Disclaimer: I can claim nothing...
DeamonFoxGirl1000: Your words are soooo encouraging! thank you so much for your review! I really liked the idea of Kidd being a teacher, too, so I'm glad you like it!I have a lot of ideas for this story, and I did indeed have a good day when I read your comment!
Comiclz: I hope that you enjoy this next chapter, and i hope i can continue to keep you interested!
Guest: You reviews are most welcome! :) thank you for your words of kindness! :3
Shina Yuki: I hope that this chapter satisfies you! i love when my fellow writers have good things to say about my measly works. :D
Eustass-ya: Yes, that was indeed a SmoAce reference you saw! haha! If you like SmoAce,then, not to promote my own stuff *cough* but i am also working a SmoAce fanfic! ;) Your words are very much apperciated! Thank you so much!
Thank you all sooooo much for your reviews! * wipes away tears of happiness* I love you all! :3 X3
Call Me
Chapter 2: Say My Name
Law had to dash to the sound booth to avoid the hoards of obnoxious girls that insisted on trying to cornering him, and force upon him their homemade boxed lunches. It was so bad that just after a week his usual hid out in the library had been compromised. He had been distracted by thoughts of Eustass, and thus had failed to noticed that Monet and her gaggle of stalker girlfriends had shadowed him. He cursed as he flipped the lock on the door. Ugg. Now he ate his lunches alone for a completely different reason.
He fell heavily into the plush swivel chair in front of the sound equipment. Law sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. Might as well finish the track he and Penguin had started. All that was left was to add the lyrics...
Kidd saw that trouble maker Trafalgar Law suspiciously look left to right before disappearing behind the next corner. A few moments later he saw why. A horde of girls with a ton of boxed lunches swarmed the hallway.
"Law!" they called, " Trafalgar, we have food for you! Yummy sandwiches, and sweets!"
The red headed teacher rolled his eyes and walked toward the gymnasium's workout room. He skirted around the group of girls, and noticed a hallway he had never seen before.
"Where does that go?" he wondered out loud.
"Oh, that leads to the sound booth." One of the girls answered, eying him with interest.
"Sound booth?" he repeated.
"Yeah. It was added a few years ago, but no one really uses it because the equipment is really expensive, and you need special permission."
Hmm... A secluded place that bratty students aren't allowed in? Seemed worth checking out.
"Uh, thanks...?"
"Perona," the pinkette replied, then raced with the other girls, snapping a loud bubble of hot pink gum.
Eustass turned down the hall and walked until he came to a door sign that had 'Sound Booth/ Equipment Room' written on it. He reached out his hand and turned the handle. It was locked. Che. No problem.
He took out one of the booby pins hat held back the annoying stands of hair from his face. Kidd then bent it into a familiar shape, and the lock was picked in a matter of seconds.
It was obvious to Kidd that from the backpack on the floor, and the lights on, that someone was in here besides him.
Eying the familiar yellow and black backpack, he carefully made his way to the glass booth. When he peered in he wasn't surprised to find Law sitting on one of the stool, a pair of ear phones on his head, and his trademark white hat on the ground beside him.
Kidd saw his mouth moving, so he stealthily made his way over to the panels of nobs and buttons, and various cranky things, and pressed the right button that would allow him to hear the teen.
"...guin. Yes, you are connected. Just start the track on my count and we'll do the rest when I'm done. Are the camcorders on?"
"Yes," a warbled voice faintly said.
"Good," Trafalgar nodded. " On my count. One, two,one, two, three..."
Eustass knew that he should have stopped the teen, but something compelled him to stay where he was.
Music flooded over the speakers, specifically a slow guitar opening, and the rhythmic clacking of drum sticks. Then, to his surprise, Law opened his mouth again, and began to...sing...?
"Say my name, say my name
If no one is around you, say "Baby, I love you"
If you ain't runnin'
Say my name, say my name
You actin' kinda shady, ain't calling me baby
Why the sudden change?"
The ballad was...unqiue. It was sad and something the Eustass wouldn't think to listen to, but as he watched Law's face change into the definition of disappointment, hurt, and sadness as he continued, his smooth voice did something to Kidd's insides.
"Say my name, say my name
If no one is around you, say "Baby, I love you"
If you ain't runnin' game
Say my name, my name
Say my name, my name
Any other day, I would call
You would say, "Baby, how's your day?"
But today, ain't the same
Every other word is "uh-huh," "yeah okay"
Could it be that you are at the crib with another lady?
And if you took it there, first of all, let me say
I am not the one to sit around and be played
So prove yourself to me, I'm the one that you claim
Why don't you say the things you said to me yesterday?"
Alternative rock wasn't really Kidd's style, but the as more instruments like electric guitar and drums were added, he found himself humming along.
