As much as Kidd wanted to get around to fucking Law, it seemed as though getting around to that was going to be made more difficult because the Heart Pirate captain's mind still hadn't shut off. In fact, instead of looking at Kidd, as the red head thought he ought to be, Law had turned his head to the side in order to sneak peeks at the closed door. It was as if the Surgeon of Death expected to see Doflamingo enter into the room with Penguin's dead body in hand for taking too long.
Kidd doubted that would be the case. Doflamingo had to have known that he had Law by the balls, so to speak, and that the Heart Pirate wouldn't do anything that would cause Doflamingo to harm Penguin further. At least until the agreed upon hour was reached. Whether Penguin would still be breathing by then was debatable. Kidd's amber gaze fell back onto Law, and the red head decided that in the meantime, he wouldn't stand to be ignored. Why Law wasn't paying attention to the fact that the two of them were half naked in the bed together was a puzzle, though the hard stare at the door was likely the reason. It was hard for Kidd himself to ignore, basically resting over Law's back as he was, so how the Heart Pirate could be unaffected by that little detail was pretty damn impressive.
Unless he was faking the disinterest.
Kidd gripped Law's right forearm tight with his right hand to check and see, and the resulting wince beneath the red head's grasp let him know he had drawn Law's attention. Or at the very least, it got the Heart Pirate captain to fix his gaze on Kidd instead of the door for a brief time.
Better.
Kidd would rather have Law focus on him right now instead of his predicament, even for a short time, because the red haired captain was in the mood to do something. Although now that he was actually thinking thanks to Law's hesitation and less than enthused idea of having sex within hearing range of Doflamingo, Kidd believed that actually screwing Law into the bed might prevent the man from making an escape from Doflamingo.
Dammit.
It wasn't like Kidd could fight and haul Law's sorry ass over one shoulder without Kidd having to fight for the both of them, and with Doflamingo's powers, it would be pretty damn tricky.
"Quit squeezing my arm, Eustass-ya. Unless you are trying to incapacitate me in a different way?" Law's left hand rested over Kidd's right. "If that is you intention, do desist. I'd rather have full use of my arm and merely suffer from a limp for a short while." Law's voice went dry. "If I have a choice in the matter, that is. I know which would be more preferable."
That made Kidd grin, as he knew what Law was hinting at, but unfortunately, what the red haired captain had wanted to do was just something he would have to wait to act upon. That time being when he and Law were far away from Doflamingo, and they weren't likely to be interrupted in one of their cabins or better yet, an inn somewhere. Too bad he couldn't have his way with Law right now, but as he'd deemed it a bad idea as it would make it difficult for Law to run, he had to wait. Kidd let go of Law's wrist with an exasperated sigh at the shit he was dealing with right now. It was inconvenient. No, that wasn't it. Kidd grumbled something as he sat up to allow Law to turn over and onto his back. Kidd tuned into present and considered the way Law lie sprawled on his back, the other captain's expression clearly wondering why the hell Kidd wasn't getting on with it already. Kidd huffed out a disappointed breath as he settled on a word to describe his feelings on the matter for not taking what he wanted.
Annoyance.
Fucking, profound annoyance was what the red haired captain was feeling now.
Kidd let up on his scowl as a brilliant idea hit him, and, with Law giving him a look like he'd gone crazy, Kidd grinned in return. Kidd reached over and yanked Law by the legs so that with a muffled curse, Law's legs were now closer to Kidd when the red head let go and settled over him, metal and flesh hands resting on either of Law's thighs.
"What do you think you are doing?" Law demanded archly, his eyes locked on Kidd's as the Heart Pirate eyed the red head with a look of displeasure.
"I changed my mind." Kidd said in answer, before he leered. "I decided that you needed to be able to run to get away from Doflamingo, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna have at least a little fun with you." Kidd uncapped the medical lube and went ahead with two of his right fingers to stall Law's sure to be indignant answer. The red haired captain thought the low groan and the parting of Law's legs was a much preferable response.
