Kid took a shorter shower than he normally would have, as he was paranoid that Law might take the chance to bolt. Kid wouldn't put it past him to, at the very least, give it a shot. If only to try and aggravate him, as Law seemed inclined to do when he had the chance. Such as biting him in the car when they'd escaped from the redhead's apartment. Kid ran his hands through his hair, making a half assed attempt to get the shampoo through all of it, but at the same time, not really caring if he did.

The thought of Law running was almost laughable at the moment, because it didn't seem like it would be in the lawyer's best interest to do so. It was a crappy part of the city after all, and Kid wasn't even sure if Law knew how to fend for himself. The red head close his eyes and let the water splash him in the face as he issued a snigger at the condition he had left Law in, in the small living room. Even if the dark haired man had seemed out of it after overheating in the shower, Kid wasn't exactly sure if Law would try an escape attempt anyway. Despite likely knowing that it was a shady part of the city that the red head had brought him to.

Kid let out a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair and rubbed the shampoo out of it as his mind strayed to the sex that he and Law had had the night before. It had been rather exciting, and Law's resistance had made it even more so, especially when the other man had started to respond and moan and look utterly ravishing while Kid fucked him. It had been an erotic sight, and the way that Law's chest had been heaving from exertion...the way he'd been gasping for air…that was definitely a sight the red head would not mind seeing again.

The sooner, the better.

Kid let out a small groan and tried to banish the thoughts from his mind before he got so aroused that he would have to take the time to jerk off in the shower. Not that he wouldn't have taken the time to do so, with the image of Law in his mind so clear. That wasn't a problem at all. What was the issue was the idea that Law might take advantage of his absence. Kid needed to get out of the bathroom and go check on the blue haired lawyer to make sure that he hadn't made himself scarce while he took his sweet time in the shower.

The red head shut off the shower and nabbed the nearest towel to halfheartedly ruffled his hair with the towel, before wrapping it around his waist and exiting the bathroom. As Kid took a few steps toward the living room, he tried to decide which clothing he could borrow from the owner of the studio apartment, when he stopped short. The mundane thought of clothes were forgotten.

It looked like all that worry Kid had had about Law tucking tail and making a run for it was all for nothing.

The blue haired lawyer was right where Kid had left him, but the red head was honestly surprised to see Law resting so comfortably on the cushioned chair in the living room. Kid was distracted by the extremely attractive and satisfied smile that was on the other man's face as Law watched the news, and the fact that he was still only had a towel wrapped around his waist made it even more attractive then Kid thought ought to be fair.

Law must have noticed the other attention on him, because he looked away from the TV to regard Kid. With a smirk plastered across his face as if he's seen the funniest thing on the TV, Law addressed the look of confusion on Kid's face, "You're fucked no matter what you decide to do." The dark haired man ran his hand through still wet hair as he indicated the TV with his other hand.

Kid's frown deepened as he stepped closer to take in what had Law so damn pleased. The red head stared, rooted to the spot, before he swore as he realized just what he was seeing. The icing on the cake of Kid's continued spiral into a screwed up life was when Law asked him a question, his voice full of spite.

"Do you have any last requests? I may indulge you before your demise. It is only a matter of time before they find us." Law watched Kid's profile with a careful eye for any reaction, and was rather satisfied that the red head was preoccupied with the news. "Though if Cora-san or Doflamingo find you first..." Law let the implied threat linger.

For once, Kid had nothing to say to Law in retort, as his eyes and attention were glued to the TV and the news being broadcasted. Otherwise, he would have been liable to throw a punch at the blue haired lawyer for being an asshole about his continued misfortune. Kid stared hard at the news anchor, as if he had been the one to offend him greatly in some way or another.

'…again, for this breaking news, let us go to our correspondent on the scene.'

A cheerful young woman appeared on the screen.

'This is live from in front of police headquarters in the north of the city. Moments ago there was an announcement made of the abduction of a lawyer from the Donquixote Law firm. Trafalgar Law." Law's picture was shown, before the screen went back to the reporter. 'He was to represent Portgaz D. Ace in an upcoming trial. It is unknown at this time whether or not the trial will be delayed, or if there will be a change in representation. The Donquixote firm has yet to respond with answers regarding that particular case.'

