Chapter 5, From the best part of learning a language to ripping your clothes off
Heavy rain was dropping furiously on the bar's roof. However no customer could hear it through the noisy atmosphere. The smell of smoke and alcohol filled the air, stinging the senses of non forewarned people who stumbled upon this place. The inside was bathed in dim lights highlighting the wooden tables and stools.
At the counter, Eustass suddenly seemed to get his glass was empty and ordered another round. He hadn't remembered about his first encounter with his husband for what felt like a life time. And he definitely wasn't drunk enough yet to think about how long he hadn't seen his long lost love. He couldn't help it though. Recalling those memories had been a mistake. Kid suffered as he felt that empty cavity howling in his chest again, as if his heart had been taken out.
"When he disappeared I felt so… For the first time of my life there wasn't anything I could do. I was powerless. It's the shittiest feeling ever," Kid said looking at glass' bottom and sneered, "Difficult to understand for a being that's all mighty… or demonic. Whatever."
"You think I do not know what it is like to lose people I loved?" Trafalgar said emptying his own glass. His grey look pierced holes in Kid's chest who gulped, not feeling at ease with those eyes' seriousness. He couldn't stand it, not in that vulnerable state. He wasn't good enough for stuff like that.
"Calm down… I don't want to hear your life story. 'm not your therapist."
"You really are–" Law searched for a proper insult to fling at Eustass' face. He'd had the delicacy to not interrupt Kid's story. Law had heard his sorrowful memories as alcohol made his own heart heavy, as he had remembered how miserable he felt in the depth of his soul. So was it really so hard for the red haired man to pretend he'd cared for a few minutes!
"Hypocrite!"
Kid stopped the glass he was bringing to his mouth in midair. Something twitched in his glazed eyes and his pupils seemed to begin to spark.
"Is that the best one you've got?" He asked with a real concern as if it was the saddest thing he heard tonight.
"What?"
"Hypocrite. That your insult?" The red haired man worried.
"Uh… Books have the decency to not teach offenses."
"Oh my god, what I was thinking?! Let you learn from books!"
Kid made an expression of mock horror at that assessment.
"I need to restart all your education. You missed the best part of learning a language!"
"Cease this."
"Oh no, you'll never fit in if you don't know how to swear!"
Trafalgar rested his left arm on the bar, an unswayed expression settling on his face. Watching Kid move from nostalgia to childish games came under the human's curiosity. Even if the dark haired man knew Eustass' deep intentions were to drown his own grief, Law went with the flow. Maybe it'd work for him too.
"Okay let's start from my experience. I'm the best teacher you could find in the area."
From previous and particularly annoying lessons, Law seriously doubted that statement.
"There are several useful cuss words you can use to insult a man. Jerk, dick, prick, ass… You'll see fast it's often bellow-the-waist. You can easily go with asshole –that's a good one–, motherfucker, cunt, twat, dumbass… You can -shitty almost everything. Come one try some."
"This is ridiculous."
"Wrong. This is bullshit, crap, bloody, a hell of a… Goddamn it I'm doing everything wrong!"
Law fought the amusement he felt twitching the corner of his lips. The red haired man leaned toward him as if he was about to reveal Law some dark secrets.
"There is one word. One four letter word you'll always need. I don't know if I should tell you that. It's really powerful. Almost magic. It works everywhere, in every situation. Whether you get pissed, happy, lost, sad, screwed, whatsoever."
"Which?" The dark haired man couldn't believe he played Kid's game.
"Fuck." Eustass whimpered.
"Fuck?"
"Fuck." He nodded.
The dark head's eyes widened all of sudden and an old Japanese "Oh fuck!" genuinely burst out of his mouth.
"I hope that was an insult."
"Shut your mouth. You are bleeding."
As he could have scolded a careless child, the dark haired man stood up and applied his sweater's sleeve on the bleeding side of Eustass face.
Trafalgar didn't actually feel guilty about being the one who'd gave him that wound; Kid had deserved to get his shit beaten out of him. But the dark haired man was grateful to be the one taking care of the red head in the aftermath. He had a lot of respect towards his enemies although he never recalled drinking with one of them after a fight.
The barmaid had handed them towels. It didn't stop Kid from whining though.
