a note that claimed openly he wasn't home – if that wasn't an invitation for a break in. But luckily he had no valuables at all in his tiny apartment. Not even the pans were worth stealing. From the start he had never owned anything of value – and if he had, he would've sold it due to his dept long ago. He regretted that he wasn't able to meet up with Kidd. Their usual date would've been a nice distraction for his mind, for his body… and maybe could've finally drawn some information out of the stoic man – but no, that even bigger bastard Doflamingo had called and requested a meeting.

He didn't wanna go. Every cell in his body revolted at the thought of meeting up with Doflamingo. He had seen the man twice over the past two years, and both were memories he didn't wanna dig up again.

Doflamingo had requested him at his mansion somewhere in a noble suburban area of Grand Line City that went with the name Dress Rosa. And to his horror his old master seemed to live up to that name. He shuddered. He much more preferred a bright but still rich red – which did not remind him of another cheating and lying bastard. But if he had the choice between Kidd and Doflamingo… oh no, he had to stop thinking in those tracks. That did him no good. No. Definitely not. And besides: he had to mentally brace himself for the oncoming encounter with the probably most dreaded existence ever.

He took the public and pretty filthy bus to Dress Rosa. He had to walk the last mile to Doflamingo's estate, though. That bastard probably enjoyed knowing that he had to walk instead of having the money to buy a car like any other decent person did. Did he mention that he hated him so fucking much?

Sometimes he toyed with the thought of leaving it all behind. Grabbing his degree and moving to another city, hell, to another state, to another country. Sometimes he truly wondered what his life without Doflamingo would be like. How would freedom truly feel? But he knew that Doflamingo probably only waited for him to run. He knew that the man enjoyed the hunt more than anything. And he wasn't willing to provide that fucker any sort of amusement. Also running away meant being an utter coward.

And if he had learned something over the past years than it was that he was way stronger than he thought. He had endured so much, and he would endure a lot more – if that meant beating Doflamingo with his own weapons. He was no coward. He was staying – and bloody fighting.

With his resolve strengthened he stepped through the huge gates guarding the lavish property. He knew that the countless surveillance cameras had already announced his presence. He had learned early to ignore the invisible eyes and he continued his way nonchalantly. He didn't dare knock on the huge double doors, but instead made his way around the house and went for the back entrance. He had learned early that the front doors were only for the real guests. Not for lowly servants like him. How much he hated that bastard. He was tempted to knock on the front door out of spite – but he knew that he wanted to make it out of the mansion in on piece and preferably untouched. And such an act of rebellion wouldn't grant this.

Each time he visited Doflamingo's mansion in Dress Rosa he wondered if the peacocks were really necessary garden accessories.

The back entrance stood open and a dark haired woman that looked vaguely familiar awaited him. The women was rather tall, had bushy black hair and he mused that she could be really pretty, it she wouldn't wear layers and layers of makeup. But then he took a closer look and realized that the makeup was supposed to cover up some pretty nasty bruises.

"You must be Trafalgar Law." The woman purred.

Her sweet tone was making him sick. "Yes. And with who do I have the pleasure?"

"You can call me Baby. Baby Five."

Law nodded and followed the busty woman inside. She led him through the spacious mansion, but he knew his way around in those walls too. But Baby seemed oblivious to his connection with this place and his sort of relationship with the man everyone in here called so lovingly master.

"So Baby, tell me, how long have you been working for our beloved master?" God, he hoped that the girl didn't hear the sarcasm in his voice.

"Eleven months and thirteen days! Almost a year by now!"

And she was way too enthusiastic about it, Law thought. Great. One of those suck ups. He didn't attempt to make any further conversation with Baby, but she was oblivious to his sour mood and apparently took his interest about her time with Doflamingo as an invitation to tell him her complete life story.

He instantly tuned her out.

"… so I've married my fifth husband last summer, but then he got the flew – oh, here we are! The young master awaits you!"

They had stopped in front of huge wooden doors that led to Doflamingo's study if he remembered right. Baby knocked tentative on the doors, and then let them both in. Welcome to the lions pit. Doflamingo sat behind his huge desk and ended a phone call when he noticed them coming in.

"Law! What a pleasant surprise! You look quite good-"

"This isn't a surprise visit, Doflamingo. You ordered me here. What do you want?"

"Did I ever tell you that you lack manners?"

"Yes."

"And yet you are still your stubborn self, no willing to bend to my will."

"Yes." He knew that his monosyllabic answers irked Doflamingo. He could see how Doflamingo's mood darkened.

"Baby, out."

Law watched with growing trepidation Baby leaving the study. Being alone with Doflamingo in a room never meant something good. Never. After Baby had closed the door behind her Doflamingo focused on him and said after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence: "Well, Law, you've been the first - and surely the last man to defy me."