The news anchor's voice came over with another question. 'Is there anything else known at this time?'

The reporter on the scene gave a nod. 'Yes. The police have been informed by a tip from an outside source that, while Trafalgar Law's whereabouts are currently unknown, that they have learned that the culprit is Eustass Kid.'

Kid's picture was shown.

Kid stared at the screen numbly as he listened to the rest of the report, though he couldn't really focus on it due to the fact that his picture was now all over the country by now. And more worryingly, the city he was still in, instead of hightailing it out of there like he should have. How could he have not anticipated something like this happening? In a detached kind of way, and even though it didn't matter in the least, Kid inwardly thought that they could have picked a worse photo. At least he didn't look like too much of a thug in the shot they had been showing. Kid tuned back into the report, though it had now wound down to the end.

The reporter was back on the screen. 'Any information about the abduction that will lead to Law's whereabouts are to be given directly to the police. A hotline will be set up for any tips. A to be determined reward is currently being worked on by the Donquixote firm, to be announced soon.'

Kid took a step forward as he reached out and turned off the TV. He had heard enough, and the idea of getting the hell out of the city while he still could was sounding more and more like a good idea. Kid stared at the black screen before he spoke as calmly as he could, to hide how freaked out he was about the prospect of being found. "My picture won't do them any good if they can't find me. Or you." Kid heard a soft laugh, and half turned to glare at Law, "What the hell is so damn funny?"

Law absently hitched the towel around his waist tighter as if aware of Kid's eyes on him. The blue haired lawyer ran a hand through his hair again and offered a sharp smile at the red head. Law was not going to miss the opportunity to rile the red head up, as it was well deserved for what Kid had put him through only a few hours ago. Sex could be good, but not when someone forced it onto an unwilling participant. "Use your head, you idiot. If word of you kidnapping me is out on the national news, shouldn't a lot of people see it?"

"So what?" Kid wondered. He didn't see what Law was getting at. However, it could also have been because Kid was trying his best to think of a way to get out of the city without being spotted by good Samaritans that would pass news of his appearance on to the police. And if the Donquixote firm was in on it with the police, it would follow that those people would be after him as well. Who else would Law be hinting at that would have seen the report? Kid was at a loss until Law spoke, and as soon as the blue haired man had said it, Kid felt like the idiot Law had said he was. Because it was the first thing that Kid should have thought of as soon as it was clear that the person Law had talked to had passed on his identity to the police.

Law's voice was vindictive as he issued his next query. "If those who have hired you to kill me see the news, what will they do?"

Kid's face fell immediately as Law's words sunk in. The dark haired lawyer was right. He was so fucked if those people found out that he had lied to them. Kid stared at the dark haired lawyer for a moment, before he swore, "Fuck."

Law smirked at Kid's expression of dawning realization. The blue haired man figured that if the media knew and had passed it on to those who had been watching the news, that it would only be a matter of time before Kid was located.

And caught.

Law blamed his sudden elation on the turn that his situation had taken for his next action as he removed his towel. Law tossed the towel aside and stretched out on the chair, "I'm still hot."

Kid stared at the now naked Law, his eyes roving over the other man slowly to appreciate the view, even if the other man wore a tiny smirk and was obviously up to something. What the hell was with the sudden mood change? Kid was trying to think, dammit. He didn't need this kind of distraction right now. He was trying to figure out how to get out of the city, or at the very least, lie low so that no one would find him for the time being.

"Something the matter?" Law asked mildly, as if he hadn't just turned Kid on by revealing himself. Law rose from the chair and approached the redhead, highly entertained that the other had backed up slightly. it was almost cute, in a way, if Law weren't still angry with the red head for taking advantage of him not once, bit twice. The blue haired lawyer soon had Kid trapped against a wall, and Law reached out to slide a hand beneath the other's chin. "Or were you thinking about something other than the news?"