"Keep the cloth pressed on your temple." Law commanded.
"Shithead," Kid added, "On your temple shithead. You'll never learn if you don't practice," He responded to Law's jaded frown.
The dark haired man ignored his comments and continued his examination.
"Do I need stitches?"
"Disinfection above all but nothing to ruin your unpleasant face."
Kid's reply was drowned out by his last drink being shoved down his open mouth by the weary swordsman. It had the merit of being effective at shutting him up but also seemed to make the red haired man realized that Law's hands were on his face. Bare skins almost burned where they touched. Their hearts were pounding heavily in their chests and for quiet instant they lost themselves in each other's eyes.
Kid had almost forgotten how alluring Law's eyes could be. They always had that sharp metallic color he loved at the first sight. But under the bar's dim colored lights the irises were so changeable. They seemed as cloudy as a raining sky, though instead of absorbing light they reflected it. It was making him looked like a wild animal and emphasized the strain growing between them.
The instant appeared to last forever, on the edge where they both stood none of them seemed to be able to talk or move. Droplets were still running down their hair but their mouths suddenly went dry. They started shivering but their cold clothes weren't the cause.
They could feel the other's heat from the short distance separating them. In the middle of the cheerful crowd where no one paid attention to them, Law and Kid only had eyes for each other. Slowly they drifted towards something they should both regret but they were like two magnetic poles brought together against the laws of nature. You could tell they were driving closer but couldn't truly catch their movement as the sun setting down. Slowly their lips went brushing but all the gentleness of their touch couldn't prevent the spark of electricity to burst wildly at the contact. The thrilling sensation spread from their mouth through their whole bodies.
By the time they went further, their moment was gone. And a loud door's slam broke the conversations flow while a rude and drunk voice yelled from the doorstep.
"Is there rum left for thirsty good fellas?!"
Law's gripped the guard of his sword and weighed up the pros and the cons of slashing through the crowd and ripped the tongue of the impudent's mouth. The entry behind him only allowed Law to hear the men stomp on the wooden floor, their coarse laughs spreading in the air. Chats started again, a bit quieter.
But at the counter the dark haired man felt Kid's body tense with barely held rage. It was a matter of seconds but Law knew what was coming and didn't dare to interrupt. A threat on approach. One who seemed to set Eustass' nerves on edge. A thirsty enemy who would come to order his drink at the counter they were seated.
"You're not welcome here Bellamy." One of the waitresses said.
"I'm under Joker's flag," He replied as if it would suffice to end any argument, "I can drink anywhere I want."
No one dare to contradict the so-called Bellamy as he walked toward the counter, slowing his step near them and Trafalgar could tell he was deliberately playing with Kid's nerves. Was it alcohol or insanity Law couldn't guess but the man was making a huge mistake. He passed behind Eutass' back and set a heavy hand on the counter at the red head's right. From Kid's left, Law had only been able to glimpse the deep scars engraving Bellamy's temples and cheeks, and the huge mad smile stuck on the blond man's face. His nasty snicker burst out dramatically.
"I can't believe my eyes! Look what we've got here! Eustass Kid, the tearful widow in the flesh."
The swordsman began to count the minutes left for the blond man because his life was now a matter of very short time. Trafalgar would be delighted to see his long and suffering end. Surprisingly Eustass hadn't made a single gesture yet. Law wondered if he was focusing on not crushing the glass he was holding in front of him.
"I thought Diamante made himself clear," Bellamy dangerously whimpered, "If we saw your ass nearby again we'd beat you up out of the country."
"Go fuck yourself and take the whole family with you on the way."
"That's very n… Jeez! Someone suck me off right now if it's not Trafalgar Law!" Bellamy rumbled ecstatically upon finally catching sight of the dark haired man. "Joker will be overjoyed to see you alive! He's looking forward to hearing from you, don't you Law? Isn't it wonderful? Everything gets back to normal!"
Laughing, Bellamy snatched a drink and held it up in Law's direction parodying a toast.
"To your good return home faggo–"
The last word died on his lips or more precisely was crushed onto the counter as wood shattered in his head's way. Kid's hand been so fast Law hadn't seen it move. In one fluid movement, Bellamy's affront had been instantly repressed. Tightening his black polished fingers on the impudent man's hair, Kid got him on his feet and headed for the backdoor, his whole body letting out a murderous aura.