"I will kill you if Doflamingo hears us." Law reminded Kidd with a furrowed brow.
"Sure you will." Kidd snorted in response, not believing it for a minute. And with a twist of his fingers that got Law writhing, Kidd shifted back and over, ignoring Law's brief 'no, stop' of protest before get went down on Law. The red haired captain figured that loosening Law up a bit would make the older man less anxious over their situation. Much to Kidd's amusement, sucking off Law and fingering the bastard did get him to mellow out, to a degree, so that when Kidd finished, those skilled, tattooed fingers returned the favor for him.
Not exactly what Kidd had had in mind, but it would have to do for present. He and Law had less than a half hour to figure out what the hell they were going to do about Doflamingo.
And Penguin, if he was still breathing.
"You're still thinking about fucking me." Law said, his voice cross as he sat up on the bed. "Do you not comprehend the danger you are in?"
"The only danger I'm in right now is you talking my ear off." Kidd cursed at a sharp smack against his chest. Not because it hurt, but because it startled him the faintest bit, and the red head retaliated by lurching close to Law as he wrapped his arms around Law's waist. Ignoring Law's other, half-hearted slap against his arm this time, Kidd dragged the Heart Pirate close in order to hold him to his chest. Kidd nearly laughed at the sight of Law baring his teeth at him as the other captain half-twisted in his grasp to face him. "Your crew know you make that face? Wouldn't that make it hard for them to sleep at night." Kidd hesitated but since Law's expression had morphed into a soundless glower, the red head decided he had to do something.
That something being angling his head in order to urge Law up and into a kiss because fuck, why the hell not? It pissed Kidd off to no end that little things like Law losing his cool would turn him on.
It seemed like Law wasn't as inclined to agree from his cross huff, but he did return the kiss with equal fury, which meant he wasn't quite opposed to them doing this. The Heart Pirate just had other things on his mind, and this thing between himself and Kidd wasn't the one at the forefront of his mind.
"So, we got a half hour to get dressed and get the fuck out of here." Kidd said as soon as he broke the kiss and let go of Law in order to pick up his discarded clothes. It just fucking figured that Law was not about to go along with anything without being pressured into it.
"You have a half hour to get out of here before Doflamingo deems it a necessity to kill you as well." Law corrected, even as the Heart Pirate captain recovered his clothes as well. "I'm not going anywhere. I can't let Doflamingo harm Penguin further, and if he sees me trying to make a run for it, he will snap Penguin's neck. If anything, take Penguin with you and leave me. Doflamingo won't kill me." Law looked away. "Not yet."
"Like hell I'm leaving you with him." Kidd hitched his sash around his waist, along with the buckles, and looked himself over, making a few adjustments here and there. It didn't appear like he had been up to something but if anything was out of place, Kidd was certain Killer would notice. Not that Kidd cared. He just didn't want Killer's impassive mask to fix him with a look of what would be sure to be disappointment. Again, props to his crewmate for giving off impressions with a fucking mask.
"Go, Eustass-ya." Law said from the edge of the bed, fully dressed once more. It seemed like the Heart Pirate captain was still insistent upon Kidd leaving, but it was just too bad, because Law should have known that the red head had no intention of tucking tail and making a run for it.
"Nah, I'd rather take that fucker down for beating me around earlier." Kidd said, dismissive of the idea of running. He was still alive, not too badly wounded but for a few bruises and a cut to his right arm. He'd been in worse shape, and his pride wouldn't allow for him to let the matter lie, despite any odds against him. "You can't tell me you haven't thought to do that yet. He's had to have pissed you off enough by now, right?"
"I can't do anything while he has Penguin." Law said, his tone sour, and, for some reason, closer. "Room."
Why the fuck Law was using his powers merited investigation, but even as Kidd began to turn, he felt Law press up against him from behind. Kidd stilled briefly over the fact that a blade of some sort was drawn across his throat, but as it was not pressing into skin, Kidd focused on Law instead. It was then that Kidd remembered the amount of weapons he carried on his person, and realized how Law had gotten access to a blade.
