Time: 6 months later
-x-x-
Light streamed in through grungy, dusty curtains, but Law didn't particularly notice, lost in thought as he was.
The fact that he had had to move for a third time to lie low from the cops didn't bother Law. Nor did the fact that Kid had somehow managed to stay with him nearly half a year, when the red head really should have been running off as soon as he knew Law would eventually die.
But the red head had stayed, and Law couldn't remember the last time he had had the same partner for more than a week.
It was nice, not to have to start over with a new bed partner, because Kid had learned quite quickly what he liked and didn't like. That always was a slippery road, because sometimes Law had chosen wrong and gotten hurt because of it. Even now, he could still hear himself be belittled by his few contacts, one of them his supplier of his lifesaving drug, about having bad taste in men and that that would kill him before his disease did if he wasn't more careful.
Law glanced down at Kid snoozing in bed alongside him, near enough that the dark haired man could feel the heat radiating off from the other man. Law really, really wanted to forget the pills and leisurely press himself against that pale skin. Perhaps even entice Kid into morning sex; the red head always seemed to get a kick out of that, even if sometimes they did nothing more than rut against one another until they both got off. Law looked away with a sigh as he started to root around for his pill bottle.
No, there was nothing wrong regarding things between him and Kid, even if he still thought the red head should leave before either of them got too attached to the other. It was fine if they were just fuck buddies, but lately Law had been noting with some distress that Kid would bristle when other people came near him, and his hands often lingered on him for too long, especially when they hadn't gotten around to even having sex.
And Kid would cook for him.
A horrifying thought, that.
Law supposed he had teased the red head about not being able to do something like cooking a good meal, so he supposed Kid had shown him he was wrong.
Law put the disquieting thoughts behind him, deciding that Kid was just being Kid, and marking his temporary piece of ass. Right now, the dark haired man had more pressing matters to deal with. It was time to take his pills, and Law been so fucked out of his mind the previous night by Kid's stamina and dirty words that he hadn't taken inventory of it.
And now he was paying for that oversight, because there was no way he could get more until he saw his supplier. More and more, Law regretted the fact he hadn't gotten it through more reliable means, such as a hospital, but knew he couldn't afford the bills. Not to mention, as soon as he indicated what he had, he would be fussed over and likely none too gently pressured into staying in the hospital for treatment.
And that meant Law would never get to have sex. Or do normal things people did, and since Law knew he didn't have much time, he wanted to live his life as much as he could, and not be trapped in a hospital.
The serial killer angle didn't particularly bother him as it once used to, because Law got that drug to prolong his life for no charge in return for taking the lives of other people. It gave him a measure of normalcy that he had craved since he'd found out at 13 that he could potentially develop the disease his parents had had. And when he had, some years later…
The dark haired man's jaw set as he rooted around in his bag. It was best he didn't think about getting the news at the doctors; right then he had had to get away fast before someone insisted he stay and take part in trial runs to better help them understand the disease. Law couldn't help but feel trepidation as he fished his pill bottle out and heard a pathetically small rattle.
No.
Not yet.
Law couldn't possibly be out already, could he? He had been taking only the dosages he had needed, so why? Why now? His plans for that week were shot, because he knew that without the pills, he was liable to have attacks and he couldn't function like that. And a tiny part of him, growing bigger the longer he was around Kid, didn't want the red head to witness a really bad attack. The one in the hotel that night Kid found out was not as bad as it could have been.
A nearly empty container met Law's eyes as soon as the dark haired man wrestled the bottle open with an impatient twist of his hand.
Law let out a muffled groan of despair. It just figured that Kid had heard him, and even then he was distracted, because Law hated the idea that he was going to have to pay a visit to a certain someone he loathed in order to get more pills.
"Trafalgar?" Kid, groggy and still a good deal sleepy, mumbled something inaudible, before he flopped over and peered up at Law. "S' matter?"
"I'm down to my last three pills." Law stated woodenly, staring at the capsules in his hand and then depositing the empty bottle on the ground carelessly. "I'll need to go in and get more, but that means I'll be busy for probably a week, and I won't be able to see you."