.
Bellamy's body hit the back alley's cobblestone with a muffled thud, his limbs flying as he tried to catch himself and failed. Kid's left fist went for his head and the silver wedding ring hit him right in the face.
From his earlier experience, Law could tell how much the blond man was suffering now. However Trafalgar noticed Kid had clearly held back his strength against him earlier. While Eustass set up a quiet conversation with punches and kicks, Law kept the back door closed to prevent any of Bellamy's men to go after their beaten leader.
Once the red haired had exposed his points, he slammed the drunken man on the wall beside Law who didn't flinch the slightest, holding a bored expression with his sword resting on his shoulder.
"What's Joker want from Law?!" Kid spat lifting the man up by his bloodied collar.
There it was. The swordsman tensed unnoticed. This Bellamy seemed to believe he was the archeologist but Law got ready. If the blond ever implied Kid's husband death, he'll slit his throat right away.
They were slightly sheltered from the growing storm by the bar's roof edge. Bellamy's bruised head was dangling pitifully on the side as he tried to raise the corner of his painful mouth.
"'d… 'd like to… know…huh?"
A gargling snicker came out of his shit-eating grin. Kid fisted his collar so tight the hyena started to suffocate.
"Answer me! What's Joker had to do with Law's business?"
"Wh…y …n't ask him?" Bellamy replied nodding as far as could in the dark head's direction.
Eustass knew he had stepped into a dangerous territory and his chest tightened at the thought of where it could lead him. If Law had been involved with under grounders such as Donquixote, this mess might be far more intricate than Kid first thought. But he had to go all the way.
"It's your boss' answer I want! Where is he?"
"In your… ass."
That comment was rewarded by a red head butt that made Bellamy's nose bleed.
"Think again."
"I…an't… ucker! You broke… my head."
"Ya should be glad it still on your shoulders, 'might not last."
"You're not… first to want… Joker. Pick a number… redhead."
Kid's eyes burned with a creepy gleam filling his pupils, "Wrong answer."
The red head raised his fist at his face's level and stopped mid air just for the bleeding man to see what was coming through his swollen eyes. Then Eustass knocked him out of consciousness.
Kid looked so tired and worn-out. He was dirty, soaking under the heavy rain but not panting nor drunk at all. Just deeply pissed off. Law couldn't care less about the bangs drumming on the door in his back. He was entirely focused on the red haired, almost tasting the fury raging in his contracted muscles. The swordsman was hanging on Kid's every moves, waiting for his worshiper to summon the courage to go and annihilate his enemies. In any case he will be there to keep him on the right path of ignorance of his husband's fate. The better the sooner, he said to himself as he set a hand on his nodachi's guard.
"He will not tell you anything now." The dark haired man said carefully without blinking.
"He'd ain't tell me shit even if I'd broke his bones one by one."
"How will you reach his master then?"
"I have a plan."
.
At Eustass' devilish grin the swordsman tensed and suddenly drew his sword. Before the red head even took a breath Law was on him slashing his blade over his head. Right above Kid's shoulder, the sword collided with a dark wooden stick.
Eustass didn't make a move until Law had thrown back their new challenger's weapon. The mechanic turned back and faced the man who, without the swordsman's intervention, would have knocked him down to unconsciousness in one hit. Their assailant didn't seem to be disturbed at all by the pouring rain nor by the sunglasses he wore by night. He just walked slowly toward them his weapon ready, his white lined coat flapping against his legs and… was it a lollipop stuck on his cheek?
They didn't have time to wonder any longer, the man was already on them with a peerless speed. This time Law barely had time to dodge his attack. The dark haired man smiled coldly before rushing to the man's encounter. He was just warming up. They exchanged a few hits without real strength, testing each other. Eustass was trying to reach the man behind his back without coming to beat him.
Quickly, Trafalgar had the bad feeling his opponent was simply bored, as if it hadn't worth to really fight against them. Law enraged at this thought but it was a mistake. The wooden stick the man used to fight meet Trafalgar's arm in a powerful blast the dark head didn't expected. He stepped back under the man's assault; his assailant was faster than him and knew exactly where to hurt him with a professional mastery.