Kid repeated the word he'd said earlier, this time with more feeling as Law pressed closer to him. "Fuck." The redhead wasn't sure what would kill him first. Law and his sudden change in attitude, or the people who had hired Kid when they found out that he hadn't killed the dark haired lawyer.

-x

"What will the people that hired you to kill me do to you when they learn that I am alive?" Law smiled further, not noticing that Kid stiffened with every word. Law rested his head against Kid's chest and trailed a few fingers along Kid's bare skin. "I suppose I could hide and let them deal with you, then go find Cora-san and the others to drag you to jail. If you're still alive, that is." Law winced, completely taken aback when Kid's hands were suddenly on his shoulders and shoving him away. Law, unprepared for the force with which Kid had shoved him with, stumbled backward before he fell over and smacked the back of his head against the ground with a hiss of pain.

What the hell?

Law scowled, wondering if Kid were going to try and fuck him again, when he felt one of the red head's hands wrap around his throat and squeeze, pressing him further against the carpeted floor. Law took a harsh breath before he tried to pry Kid's hand off of his throat. Law stopped, however, when Kid suddenly had a knife to the side of this throat with his free hand. Where had the weapon come from? Law stilled, utterly confused at Kid's actions.

What was going on?

Law had been sure that Kid would have taken advantage of the fact that the two of them had no clothes, but apparently, Law had struck a nerve, and was paying for it. Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut for the time being. Law honestly hadn't expected Kid to snap. He thought the redhead didn't have it in him to be anything other than an aggravating sex fiend with a mind to kidnap people.

"Or I could just kill you now, and let them think the media was mistaken with the report." Kid hadn't let his hand grip Law's throat too tightly, as he was still on the fence about what to do now. Kill Law and salvage things between him and his….temporary employer, or knock the sly son of bitch out and try to figure out if the studio apartment they were currently in was well hidden enough to keep prying eyes away. Kid's voice low and dangerous when he muttered to Law under his breath, his thoughts still straying, "I did tell them that I had needed more time to catch you. So it wouldn't be that unusual to think that someone was abducted, 'cause it might take more time to make them kick the bucket."

Law was surprised at how serious Kid sounded, and tensed when he felt the knife rest heavier against his throat. The blue haired man chose his next words carefully, acutely aware that if Kid chose to apply the right pressure with his hand, the red head could easily crush his throat. "I thought you said it would be a shame to kill me?"

Kid considered Law for a moment, before he responded, with a grin, "It would be, but I'm not in the mood to take any bullshit from you. If you're gonna try and be seductive, don't go faking it and sayin' you want those guys to gut me or something."

"You will be disappointed in that regard. I have no intention being genuine with you." Law wheezed, and regretted the words immediately, as the red head chose to take offense to them.

"Too bad." Kid said, as he let the pressure ride for a moment around Law's throat. He continued to choke the other man even when Law's hand had wrapped around his wrist to try and tug it away. Kid laughed at the useless gesture. He had leverage over the dark haired lawyer, so there wasn't much he could do to stop him. Stupid son of a bitch didn't know when to shut his damn mouth. Kid did not want to think about what would happen if those particular people that hired him got a hold of him with a very alive Law. Kid grit his teeth and swore under his breath. And this all wouldn't have been an issue for him in the first place if he had just killed Law when he had the chance, but...

Law began to gasp for air, not able to say anything now. He did notice them manic glint in Kid's eyes, however, and from that alone it seemed as if Kid had changed his mind about killing him. Law gripped Kid's wrist again and futilely tried to pry it away again. The look in the red head's eyes...It was definitely not the look of a sane individual. It also appeared as if Kid were in his own little world right now, and not really paying attention to the fact that he was slowly choking him to death. Law issued a distressed sound. Why the hell had he pushed Kid like that? He hadn't any idea what the other man was like but for a few interactions between them. All because he felt fierce satisfaction that the cops knew about his abduction, as well as Cora-san, whom he had told in the first place. Law struggled to pull Kid's hand away as a thought crossed his mind.

He didn't want to die like this.