Kid seemed to quiet as he processed that and, once he appeared to be awake all the way, eyed the pills in Law's hands. "Do you need to take them today?"
"I should have taken them hours ago." Law said in a resigned voice.
"Then take 'em." Kid said as he slid across the bed and pressed his naked body against Law's side. "Then let me play with you before you go. I wanna remember you pantin' my name for the next week if I don't get to see you."
Law brought the pills up to his lips, keenly aware of Kid tracing the side of his hip with his nearest hand. "I'll need to go speak to someone by this evening."
Kid waited until Law had swallowed the pills, before he urged the dark haired man onto the mattress and ground up against him from behind. "I can be quick about it, and then you can lie here and think about me fucking you next time before you leave."
"Mmm. You do like to do that." Law didn't know how to word it, but he enjoyed Kid touching him. The dark haired man started to get concerned about not getting those pills agian, but by then the red head's breath tickled his shoulder as a hand wrapped around his dick and stroked it idly.
"Turn that head of yours off. Don't think about those pills." Kid nipped the tanned skin before him. "Think about me fucking you breathless instead."
Law did. It was much more pleasant to have the image of Kid fucking him into the bed and breaking the frame than the idea of the conversation he would have in a few hours.
Too soon, Kid got up to leave. Law found himself disappointed that the other was going so soon, and why it bothered him, Law didn't think about and it made him bite off what he was going to say.
He couldn't get attached. He couldn't. It was a bad idea. Nothing good would come of it.
"See ya around, Trafalgar." Kid said with a casual wave of his hand. "Make sure you finger yourself when you have free time so that I don't have to take too long with the lube next time."
Law closed his eyes, thinking to go back to bed with those words ringing in his head, when lips suddenly pressed to his. Law's eyes flew open, startled to find that Kid was kissing him. Law wanted to tell Kid he didn't have to kiss him, no one else really had, unless they wanted it, and then Kid was running his tongue teasingly across his lips and the protest died.
Law let him in; he was lying if he didn't admit he didn't like it when Kid kissed him. Law was gasping for breath by the time Kid had finished ravishing the inside of his mouth in a demanding kiss. It was the soft peck on the cheek, however, that really did Law in when the red head drew away.
And when Kid had left for certain this time, Law didn't know what to do. Mainly because he got the feeling that Kid was starting to think of him as something more than just a convenient fuck. It terrified Law, in a way, to think that someone wanted him in a way other than that, and nearly didn't leave the motel.
But the empty pill bottle forced him to go, whether he liked it or not.
-x
"I'm surprised that you let those pills run out like that. You're usually better at remembering than this." Shaded glasses hid what no doubt would have been an amused look, but the wide grin said it all.
Law hated talking to Doflamingo whether or not he needed to get those pills, but the teasing he could do without. Already he had side stepped talk about Kid, as it really wasn't Doflamingo's business who he fucked around with.
"You know it will take at least two days for me to get the drugs through my network, don't you?" Doflamingo asked lightly, his fingertips tapping the side of a couch he lounged on.
"I know. Which is why I felt I should come tonight and ask if there were people you had in mind to…take care of. Doing so when I have the drug in me would be best. A few days without it and I can't guarantee I'll be able to accomplish much of anything."
The snigger Doflamingo made pissed him off, but Law didn't dare say anything. He knew perfectly well that Doflamingo could and would withhold the drug from him. He had done so before when Law had been too sarcastic and sassed him.
"At least you seem to have learned some things." Doflamingo stated blandly, as if reading Law's mind. "But most unfortunately, I don't have anyone in mind just yet." Doflamingo waved a hand in the dark haired man's direction. "Don't give me that look. I really don't. And no, I am not doing it just to spite you."
Law just barely managed to not let his shoulders slump. It was as bad as he thought it might be. Law might be able to hold out for a week, but getting cut off from the drug so abruptly was going to have repercussions, and the dark haired man didn't fancy trying to kill someone when he wasn't at his best.