With his full powers the swordsman could have defeated him easily but in the dark and adding the man's speed he couldn't take the risk to cut him in half without harming Eustass. Soon the man seemed to not want to lose any more time, so he went for a direct blow on Law's side. The dark head saw it right before the hit and went to block it. But as he was placing his sword to stop the attack, the man made his weapon diverted and used his run-up to strike Eustass' head with full force.
That unexpected blow left Trafalgar in shock, enough for the man to kick his nodachi out of his hands. A fist as hard as steel connected with the dark head's jaw that knocked him on the ground. Law felt his jaw had been dislocated, but he hadn't time to do something about it. Heavy black shoes was already hammering his belly and breaking his ribs. The swordsman jerked when hands began to rummage through his jacket expecting pain to continue. But steps echoed on the cobblestone going away from him and a few seconds later Kid's scream shrilled in the back alley.
No, this couldn't happen. Law tried to stand up but he really had been beaten up to the core this night. He couldn't hear much over the rain but Eustass' strangled screams forced him to get on his feet. Beyond the water curtain, Law saw the red haired man on the ground, the wooden stick of their assailant on his throat. The man bent on him had his foot crushing one of his hands as he was searching through his clothes as well. He got a heavy journal out of Kid's vest.
"That's… That's… mine dickhead."
The man didn't even spare him a glance and walked away having apparently taken what he attacked them for. Eustass attempted to grab the man but he was already too far away and one of the red head's arms was bent in a creepy angle. The journal's thief walked by Bellamy's bleeding form and examined him like crap he could have found on his way. The man took out a phone out of his white coat and made a call.
"This is Vergo. I got information Joker is after for a long time. I'll leave you coordinates to come collect some people–"
The rest of his conversation faded in the bad weather as he continued his path farther and farther away from them.
.
When Trafalgar managed to reach Kid on his shaking legs, the mechanic was cursing while crawling on the ground in the direction Vergo had take. The swordsman let his sword now back in his sheath fall by Eustass' side.
"Stop, you are hurt too bad." Law said without his words stopping the red haired man at all.
The swordsman kneeled beside Kid and turned him on his back. Kid hissed holding his broken arms and fingers in the move.
"Let me look at you."
The demon's finger ran slightly over Kid's body. Apart from his arm he wore pretty nasty bruises on the right side of his face, eye was bloodshot and his legs twisted in unhealthy angles.
"Are you okay?" Kid asked and Law could have found that funny considering he was in a better state than him, but the red haired man's condition wasn't a laughing matter at this moment.
"I am fine."
"You actually fought him and you got your ass handed to ya."
"Well, I was the bigger threat, it seemed logical to… hand me my ass first. I underestimated him."
"Don't worry, I'll cut his balls off soon."
"You are good for nothing like this let me heal you."
The red haired baby shouted when Law laid a hand on his right leg.
"It's really nice but I might need a doctor rather than a boo-boo kiss." Eustass said in bad faith.
To this the swordsman stared him down with cold eyes that reminded Kid so much of his husband that he didn't feel the other's hands grab his wounded leg. But hell he felt the pain when he placed it correctly. Law repeated it with his other leg and checked his joints.
"It will surely hurt but can you stand up?"
In other situations, Kid's first answer would have been 'Of course not you fucking prick didn't you see when I was beaten up minutes ago?'. But he actually could feel his limbs weren't in such bad state after Law's manipulation. He cautiously got up. The world was spinning. Indeed his body hurt like a bitch but he could handle pain.
The swordsman's hands pushed Kid gently to lean on the wall behind him and took care of his arm. Fucking hell! That was hurting as much as Eustass had felt when he had broken limbs in the past. However he was too captivated by the demon's abilities to really care about pain. His bones were painfully replaced and under the swordsman's touch, his blood stopped to flow out of his body, his bruises started to fade, it went on and on until his whole body seemed perfectly stitched back together.
The mechanic couldn't speak. That was beyond his understanding and he preferred to remain weighing the pros and the cons of asking more about it. Finally he chose to not give a fuck about the entire demonic thing because he didn't need his headache to have a headache.