"When did I ever defy you?"

"You're funny, Law, but I have to admit I never managed to break you. But I'm sure, one day I will."

"Over my dead body."

"Well, my usual reply to that line is: I can arrange that, and let me tell you, you shouldn't tempt me, but right now to me you're more worth alive than dead."

"That's why you called me here? So I can prove my worth to you?"

"Exactly. I believe you have one year left till our little bargain ends – and you and I both know that you have no chance paying off that dept, not even with that little whoring around you're doing –" Doflamingo looked quite smug and his grin ate probably most of his face, "but my generous self gave you a way out! So tell me, Law, what information to you manage to acquire about the Galleya-Company?"

"I need more time."

"So you're telling me you got none?"

"I'm working on it. I was supposed to meet Kidd this night and I've almost cracked the shell around him, but since I had to cancel a long awaited meeting with him tonight on such a short notice, he won't let me in that easily. As I mentioned before, I need more time-"

"Bullshit."

Crap. Nothing was worse than a dissatisfied and impatient Doflamingo. Nothing.

Doflamingo continued: "I need that information, and you're going to get it for me, do you understand? I will bring the Galleya-Company down. Do you understand? They. Will. Burn."

Doflamingo looked pointedly at him. He could literally see how that thick vein between Doflamingo's eyes began to pulse. Suddenly he roared: "BABY! COME IN HERE!"

Not a second later Baby rushed in the room, crazy smile on her lips: "Master needs me!"

"Get down here and suck me off. Looking at you –" he gave Law one burning look, "makes me horny."

Law shuddered grossed out. He was damn lucky that Doflamingo wouldn't touch him as long as the bargain was on. The bargain was his only protection from Doflamingo's lustful gazes. That had been the one condition he didn't compromise on. Even if that had probably cost him another hundred thousand added to the money he had to pay that fucker.

Baby was on her knees in front of Doflamingo and was already working his cock. That was something Law wasn't eager on witnessing, but then he was a damn doctor. He had seen pretty disturbing things in his medical career – and let's not forget the shit he had seen (and was done to him) in his early years with Doflamingo. Baby's mouth on Doflamingo's cock made some sickly wet sounds. Doflamingo still stared at him, seemingly undisturbed that there was a mouth around his cock.

"You know how much more fun this would be if that bitch down there was you? You're little defiant mouth forced upon my cock – yeah, that were good old times. Seeing you makes me quite nostalgic, and I'm not used to sharing what is mine-" Doflamingo still stared holes in him and he tried very hard not to break eye contact with that fucker. He wouldn't bow down. He wouldn't break.

"As much as I miss your sweet ass – bringing down the Galleya-Company is quite a bit more important to me than that whored out hole of yours. You should be lucky, you know, that the men you sell yourself to is a Galleya worker and will bring me ultimately closer to my goal – otherwise I would have killed him instantly. No one touches you, Law, no one except me."

Law tried hard not to cringe. He wasn't owned by anyone! He was a free man, god damn it!

"Next time, if you don't have any valuable information, it will be you on your knees."

"But the bargain-"

"Well, Law, the bargain only says that it won't be me fucking you. But I will surely enjoy watching you get fucked by my men."

Law inwardly cringed. I hate you so fucking much. But he tried not to show his uneasiness – he knew it irked Doflamingo even more if he didn't show any emotions except nonchalance to his threats. "But didn't you just say that I'm yours, and yours alone?"

"My men don't count. Not if I instruct them how exactly and what exactly to do you."

Breathe, Law, breathe. Swallow your rage and leave. Calmly leave. "Can I go now?"

"No. I'm not done with you. Stay. Watch me fuck. Let me show you what will be done to you if you don't get all the information I want." With that Doflamingo shoved Baby off, turned her around, tore her skirt off and entered her. Baby squealed in delight, but Doflamingo didn't bat an eye. He was still staring at him while pumping his hips. Then he grinned. "I will have you, Law, it's just a matter of time."

Kidd didn't really know what to do with that note on Law's door. He still knocked, but no one answered. He shrugged, tore the note from the door and rode home. It was rather quiet in their common room in their apartment building on the Galleya grounds, since some of the other workers were still in the hospital with Shanks, and others were doing whatever they were doing.

He found Zoro down in their gym in the basement and he decided on a whim to join him. He was still pretty damn tired since he hadn't slept for two days, earlier he had searched the whole harbor area for some traces of the deal they had tried to crash, but they hadn't been exactly successful.

After all the fucking frustrating events the past twenty four hours he had just wanted to bury himself in Law's body and then pass out dumbly satisfied. But that little shit hadn't been there! So now he tried to release the built up frustration and strain through a strenuous work out. He didn't care that his eyes were already burning from exhaustion.