"I won't let you say I'm assuming things
If something's going down, that's the way it seems
It shouldn't be the reason why you actin' strange
Yeah, nobody's holding you back from me
'Cause I know how you usually do
When you say everything to me times two
Why can't you just tell the truth
If somebody's there, then tell me who!
Say my name, say my name
If no one is around you, say "Baby, I love you"
If you ain't runnin' game
Say my name, say my name
You actin' kinda shady, ain't calling me baby
Why the sudden
Say my name, say my name
If no one is around you, say "Baby, I love you"
If you ain't runnin' game (oh no)
Say my name, my name
(My name)
I know they say that some things are better left unsaid
And it wasn't like you only talked to him and you know it
(Oh no no)
All of these things people told me keep messing with my head
You should've picked honesty
Then you may not have blown it"
Law clutched the mic in front of him with one hand, and his short black hair with the other. His face was full of emotion as his voice flowed effortlessly through the pitch changes, and chords.
"But you don't have to say just what you did
I already know
I found out from him
Now there's just no chance for you and me
And there'll never be
And don't it make you sad
You told me you loved me
Why did you leave me, all alone
Now you tell me you need me
When you call me, on the phone
Girl I refuse, you must have me confused
With some other guy
Your bridges were burned, and now it's your turn
To cry
So cry me a river
Just cry me a river
Just cry me a river (oh no)
Just cry me a river
Cry me, cry me
You say yeah yeah
You say yeah yeah
You say yeah yeah
You say yeah yeah
I say no no
You say yeah yeah
I say no no
You say no no no
Say my name, say my name
If no one is around you, say "Baby, I love you"
If you ain't runnin'
Say my name, say my name
You actin' kinda shady, ain't calling me baby
Why the sudden change
Say my name, say my name
If no one is around you, say "Baby, I love you"
If you ain't runnin' game (oh no)
Say my name, my name
Say my name then cry me a river
(My name)
Say my name then cry me a river
(My name)
Say my name then cry me a river"
Kidd's eyes never left Law the entire time, like he was in a trance. When the music faded, the room was quiet for a few seconds.
"Penguin-ya, did you get that?"
"Yeah, Captain. Booth camcorders got it."
"Good, now," Law said, stretching like a cat, "I'm done till Friday. Edit it and bring a copy to the club, then okay?"
The voice on the other end of the phone agreed, then hung up.
Eustass watched the hurt, broken Law transform into the cocky pervert he knew in class. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, as Law exited the glass booth.
"Got permission to use this stuff?" the red head asked in an atempt to hide his confusion at the weird feeling in his chest.
Law started a little, but then recovered so quickly, Kidd wondered if he had imagined it.
"Yes, Mr. Eustass-ya, I'd hope so. I funded this booth and all it's equipment after all. " He raised a delicate eyebrow, opening his bag and placed two camera's inside as if proving a point.
He then slung the pack over his shoulder. "Was there something that you wanted, Mr. Eustass-ya?"
For some reason Kidd felt a rush of adrenaline as Law stepped closer. His aura was dark and dangerous, something that heated Kidd's body.
The brat hadn't metioned anything else about being 'lovers', but Eustass wasn't ignorant to the sexual comments or euphemism's that were thrown his way to make him uncomfortable.
"Nope," he said as he pushed himself off of the wall and yawned.
"By the way, Teacher-ya..." Trafalgar asked as Kidd brushed by him. "How did you get in here?"
The cocky smile he threw over his shoulder at Law said that was for him to figure out.
"Don't forget about the qiuz tomorrow, " he said as he departed, leaving Law alone in the sound room.
Eustass couldn't get Trafalgar Law's voice out of his head, that fucking song's chorus playing over and over again as he walked over to his bike. It also wasn't the first time that day that Kidd wondered who had taught Law to sing like that.
He squinted his amber eyes at the dark clouds at swirled ominously in the sky, and furrowed his hairless eyebrows. Strattling his bike, he felt the first drop of rain on his pale cheek.
He put on his helmet, not bothering to strap it, and jammed the key in to the keyhole. It started with a satisfying roar, and he reved the engine with a few twists of his wrist.
The thunder rumbled loudly as a vein of lighting streaked across the sky, and just after Kidd pulled out of the school parking lot and onto the road, the rain came down in sheets.
"Fuck!" He cursed, racing down the wet streets.
The rain drenched him in minutes, plastering his clothes to his skin. He'd pity any idiot caught in this...not he was an idiot, of course...
He came to a stop sign, waiting for the line of traffic to cease. Damn, he shivered, it is really cold out today! Movement caught his amber eyes as he strattled the seat of his bike, his crotch the only part of him warm at the moment.