"Okay… I have to take Law's journal back and now I can walk, this fucker is gonna pay."
"Do you know him?"
"One of Joker's guys, I knew him from name and now from his boots," The mechanic growled darkly, "And I think I know where to find him."
The truck was driving fast on the wet road freeing itself from the Highway Code. The vehicle was slightly bigger than a van and used for the henchmen to transport various merchandises for some of Joker's business. Behind the wheel two of Doflamingo's men were speeding to do their report. This night had gone shittier than they'd first planned.
Alcohol trafficking was always the funniest business to go through. And their captain wasn't the last to take them. That man who was now lying miserably unconscious among the illegal merchandise in the back of the car. The others seated by his side had found him earlier in the bar's back alley but no traces of that fucking red haired one! Instead it's just look like Bellamy had beaten himself on a wall as the drunken he was.
"Ah ah you should see his face! Or what's left! Ah!" The copilot sniggered at the driver.
"Stop laughing you ass! It's not funny!"
"I found hilarious that his own mother couldn't recognize him anymore."
"You have no respect!"
"Hey, he lost his fight. Losers don't deserve respect."
The smuggling truck slalomed between the few cars which still were on the main road at this late hour.
"He's lucky to be wasted, at least he didn't feel what he got!"
The city's lights quickly faded around the truck as they left the lively downtown. Warm air loaded the ambient atmosphere, not hot enough to stop the rain but enough to foreshadow the storm coming upon them. They drove faster hoping to reach their young master before the rough weather reached them first.
"Vergo is gonna be pissed though."
"I know… but how we supposed to bring back the guys he beat up? They weren't here."
"Yeah not our fault if they disapp–"
A curve made the vehicle pitch on the slippery asphalt. The henchmen in the back banged loudly on the truck's wall to remember the driver to put his shit together and not kill them while they're simply heading home. The rain dropping in waterfalls added to the heavy moonshine load they were caring were probably more treacherous than they thought.
.
Water was dropping hard on Law and Kid's faces. Lying under the driving rain wasn't the best idea they ever had. They had no time to get the car they went with. Thus Eustass' plan to let the watchdogs get them to the journal thief had resumed in them hiding on the smuggling truck's roof and be nicely carried on his track.
It worked fine until the driver decided to kick them out on the road. For a moment they feared to have been discovered but it appears Joker's henchmen were simply shitty drivers. They owed salvation to the nodachi the swordsman had stuck in the truck's doorframe. The blade was the only thing which gave them a good grip and had prevented them from getting thrown overboard.
Kid cursed between his gritted teeth and swore to kill them all if they didn't die on the way first. He looked almost comical, raging softly between the bang of red hair flatten on his head and falling on his eyes.
In their earlier almost fall they had gripped each other limbs and were holding themselves tightly in order to stay still. It wasn't the most comfortable but the safest way to get through that hazardous travel.
"You sure they are taking us to the right place?"
"No," The wet red haired truthfully answered, "But Vergo said to carry our bodies to somewhere, I'm pretty sure it's where they're driving Bellamy right now. The fucker will surely be there."
Trafalgar nodded silently but waited to see if the red head's plan was really going as he said. He was hot-tempered and filled with a burning desire to take back a precious object stolen from him. Law perfectly understood that feeling however he was concerned by what the red haired man might learn in the way. The men didn't seem to know Law had passed away weeks ago. Still the swordsman didn't want to stumble upon an unpleasant surprise. Eustass must never know about it. He had to keep faith.
They drove through the dark countryside only guided by the truck's headlights. Slowly they went up and started to enter a wealthier and spacious neighborhood and Kid almost smiled to rely on his right point.
Around them huge properties were flourishing. They passed exotics gardens with small lakes, traditional Japanese temples, sand's squares and all kind of well-trimmed plants. Habitations couldn't be called less than mansions nearby. They were built in various architectural styles and if the Japanese architecture dominated some also had clear European influences. Soft lights illuminated the facades and long cobblestoned path leaded to massive doors of the residences.
By an alley, the smuggling truck bypassed a mansion with arches and columns of rich material. Its bright colors and large Mediterranean gardens made it look more a hacienda than a traditional mansion. The henchmen's vehicle started to slow down and Kid's grip pulled on Law's shirt.
