Time: One year later
-x-x-
Law and Kid had fallen into a routine when it came to seeing one another. At first it had been Kid seeking the dark haired man out, but now the both of them had decided that they could go and find the other whenever they wanted.
It sometimes led to interesting encounters, while other times it was awkward and difficult to explain.
The latter happened a few days into a new week, when Law came on to Kid when he was at a coffee shop. It just so happened that not only were there other people their, but the little show Law put on of kissing Kid was watched by an unamused Killer.
"I don't see what you're doing with that guy." Killer said, once Law had flitted out the door with a smirk and a casual wave of his hand to Law.
Kid ignored the fact that Law had given him a hickey, but he did focus on the part where Law had whispered in his ear to come find him later in the park, at night. That was different then their usual hook up locations, and the red head liked different. Also, Kid loved the idea of doing something indecent in front of other people, though whether or not anyone would be there late at night would be up to chance.
Killer interrupted his sex addled brain.
"Is there something wrong with him?" Killer rolled his cup back and forth on the table, and though his blond hair hid his eyes, he was clearly staring at Kid.
"Why's it matter?" Kid asked dismissively, belatedly wondering how Law had had time to get a coffee to go. He'd seen the man carrying a to go cup when he'd waved at him as he left.
"Heat saw him the other day and noticed that he was taking pills." Killer was clearly trying to get Kid back on track and not daydreaming. "He's sick?"
"He needs it to function." Kid realized that he didn't have a coffee, so that answered where Law had gotten his. Bastard now owed him a drink, and Kid considered getting it from the man himself that night. a different kind of drink than coffee, though. Kid made a face at the lack of a drink to busy himself with, and, seeing Killer still looking at him, gave in with a sigh. "Shit, he takes those pills 'cause they're prolonging his life or some shit like that. Happy now?"
"He's dying?" Killer's tone changed, like he was about to suggest something. "You really shouldn't-"
"That's what he said. That I should leave since he's gonna die. But he could always get a cure in the next year." Kid answered, before his friend could get the full question out. "But I ain't gonna eave because of something like that."
Killer processed this before speaking. "You're having sex with a dying man? I know you like to fuck around, Kid, but that's sick, even for you."
Kid bristled. "I'm not fucking around with him like that. We're just fucking." The red head leered at his friend. "It's good sex, too."
"Kid…" Killer couldn't seem to come up with any words to describe what he was feeling over this revelation, and instead shook his head. "I hope you aren't getting attached. Because no matter how much you bullshit about not dating anyone and all that, it's going to bother you when he's gone."
"We're just fucking." Kid insisted, but even he knew that it wasn't said with as much certainty as he should have. And Killer rode him on that, as if trying to get him to see something the red head couldn't.
"There's something more, Kid, even if you don't see it. Did you not notice the way you looked at him when he came into the coffee shop?"
"How the hell am I supposed to see my own face?" Kid demanded.
"That's why I'm telling you now." Killer pointed out. "It was weird for me to see you look so happy. Normally you're pissed off for some reason or another."
Kid flipped Killer off and took his leave after snagging another drink from the coffee shop.
But the blond's words lingered in his mind when Kid eventually ran into Law in the park later that night. And damned if he didn't grin at the other man as soon as he set eyes on him. But that was only because Law had chosen to sprawl out on a large blanket, naked, and offer an inviting smile.
Kid ignored Killer's words echoing in his head as he shed his own clothes and made it clear what he wanted by pinning Law down hard to the ground and harshly kissing him with a possessive growl.
It was just sex. It wasn't like Kid really needed anything more out of Law than that.
"You're thinking about something. I didn't know you could think." Law commented with a devious smile. "I thought your dick did all the thinking for you."
Kid took it back; he liked Law's sarcastic attitude as well.
"Just thinking which position to do you in." Kid snapped irritably, though he damn near groaned at the sight of Law sprawled out on his back with a wicked smirk.
"Stop using what little brain cells you have and get moving already. I do need to go to sleep and get some rest."
As soon as Kid opened his mouth, he knew his damn friend was right about not just being interested in sex. "You have enough of those pills?"
"I do. For now." Law gave Kid a searching gaze, something in his eyes seeming to wonder why it mattered to Kid, before the humor returned. "Really, don't think too much. Your brain will become a pile of mush and go out through your ears." Law palmed Kid's dick with a hand and let out a soft sigh. "Think with this for now. You can tell me to fuck off later."