As soon as the thought took root, Law began to panic when he realized that his vision was starting to speckle from lack of air. Shit. Law hadn't realized that the red head was going to go off the deep end like this. And Kid was still apparently not paying attention to what he was doing, from the look of concentration on his face.

Law felt close to blacking out by the time Kid seemed to come back to reality of the present, but by then the dark haired lawyer wasn't really concerned about what was going on in Kid's head. He just wanted to get a proper breath of air. Law's eyes rolled back and he went limp, though he dimly felt the pressure around his throat was now gone. Not that that seemed to matter right now, since Law still found it hard to try and breathe.

"Shit."

Law dimly thought he heard Kid say something else, but he could only twitch as the red head began to massage this throat as gently as he could. Funny, Law thought that Kid had changed his mind and wanted to kill him. The blue haired lawyer felt the sensation of being lifted, and seemed to realize that he should try to breathe again. Law took a shuddering gasp before he started to cough and weakly try to move out of Kid's grasp. When that wasn't working, and it seemed to much of an effort, Law leaned heavily against something.

Kid probably.

Shaking, Law took a deep breath before he sagged more heavily against the red head. Law again heard Kid's voice speak, but couldn't make out the words. The red head sounded worried. Uncertain. Hesitant. Was he asking if he was all right?

Law would have laughed if he had had the breath and energy to do so at the very thought. Instead, he let out a faint whimper as Kid's hand rested against his bare shoulder lightly.

"Trafalgar?"

Oh, he could hear a little better that time around. Maybe more oxygen was getting to his brain now. Law felt Kid's hand rest against his skin further, and the dark haired lawyer flinched away. "Don't touch me…" Law mumble slurred. He was glad to still be alive, stupid comments aside, because Law would have hated to wind up dead and have Corazon find him like that…

…find him…

Law let out a strangled gasp as his hands seized Kid's arms. There was something familiar about being so close to death…but it was something that Law could never precisely remember, whether through memory loss or having just completely shut out the painful memories.

"Trafalgar?"

Kid's voice was further away as past memories began to surface in fragments. Things that Law had tried to forget, or had forgotten.

He couldn't breathe. Couldn't see. He could barely move. But there was something that had not been there before.

Warmth.

The warmth of someone as they held him gently against their chest. The worried questions that had followed soon after. The panicked grip of that presence that was with him. Refusing to let go. Refusing to let Law be alone any longer.

The continued words of reassurance, even if the voice never stopped being concerned.

Law whimpered something as he sagged further against Kid. His head hurt from where it had been knocked against the ground by Kid shoving him backward moments earlier.

It hurt.

It hurt it hurt it hurt.

And then there was the laughter from before, when he was taken away from the hell his life had been for a short time. The jeering and the taunting that had seemed endless. The loneliness he had felt during that time was now gone…

…Because he'd been saved.

Saved from that terror by someone he'd known for only a short time…before everything had gone wrong and he'd been shut away from the world before help had arrived.

'Corazon…' Law thought the man's name dimly, before he went limp in Kid's grasp and into a dream of the past. The lack of oxygen and the resurfacing of memories had been too much to try and sift through. It had been memories that Law didn't try to think about too much, once Corazon had gotten him away from the mess he'd landed himself in back then.

At the very least, Law's present worries were gone for the time being, though the blue haired lawyer would have probably been pleased to know that fainting in Kid's arms had caused the red head to panic in response.

-x-x-x-x-x

A/N: I am having Cora/Law overload because of the new op chapter and it making me depressed...so the next chapter is going to be part sad and part fluff for Law's memory, and the second half of the chapter will then be picking back up in the main storyline with Corazon (I am writing lots of Corazon and Corazon/Law fluff in this fanfic, though that was already the plan when I thought about it as I started to type the fic up).

The story should pick up after this. I just needed a bit of a transition chapter to get to the next one.

And as for an Usurped update, if anyone is following that fanfic, it is going to be delayed until next weekend (or the weekend after that) because the chapter is essentially Doflamingo being an asshole and making Law hurt his own crew for the first half of it.