"Get your sword back, 'ts time to get down before someone on the upper floors sees us."
Sheathing his nodachi, Law followed Kid's movement as they rolled off the roof albeit not as smoothly as they had got on. The night was a precious ally, allowing them to sneak away without being spotted. They quickly hid in high plants surrounded by darkness and saw the truck stop in front of high black grids.
Trafalgar didn't like that at all. More that it certainly was the boldest infiltration he'd ever performed, they were getting closer to Kid's enemies. As far as Law would like to fight and tear them down, Eustass shouldn't learn the truth about the archeologist. However Law's dizzy mind couldn't come up with a good plan. How the hell did he make a strong-willed man as Kid go back on what he wanted the most?
"See? Right in da house!" Kid triumphantly affirmed through the rain.
Law shushed without even looking at him. They were in the enemy's territory now, they had to be careful. Although the rain was now so dense nobody could hear them even if they were yelling. He couldn't allow them to be discovered despite how much he wished to stop Kid.
After a few minutes during which the henchmen seemed to debate their entry, the grids opened and finally let them in. There weren't guards at the grid but they surely couldn't take the front door. They had to find a way to enter without being seen and remain discrete from now on.
Then above the swordsman and the mechanic's heads the sky suddenly let out its first low growl, just at the beginning of the storm.
"Let's go." Trafalgar cut short.
They couldn't stay here forever nor go back so he better moved forward to find a better opportunity to protect the red haired man. Seeing how stubborn Eustass was, he would have come here from one way or another. At least if Law was with him he could intervene in his foolish research.
Unwilling to spend more time under that shitty weather, Eustass came after the swordsman at the bottom of the bailey circling the property.
"Nope. No more jumping for me tonight," Kid stated while looking at the red wall for finding another way to get in.
Law ignored him as usual and softly unsheathed his sword back in his hands. The air tensed around him and Kid felt hairs rise on the nape of his neck. He had seen that scene several times already but it never failed to stun him.
Sounds were softening, even the background blurred as if they were suddenly inside a bubble whom the center was the swordsman and his weapon. The dark haired man was so calm and focused. He seemed to control everything in his surroundings from a flick of his fingers. In those moments the red head could see the magic happened. Eustass had witnessed the dark haired man lift things by his only will, teleport, he had experience the electric shocks, but nothing amazed him more than the swordsman's cutting abilities.
When Trafalgar first sliced he seemed to cut everything on his path. Air, raindrops, earth and walls. Even Eustass' breath. The swordsman possessed a true mastery, beautiful and deadly accurate. Thus by the second hit a piece of the red wall gently fell on the ground and revealed a short passage allowing them to sidle in the place.
"You aren't that useless when you want to." The red head declared in bad faith.
That was almost a compliment; it was so rare Trafalgar took it as one. They quickly passed through the wall and took care to leave no hints of their passage. They were well hidden by a small forest of palm trees but the more they'll stay in the same place less likely were their chances to reach the house. Another growl came from the sky and they hurried.
What should he do? The swordsman wondered as they rushed quietly in the garden. Use his powers to knock the red head out? It would only make him angrier when he'll wake up. If he used force Eustass would never trust him again. Law needed him to believe not keep his distance from him. Talking to the red head was out of question; he didn't have any good argument to prevent Kid from investigate in his enemies' lair. Furthermore whatever he had to said, Kid wouldn't listen to him.
The grids the henchmen went through were some kind of back door. It was confirmed by the large stretch of garden they had to walk through and by the side of the mansion showing in front of them. Each wing had several floors with balconies that extended toward the green space, some hovered by decorated arches. There even were tiled pools overflowing with rainwater.
Around ten meters from one of the first floor's porches, a chilling voice pierced through the rain.
"What are you doing here?"
The two shadows froze.
How could they have been so imprudent? Be caught after a so little progression made them enraged. However, the voice didn't seem to approach them. Did the voice's owner not wanted to step under the rain and was waiting for them to show?
Then the voice continued to scold from a back door. A green haired woman with round glasses was calling after the dispersed henchmen unloading moonshine crates into the mansion.
"We're unloading tonight's shipment miss."