"I'll call you when I have a list." Doflamingo said.
Law turned to leave, knowing he had been dismissed. And while it irked him, he bit back a scathing response, as he was not going to add to the workload he was probably going to be given. It wasn't worth it, and Law needed those pills sooner rather than later.
His life literally depended on it.
-x
Doflamingo did call, three and a half days later, and Law tried his best. He managed to get the kills in, pocketed proof, and made himself scare, even if he had been a bit roughed up in the process. Already he could feel faint and dizzy, and strove to not stumble when he finally got to Doflamingo and handed off what was needed to prove he did as was asked.
Law managed to not swipe the bottle out of Doflamingo's hand, but it was a close thing. He also fought the urge to take the pills then and there, as he was sure Doflamingo would tease and ridicule him.
"I expect you'll be more careful next time?" Doflamingo asked lightly, and it was clear to Law he didn't mean killing people.
"I'll keep better track of it." Law indicated the bottle rattling with pills before he pocketed it. The dark haired man reached the door that led into a hall but was startled when he was abruptly shoved against the wall next to it. Law breathed in sharply as a large hand reached around his waist to palm his crotch through his pants. The dark haired man barely managed to not squirm when he was given a cursory squeeze as Doflamingo's voice hissed into his ear.
"It goes without saying that you should probably stop stringing that red head along, don't you think? Or does he get off on the idea of fucking a dying man?"
"The sex is good, so I decided it is his problem if he doesn't leave." Law said, though his voice strained as Doflamingo's hand rubbed against his jeans. "I already told him I likely wouldn't live for long, but he refuses to leave me alone."
"You're devious." Another squeeze. "Fine, go play with your red head, but I expect the rest of the list to be taken care of once the pills are working. Got it?"
Law squirmed this time around at another, harder grope, before he took a shaky breath. "Yes."
Doflamingo let go and moved away. "Give me a call when you're done and I'll get the rest of those pills for you. Caesar is taking his damn time, the bastard. What you have right now should last you a month, and then you'll get the rest of the agreed upon four months once that damn clown stops dithering around."
Law nodded. The pills were expensive, as they were a newer, and not many people were willing to work on researching and producing it, so rare was his disease. The dark haired man knew perfectly well that he was lucky that Doflamingo wasn't making him pay him in sexual favors or money in addition to already killing people. Even now he had something of a reputation on the news as a mysterious serial killer.
Law couldn't get out of there too soon, even when Doflamingo was already out of sight. But the dark haired man knew, even as he stepped out in the hall, that he needed those pills now, because he didn't get more than three steps and a closed door before his body was racked with spasms.
Law cursed under his breath as his knees buckled and sent him to the ground. Terrified and hating the helplessness he now experienced, Law managed to somehow get the bottle open and dry swallowed three pills. There was nothing to do after that but wait it out in a half curled fetal position with the pain spiraling around his body.
And once his body eased out of spasming and shooting pain, Law took a shuddering breath, got to his feet, and stumbled out of Doflamingo's office building with only one thought on his mind.
He needed Kid.
Law pointedly ignored the fact that he was trying to keep his and the red head's relationship to that of just fucking one another. But after that last sobering reminder of what could happen while off those drugs that made him function like a normal person…
Law wanted, needed to find Kid.
And when he found the red head, some hours later, in the dead of night, Law tried to calm himself down with the way that Kid looked at him. The way the red head perked up at the sight of him, as if surprised and pleased that it hadn't been a full week before he could see him again. Kid looked as if Law had made his day, or night, just by showing up.
And then Law forgot his worries as Kid happily dragged him into a closet of the shop he was working in. And all the while he wore that stupid grin plastered on his face. But Law found that anything was better than dwelling on what could be, and Kid seemed more than willing to help out in that regard by divesting him of his clothes and blowing his mind.
As Law wrapped his arms around the other man's neck and rode out the quickie in the closet, he could only hope that Kid wouldn't regret the decision to stay with him.