Chapter 14
Author's Note: This few chapters will describe Eustass's twenty-two days. Fear not, happy endings like Disney will happen. Thank you for supporting this fanfiction so far. Do leave a few reviews.
Xxx Destiny Aitsuji xxX
Eustass woke up lying on something hard. It was hot and the smell of salt was strong. The sound of waves crashing lulled him to a semi-conscious state. Where was he? He distinctly remembered how Des had made him go through the trials. He turned his head lazily to the left and saw some new blurry images. The strong UV lights made it hard for him to focus but when he did, all haziness disappeared and panic gripped his heart.
Eustass managed to collect his limbs and scrambled over to the unconscious body a few feet away from him. His eyes darted around anxiously. Law laid there unmoving to which Eustass panicked. He had no clue about resuscitation but desperate times called for desperate measure.
Kissing Law full on the lips and praying for a miracle, Law's eyes fluttered open slowly. Eustass was duly surprised when law flicked his tongue. They shared a deep kiss.
After breaking apart with a trial of saliva, Law chuckled at Eustass's flushing and bewildered face. Eustass felt the heat travel to his cheeks and frowned. He felt relieved and glad that the other man still found humor in a dire situation. He should have been dead but now there he was – alive and laughing at him. Eustass embraced the man tightly without words even when the olive skinned man protested. He missed the living Trafalgar Law. Even if it was barely a month left to live, it was more than what Eustass could have asked for. He thanks Des silently as he inhaled the antiseptic scent attached to the love of his life. He never missed it more than now, despite the fact he would rather die than step foot into a hospital. Love was blind and it was true for Eustass.
"Oi Eustass-ya! You can let go now you know? It's not as if I'm going to disappear on you."
Eustass let go of the surgeon reluctantly and gave him a broken smile. "Yeah, you're right." In his heart Eustass felt the fresh wound bleed. He had just lost Law once and gotten him back but only barely. "I'm sorry."
Law observed the pained look on Eustass's face and brushed it off as sentimental. He playfully pecked the red haired captain on the lips and bumped their foreheads together. "Relax, we're alive aren't we? Normal pirates would not have that luck, especially devil fruit users, to survive the sea's curse. I guess getting affiliated with people with D in their names made a difference."
Eustass relaxed his stiffened shoulders and smiled while cuddling with Law. "Yes," he whispered. Des was someone with a D in her name. Even if Monkey D Luffy was the carrier of the D will, he had Des to thank for what he now had.
Law being the more logical one unravel the heavy arm around his waist and stood up. "Since we were washed up this island we might as well take this chance to gather supplies needed to camp out until our crews find us. Honestly, I never expected Blackbeard to hunt us down. I don't know what happened but the fact that my life threatening wounds are no more and that I am still alive is no coincidence with how we were washed up from the sea which should have been our graves. I would not usually quote Basil Hawkins but this time I too shall believe in fate. The shadow of death is not yet upon us. We were meant to live."
Eustass wanted to cry at the ludicrousness of it all. If the shadow of death were not upon them then why does Eustass's remaining life with Law have a limit of a mere twenty two days? It was futile but Eustass wanted to make the fullest of the time he had left. Even if he held Law for an eternity, it would never be enough. Eustass was never a person who loved to read but he remembered vaguely reading from a book to which he thought was ridiculous. Now though, he understood it. "Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum…"
Law turned around. "Eustass-ya hurry up! The sun will set soon."
Eustass smiled and hurried over to catch up with Law.
Xxx Destiny Aitsuji xxX
Night fell quickly and the flames were cackling noisily on the else silent beach. Eustass relished the fish Law caught using his powers. It was a welcomed silence as there was no need for words between lovers.
They polished up their meal rather quickly and there was nothing much left to do with the night still so young. Law opted to cuddle with Eustass on the pretext of the chill wind approaching. They accompanied each other and watched the boastful stars shine without a care in the vast night sky.
"Eustass-ya, have you ever wondered where people go when they die?"
Eustass frowned. "What nonsense are you speaking?"
Law chuckled. He may not know everything but he knew he was dead. The fact that he was alive with Eustass meant something else. The red haired man was keeping it from him. Des the toki-toki no mi user had told him parts of the story. Scientifically speaking the law of equivalent exchange must apply. There must be a sacrifice for his expired time to continue ticking. In other words he knew that he was living on borrowed time. Eustass was the only person Law could think of and even in this false paradise he knew he should not be thinking of their impending parting. "I would be lonely without you. We don't see each other often enough."
Eustass suddenly felt a chill. Did law know or was it another coincidence. "I don't know what you are talking about."
Law snorted. It was so like Eustass to feign ignorance about things he disliked talking about. He did not mind though.
"I think when people die they become light."
Eustass was skeptical. "And why is that?"
Law could not tell Eustass how he had been in a colorful spectrum when he died. He gave Eustass a mysterious smile and said nothing more.
A shooting star was spotted and Law made a silent prayer while Eustass dozed off. "Please let me love Eustass forever, even after death."
With that heavy feeling, Law slept. The stars twinkled mysteriously as if considering his request.
Author's Note: The 22 days start now. Please review!