"You aren't supposed to stock the alcohol in the house. And why is Bellamy in this state?"
"He's been beaten Ma'am, and Mr Vergo said we could store everything in the basement until we talk to the young master."
At that Kid smiled broadly. His target was here. The woman seemed to hesitate and for a while nobody dared to move but she finally returned back the house adjusting her glasses with her light fingers.
"Hurry and do not spill water inside."
"Alright Miss Monet!"
Kid and Law slowly got their breath back and then waited the opportune moment to run forward, tensed as two vigilant predators. They raced while the workers weren't facing them until they were protected by the darkness of the porch. They started to curse that damn rain which prevented them to have a good sight and hearing of their preys.
Plastered on the mansion's wall, any of their moves were forbidden by the men's presence. Breaking the window bay beside them or trying to reach the second floor was too risky to even think about it.
The two men had been so focused on successfully infiltrating the property without being caught. It was only now they stopped moving, that Kid and Law realized how close they were from the beginning. Again their bodies acted before their minds however it was too late to correct their current position. Nevertheless Law offered a welcomed distraction from that thought.
"What is the next step once we will be inside?"
"Find Vergo and get Law's journal back."
The dark haired man rolled his eyes, "That is your goal. Not what will allow us to reach what you want."
The iron will Eustass glared at him made Trafalgar frown with concern. He had already seen that look on the red head's face and it had never lead to anything good. It often meant Kid only relied on his determination.
"You don't have a plan did you?" Law stated as he truly realized it.
This wasn't good. Not good at all. The alcohol in his veins still prevented him from thinking clearly and see the bigger picture. As the storm was gathering upon their heads, Law knew how much he had fooled himself.
Trafalgar had been so focused on his own problems that he hadn't realized the evident truth right in front of him. They had absolutely no idea of what these men were capable of. They could be harmless or on the contrary ruthless as humans often were. They had already been beaten down for having underestimated their enemy. What if they were captured, imprisoned or tortured in the most hideous ways? Law couldn't tell. They could even be cold blooded murdered. The simple fact of ignoring what would they face inside that house turned Law's blood frozen in his veins as the worst scenarios played in his head. His throat tightened while his head filled with terrifying images.
But what frightened him the most was not knowing if he had the power to protect Kid from those dreadful prospects and protect him from what he shouldn't know at the same time. Panic started to run wildly in his system and his mouth spoke before he thought about it.
"This ends now." The dark haired man firmly ordained. Why bother to make plans after all? His groggy mind told. Hell he would never drink again, things have gone too far.
"What are you talking about?!" Eustass growled at him, his will turning into his usual fiery temper. "I'm not going back!"
"Yes you are! Listen to m-"
But the red haired man wasn't listening anymore. During all the time they hid under the porch, Kid had watched out for a breach in the entry where men had now finished the moonshine's unloading. Nobody was visible in their field of vision though that didn't mean there weren't other people coming by. But the mechanic ignored all caution and went head on by the back door left opened.
"I'll go first to clear the way if it's too hard for ya."
Law swore between his teeth in his mother tongue. Who did Kid think he was talking to?! If this didn't end as badly as it seemed it was going to get, he would kill the impertinent red head himself.
Trafalgar entered the back door in his turn and quickly stepped out of the light coming from the corridors in front of them. The entry looked like a service entrance and split in several halls inside the mansion. Here the atmosphere was dry and warmer, smelling of dust, wood and metal in accordance with the recent delivery.
Quick, find Kid. Get out of here. Never drink again. Don't get caught. No mention of dead husband. The dark haired man repeated this as a mantra until spotted his target a few meters forward in the main hall, hiding in the shadows. Sparing a glance toward his follower Eustass progressed further when Law almost reached his side. The swordsman enraged, having the annoying impression that the mechanic was fooling with him. He couldn't do that while anybody could find them by stepping in a hall! Law swore when he caught the red head he'll give Kid what's coming to him!
Arriving at a junction, Eustass didn't seem to know where to go as stairs were going up and down in several directions. Trafalgar jumped at the chance and furiously pushed him in the stairs going down. And before the red head could attempt to protest, shove him through the nearest empty room left open.