But after two hours on the bench he felt his body shut down. He bid Zoro good night, took a quick shower and dropped dead down in his bed.

He slept for approximately twelve hours straight. It was around 2pm when he finally woke from the dead. He went downstairs and searched the fridge for some food. Empty. God, one day he was going to kill Luffy and his gorging brother. But before he could give in to his murderous desires Lucci found him and promised to pick up lunch on their way to the hospital to bring Shanks back home.

Sometimes he thought he would be a total nut job if it wasn't for Lucci and Zoro.

After he had some take out they picked up Shanks in the hospital. Today he was looking a lot better. He was almost back to his old laughing self. He shrugged his injury off as a mere scratch – but he had done the same when he had lost him arm. Crazy bastard.

He was tempted to stay at the hospital and search a little for the doctor that might be Law, but Shanks and Lucci were already planning another nice little disturbance for Joker's next huge delivery that was expected due to in a few days.

But he would be coming back tomorrow. He needed to find out if that was Law – and if yes – what the fuck he was doing there.

After he spent the entire day in Shanks' and Eisbergs's office planning their next move on Joker he ate dinner with his nakama, then made his way over to Law's.

Tonight there wasn't a note on the door, so he knocked and was granted entrance. Law was in a weird mood that night. Something had put him off, but he refused to say so. The sex was satisfying, though. Before he left Law wanted his cell phone number if something else would come up where they weren't able to meet, he could at least text him.

Kidd refrained himself from asking where Law had been gone yesterday night. He also didn't ask him what his job was, even if it was damn tempting. But he had never been that interested in Law's life outside the bedroom before – and he didn't wanna arise any suspicions, since he knew that Law was damn smart.

And it would be damn embarrassing explaining to Law that he mistook him with a doctor and went all crazy about it. No, he wasn't ready to admit to Law that he was damn obsessed with the man. His pride forbade that.

It was around ten in the morning the next day and Kidd was wandering through the hallways of the Grand Hospital. No one stopped him or questioned him what the fuck he was doing here. The trick was you just had to look like you had every right to be there.

And fuck that, he had. He needed to make something clear, damn it.

He had been wandering around in the different wards of the hospital, but other than stressed nurses, patients in wheelchairs and doctors that were definitely not Law he hadn't seen any trace of someone who looked remotely similar to Law. He started to wonder if the figure two nights ago was a product of his imagination, but he wasn't giving up on his search that easily. He just had to stay a bit longer and look some more.

After two hours of running around in that damn hospital he had the feeling he knew every damn corner in that building, had seen every nurse twice – and still no sight of Law. Damn that bastard.

What the hell am I doing out here, running wild? Looking for a phantom in a hospital? I'm losing it. I spent too much time with Franky and Luffy.

He sighed and sat down in one of those uncomfortable chairs in another waiting room. He hadn't achieved anything – but he didn't feel ready to go yet.

A bored looking nurse walked by, pushing a wheel chair with a pretty dead looking old man in it. He had looked everywhere – but he didn't ask someone for Law, since he hardly expected that if he worked here that he did it under his real name – but trying never hurt.

"Excuse me, miss!" he yelled after the nurse.

"Can I help you?"

"Well, yeah. I'm looking for Trafalgar Law; do you have any idea if he works here?"

"Trafalgar Law? Do you mean Dr. Trafalgar?"

"Uhm… yes."

"I think he's in the OR, he got a pretty difficult case, but he should be done in an hour, I guess."

"Thanks a lot." He said, turned and left the hospital, shocked to the core.

What.

The.

Fuck.

So he had seen Law here two nights ago.

And Law was a doctor.

No, not a simple doctor, but a surgeon.

A surgeon at the Grand Hospital. The most renowned hospital in Grand Line City. Someone must be kidding him. Well, not someone, no one else than Law.

He couldn't believe it.

Law. Law, the man that moaned like a whore beneath his fingers each night. Law, the man that sold his body for money to him.

For all he knew surgeons made quite the money.

It had to be all a lie. The shitty apartment. The need for money, the dept.

Apparently Law was just another rich and bored thrill seeker that tried to break out of his boring routine by chasing his secret desires. That fucker just wanted to fuck with a real bad guy. Law must've used him to fulfill some sick fantasy of his: Of selling his body out to some rough man.

For all he knew that little betraying shit could have a wife and kids at home in some nice suburban area. And he had been just another part in his secret second life, used to relieve some guilty pleasures.

He had been played.

He, Eustass Kidd, feared Galleya worker, who had survived too many fucking things, had been played.

And he had revealed his arm to that piece of shit. He had been fucking vulnerable in Law's arms. That little shit probably got a kick out of having a dangerous criminal in his bed.

Fuck that.

Fuck Law.

Fuck it all.

It was time for revenge.