Kid did, and tired very hard not to think about how he was kissing Law more than usual, nor the fact that Law was clinging to him more tightly as he fucked him on that blanket in the park. If Kid had known that Law had lied about the pills, he might have been liable to get himself involved in helping find said pills, but then that would take Kid far past just being fuck buddies.
-x
Law realized a day or so after sex in the park that Kid really did just seem to find him as a convenient fuck. It was a little disappointing, truth be told, but not at all surprising. Though the question about his pills had thrown Law for a loop. But something the dark haired man had noticed happening lately was the fact that the two of them would get into arguments outside of the bedroom. They would bicker as if they were having the time of their lives riling the other up until it eventually led to, more often than not, rough sex. But Law knew better than to think that Kid would be a saint; Law knew perfectly well that Kid mostly just wanted to satisfy himself. That Law ended up satisfied in the end as well was just a bonus because it made Kid enjoy their encounters all the more.
Law dashed his thoughts about Kid's motives aside, and decided that he'd done better with the red head than any of his previous numerous lovers. Maybe Doflamingo was right about his taste in men being terrible. It was a moot point, because Law wasn't going to get to see Kid that night.
Because he had lied to Kid about the pills.
And right now, Law strove to keep himself from passing out from numerous injuries that had been dealt to him. His last kill of the night had gone terribly wrong, and he'd been wounded in the process. But because of it, Law now had a new bottle of pills from Doflamingo in his pocket. The dark haired man only had to make it to the alley of an apartment complex, and inside, and he'd be just fine. He'd lick his wounds, so to speak, take his pills, and get a good night's sleep.
Law only made it as far as the alley before collapsing not from his illness, but from his wounds. That his last thought before passing out was Kid was something the dark haired man didn't want to read too much in to.
-x
Kid had had another terrible day, and it only got worse when he happened to find Law an alley when he thought to go look for the man.
And he was covered in wounds, some of them still bleeding.
Law was also unconscious.
Kid didn't even stop to think when he scooped Law up into his arms and brought him into the apartment. Nor did he question why he was bothering to help Law at all; even going so far as to clean the wounds and patch them up in a way he did his own injuries when he got them. And Kid made the attempt to ignore the fact that a battered Law was a turn on, and of course that was when the dark haired man had to wake up.
"You are aroused over the sight of me beaten up so?" Law asked a tired edge to his voice while wearing a smirk. "Should I be flattered?"
"You sound and look like shit." Kid managed to skirt around the question, but he ended up only making things more awkward by asking a question of his own. "Does this mean you got more pills?" Kid saw a nod. "Are they working? You seem…" The red head drifted off and shrugged.
Law shook his head as he let out a sigh. "I hope the pills are not losing their effectiveness." Law reclined on the bed, carefully not moving the more beaten up right arm, and stared up at Kid for what seemed like forever. And then, he spoke quite simply. "Fuck me."
Kid was relieved at the words, and promptly sneered at Law as he stripped himself of his clothes and loomed over Law. "I'll bet you want that."
Law's arms wrapped around him to urge him closer. "Yes."
Kid took his time, and waited until he had Law riding a high before he growled against his collarbone. "Don't see anyone else."
"I haven't." Law breathed out, wrapping himself closer to Kid as the other continued to thrust.
"I'll fight anyone who tries to do something like this to you." Kid thrust to make it clear what he was indicating, and then lightly tapped some bandages. "I'll take out these kinds of bastards too."
Law just held on tighter as the comment seemed to make Kid more vigorous in his efforts to fuck him out of his mind of the umpteenth time.
-x
Kid was passed out, still fast asleep some hours later.
Law curled in on himself, half hating how possessive Kid was starting to become, but on the other hand, finding perverse amusement in pressing the red head's buttons, as it tended to end in hot, angry sex more often than not. But beneath that possessiveness, Law noticed something else. Something that Kid was obviously trying very hard to deny, hide or ignore.
That Kid was beginning to see Law as more than just a fuck buddy. That beneath all that aggressive energy, beneath the occasional mocking and insults, Kid almost seemed to care about what happened to him.
And then Law knew, in that moment, that him dying would hit the red head harder than Kid would ever admit in his dismissive insistence that it would never be anything more than bedtime romps between them.
But even so, Kid still didn't leave him.
When Law woke up in the morning and found that the red head was still in bed with him, had even sleepily pressed up against him, Law felt, and knew, that something had changed between them.