It looked like some kind of cellar, pierced with a few upper windows providing the only light source. The room was spacious and a bit colder than the first floor. A lot of crates and various merchandises –probably illegal– filled the dark room up to the ceiling in places.
Law closed the heavy door behind them and Eustass instantly jumped at his throat.
"I don't have time to play jackass! Open that fucking door!" The red haired said in a soft murderous voice glaring daggers at the swordsman. He couldn't shout or someone will definitely detect them.
"To go where?! Wandering in the halls hoping to find your man?! What a plan!"
"Let me go," Kid repeated in his deep angry tone, "I have to find that journal. Law gave it to me," He added with conviction and foolish hope.
The dark haired man tensed attempting to keep his composure but he couldn't help to wryly answered.
"And you expect to find him with it?"
If his words hurt Kid he didn't show it, but Law was certain it had.
"I expect to get rid of you and pass that fucking door!"
They still had to not shout but the fury tainting their voices was hard to contain. The walls might seem thick but nothing to hold two grown men's yells. Then as though the weather had decided to tune up, a loud and powerful thunder echoed to their argument.
"You are not going anywhere."
"And that's supposed to stop me?" Kid replied, a mad smile nervously twitching the corner of his lips.
Law knew any of what he could say would have no effect. The red head only understood violence, kicks and punches. But he had enough for the night.
Instead Trafalgar unsheathed his sword and the sharp metallic sound alone seemed to cut the air. So much for trust issues. Eustass took a step back to avoid the nodachi from ripping his chest open but stood firm on his legs. He wouldn't back away. Not for all the blades aiming for his heart.
His glare hardened dangerously but so did Law's.
"Move." Kid snarled.
On this, the red head moved towards the pointed end, slowly, taking his time for the swordsman to acknowledge he wouldn't withdraw at any cost. Eustass saw worry burst in the raging grey eyes. Self-restraint was painting on his features but Law's grip shook around his sword's guard. The end of the blade started to sink in Kid's wet clothes, pressing against his flesh.
"I do not want to harm you." Law said in soft firm tone.
"Back off then."
A fierce instinct crawled under Law's skin, forgetting his worry about Kid finding out about his husband's death. It wasn't the first time he had stood between a threat and people he cared about. Because it was who Kid was, a person he cared about, and the revelation struck him as hard as lightning. Hundred years ago the swordsman had seen his kin died as couldn't do anything to save them. His whole being screamed to never let that happen again.
Law wouldn't be left in the darkness, mourning the loss of his loved ones while he hadn't been able to die and end this lone eternity.
"I don't need ya to protect me." Eustass snapped as if he had read his thoughts.
As Law had guessed, threat was inefficient. Well it will be violence then.
Raising his free arm, Law flicked his fingers drawing a determined pattern from his fingertips and Eustass' eyes went wide as he knew what was coming.
"Don't-"
"Step. Back." The dark haired not warning anymore but acting out.
The red head felt his body dragged through the room. He tried to fight the demonic power forcing him to go backwards. Kid was staring wildly in the loved face focused to prevent him to go.
Eustass had been in that place, the desperate one attempting to hold somebody back. He had had that same feeling digging in his chest knowing he was unfair and selfish but not able to let the other go.
The red head stood resolutely and lightning briefly illuminated the room making the fraught atmosphere rise dangerously. And Law didn't let him set a foot ahead. The dark haired man sliced through the air with his free hand from midair up to the raging sky above their head with pure anger.
"I SAID STEP BACK!"
The blow knocked Kid down hard on the stone floor as the world was thunderous around him taking his breath away. For instant he felt like the dark head's nails had cut him open. But when Kid touched his chest, his fingers found nothing more than smooth pale flesh exposed in the open air by the huge tear ripped in his clothes.
From his left hip to his opposite shoulder the swordsman's will had slashed through the heavy fabric of his vest and the wet cotton of his shirt. Eustass felt suddenly too exposed and vulnerable. A cool air sending shivers on his almost bare torso.
But he knew it wasn't the only thing which caused him to shiver. The mechanic was totally helpless, losing himself in the sharp features of Law's face. He was completely disarmed by the mere flick of these fingers and unable to let go off those metallic eyes glaring thunderbolts.