A few moments later Trafalgar Law slipped out and casually strode down the sidewalk in the down pour.
Eustass watched until Law turned the corner before letting out a sigh of defeat, harshly flicking on his blinker. He pulled out of his lane and into the 'left only' section of tbe road, following the perverted idiot. Kidd turned the corner and spotted Law.
"Oi, brat!" He called over a crack of thunder.
He pulled up beside the his student, walking the bike into a crawl.
"Need a lift?"
Trafalgar kept his face forward as he replied, "Nope. Thanks, but no thanks, Mr. Eustass-ya."
Kidd shook his head as he walked the slow moving bike.
"Come on, kid," he chided, "You'll catch you death out here."
"I said 'no thanks'," Law said coldly, this time turning to face Kidd.
Through the rain, and illuminated by a flash of lightning, Kidd could see the fresh bruise on the side of Law's jaw, the split lip that still weeped blood, and, now that he was closer, the limp in the raven's step.
"And I'm saying 'too bad'. I'm not gonna be the prime suspect when they find your sorry ass frozen, and decide to investigate, so get on the bike," he replied, probably with a little too much force. Oh well...
Law gave a small smile, shaking his head, but stepped off the sidewalk and threw a leg over the bike seat. Kidd took off his helmet and turned to Law.
"Here," he grunted, shoving the head gear into the other man's hands.
Law took it from him, looking at him curiously.
Eustass rolled his eyes. " You need it more then me. If anything happens, its more dangerous for the person riding behind. Now... have ever riden pillion before?"
Law took the hat off of his head and placed on the helmet.
"Nope," he said.
Kidd sighed. "Then put one hand on that grip," he pointed to the back of the bike. "And one hand on me. You'll have to pick up the knack of matching my balance."
He guided Trafalgar's arm around his waist, and dug into his own coat pocket. He pulled out out hiis old goggles and slipped them around his head and over his eyes.
"Hold on!" He cackled and shot down the street.
They raced down empty streets at a reckless speed, giving Law an excuse to tighten his arm around Kidd's waist, and shuddered at the heat that radiated from the older man.
The rain stung his face like bee stings as it pelted him, and he squinted his dark eyes against the wind and water, whipping around corners and through green and red lights alike.
"Where are we going?!" Law shouted over the noise.
Kidd took another corner, tires hydroplaning over the pavement.
"To my place to get my car!" Kidd replied with a shout of his own.
Law just swallowed, bringing his his face to Kidd's neck, and inhaling the spicy musk from his damp hair. He let the heat of his breath tickle Eustass's cold skin as he spoke into his ear.
"I really appreciate your help, Teacher-ya," he said lowly, "It looks like I owe you another favor."
He felt Kidd's small shiver, but replied with a smirk in his voice, "Consider it a freebe, brat!" Kidd laughed, taking a sharp riight, then speeding up.
"Whoo!" He howled in excitement a moment later.
After staring through the curtain of water he saw the object of Kidd's exclaimation. Ahead of them was a bridge, the kind that raised upp for boats and the like, and what did it happen to be doing right now? Raising up to let a boat through of course!
He sucked in a breath, already knowing what was going to happen. His heart leapt into his throat as the red head gunned the throttle, speeding toward their impending doom. He started to shut his eyes,but stopped himself.
Instead, as they vaulted up and the gap between the bridge sides, he hollered and cheered along with Kidd, but out of fear than excitement.
When they landed, both their bodies adjusted to eachother accordingly to avoid getting flipped, and, without slowing down, continued on their way. They were still laughing like maniacs as they raced in between cars and eventually pulled into Eustass' s driveway.
"Come on!" Kidd yelled over the howling wind, gesturing through the almost solid wall of rain.
Kidd and him laughed as they stumbled up the stairs, and into the teacher's appartment. Law almost collasped to the floor as the adrenaline made he his legs unstable.
"Haha!" Kidd rejoiced, "That was great! Betcha don't do THAT every day!" He turned to Law. "God, kid. Your lips are as purple as a grape and you look like a drowned rat. "
Now that it was pointed out, Trafalgar was clutching his arms tightly to his body, and clenching his teeth together to stop them from clacking. He also noticed that he was creating a puddle on Eustass' s hard wood floors.
"S-s-sorry," he chattered violently.
"'Sokay," Kidd assured. " Get to the shower. First door on the right."
The older teen wasted no time scurrying to the bathroom. He peeled off his saturated clothes off as quickly as he could, and jumped into the steaming water.
"God," he moaned, hot water running over his stiff and trembling muscles.
He heard a muffled laugh through the door, and as he started to lather his thick hair with Kidd's shampoo and conditionar, he listened as Kidd continued.
"The weather channel is telling people to stay inside and prepare for a rough night. It looks like you'll be spending the night."
Law felt himself smile ruefully. He guessed that refusing a ride from Ace today had its own benefits.
"Oh, yeah?" He asked as he stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist.
Law opened the door, and padded in the direction of Kidd's voice.
"Yeah," the red head was saying, "I think that they are classifying it as a hurricane or something. "
Trafalgar followed the voice and found the source in his bed room, digging through his dresser drawers.
"Mr. Eustass-ya, were would you like me to put these wet clothes?" He asked innocently.
Kidd turned abruptly at the sound of Law's voice.
He stared at Law, and Law let him. He knew that the towel wrapped loosely around his waist left little to the imagination, and that the tribal tattoos on his chest and arms gave him an other worldly apperance. What most people didn't know was why Trafalgar had gotten them, or what they represented.
Still, he let his red devil look at them, the water still glistening on his olive skin, and the lean muscles that rippled underneath it.
Kidd cleared his throat and held out a bundle of dry clothes.
"Here, take these. They're too small on me," he grunted, throwing Law the clump of clothes.
Law caught them, then handed Kidd his own wet ones.
"Thanks," he smiled slowly.
Eustass blushed lightly, and snatched the sopping bundle from the teens long fingers. "No problem," he mumbled, not raising his eyes from the clothes.
Law nodded and walked back to the bathroom, and got dressed in dark gray sweatpants and a long sleeve red shirt.
He rolled up the sleeves loosely to his elbows, and tightened the drawstring around his hips as he made his eay to the kitchen. Kidd was in there, banging together pots and pans as he tried to decide what to cook.
"What do you want to eat, brat?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at Law.
Law slid onto a bar stool at the island, and rested his chin in his hand. "Mmm," he hummed, "Something with out bread."
Eustass stilled. "No bread? Seriously? "
The raven nodded in confirmation.
Sighing, Law's teacher reached into the fridge and pulled out a bunch of ingredients. Soon Kidd placed infront of him a steaming pile of stir fry. His stomach growled loudly, which caused the red head to laugh lightly.
The raven recieved the fork with as much dignity he could manage, then waited until Kidd got his own plate before he started eating. They ate in silence, Law watching the raging storm playing silently outside the window.
"Thank you," he said when he was done, placing the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. "If you will excuse me..." he then raced out of the kitchen and to the bag that still layed by the front door.
He reached in and withdrew his cell phone. He typed in the familiar number, and waited anxiously for the reciever to pick up.
"Hello, stud. How's your walk in the pissing rain?" Ace's laugh greeted.
Law sighed in annoyance, taking his stuff and carrying it into the open living room.
"I got a ride by someone and am staying over at his house."
"WHAT?"Ace screeched, making Law pull the phone away from his head to minimize the damahe to his ear drums. "Is it that hot teacher, Panda? Teellll meee!" He whined.
"If I tell you yes, will you shut up and let me speak?' Law asked grumply. "And I told you never to call me that!"he added.
Ace laughed again. "Che. Whatever. Whadya want from me, then, if it's not a ride?"
"Can you check on Bepo? You know how he hates thunder storms," Law questioned, more tgen alittle irritaed with the loud raven.
"Yeah, sure. I actually checked on him a little while ago. He practically jumped me. Poor guy was shaking so bad I gave those steak things that he likes."
Law let out a relieved breath. "Thanks."
"Hn. No prob. See ya tomorrow if this storm dies down," he said. "Oh, and when you sleep with that hot red head, I want all the horny details-"
Law hung up, the proverbial angst mark on his forhead. He fell back against the couch, weary and drained.
He looked up to see Kidd leaning against the frame of the kitchen door.
"What?" He snapped at the older man.
"Who's 'Bepo'?" He asked, unabashed that he had inadvertently admitted to eavesdroping.
"My dog," he answered curtly. His sour mood from earlier was back. There would be hell to pay the next time he had an appointment with his foster father.
He rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Can I get some blankets?"
He waited while Kidd went to fullfill his request. By the time the red head came back, Law was almost asleep. He felt the heavy comforter being laid ontop of him and a pillow placed gently under his head. He mumbled a thanks and curled up under the warm blankets, ready to sleep his troubles away.
Hopefully he could sort out the payment date with Dolflamingo. He knew that bastard liked money almost as much as he liked sex and drugs, so it shouldn't be to big of a headacje if he played his cards right...
The last thing Trafalgar hears before sleep claimed him was the warm sound of a guitar and the soft humming of a voice floating through these aparment. He smiled as he buried his face into his pillow, thinking up the first two lines to a new song.
A/N: the song is 'Say my name/cry me a river' by The Neighbourhood. Its such a great song. You guys should listen to it!