Skinny bastard had nicked one of his daggers with his Devil Fruit powers.
"Go, Eustass-ya. Do not make me repeat myself."
"Well, if you want me to go, slitting my throat isn't the best idea. I wouldn't get far." Kidd thought it was a fair point. Not that the action overly bothered him. Before it might have, but Kidd felt he had Law pegged good enough that he was fairly positive Law wouldn't harm him.
Not at present, anyway, with whatever was going on between them. At a later point in time, perhaps Kidd would worry, but not right now. Not from the way that Law's hand shook faintly around the dagger he held pressed to Kidd's pale skin. It was, the red head figured, some powerlessness on Law's part not to be able to have a dagger to Dofalmingo's throat instead.
Kidd reached up and gripped Law's wrist with his right hand. "If you get your crewmate out of the way, you gonna fight that pink wearing bastard?"
"Since Doflamingo is likely to keep Penguin in close proximity to dissuade me of the idea, I highly doubt it." Law's voice was bitter, even if his grasp of the dagger had slackened.
"Answer the question, Trafalgar." Kidd grumbled irritably.
"I would, but as it is impossible at present, I can't." Law twitched the hand that was within Kidd's grasp. "Now let go of me and get out of here."
Kidd wanted to shove Law against the wall for being so damn exasperating, but he didn't have to, because in a couple of minutes he would be fighting, Kidd bringing up justification to what he had done when in control of Penguin's body would have to wait.
For once, Luffy's timing couldn't be better.
-x
His body was on fire.
The pain was excruciating and more than Penguin could have imagined, despite the last time he had gone against Doflamingo. When he'd first gotten Law away from the man, and sent his captain away with Kidd, which had resulted in a damaged throat. The second time the agony was just as bad, if not worse, because Law, being manipulated by Doflamingo's powers, had struck Penguin several blows.
This time, Penguin could barely breathe he was in so much pain, but he was still alive, and that was all that mattered. That his throat had been spared this time around was a bonus, though talking would do him no good right now. Moving anywhere under his own power was out of the question, which left him as dead weight that Doflamingo was using to his advantage to manipulate Law into doing as he wanted.
Penguin knew it. Had heard when his captain had relented and backed down, to spare him. To prevent Doflamingo from snapping his neck, from the way that the former blond haired warlord had been holding him aloft. While Penguin had been too bruised up and in pain to open his eyes after the beating that Doflamingo had given him, along with harsh strikes of string to immobilize him further, Penguin could most certainly hear.
He'd heard it all.
Penguin had heard the sound of Law drawing his blade, no doubt thinking to either spirit him out of Doflamingo's clutches, or to free Eustass Kidd on the off chance that the red haired captain would help Penguin.
It was doubtful.
Penguin was almost certain that if Law had been able to free Kidd, the red haired captain would have gone and attacked Doflamingo, for all the good it would do.
No, Penguin being there in the first place and wounded to boot was a big handicap for his captain. It almost would have been better for Doflamingo to have killed him, because that way, Law wouldn't have had anything to prevent him from lashing out at Doflamingo. Fighting to be free of the man, once and for all.
"Time's almost up." Doflamingo's voice commented slyly, cutting into Penguin's thoughts. "Law has nowhere to go if he doesn't want me to snap your neck."
Penguin withheld a whimper when Doflamingo nudged him none too gently in the side. The Heart Pirate didn't want to give the man the satisfaction to know that he was tormenting Penguin in more ways than just physical harm.
"Pity Law is so attached to you and the rest of his crew. Fufufu." Doflamingo chuckled as he walked a few paces away, "I think I have decided what to do with you once we get back to my ship, along with Law."
Penguin didn't want to hear what the blond had in mind, as the Heart Pirate had a feeling he knew what it would be. But Penguin had no choice but to hear, incapacitated as he was. A sick feeling settled in the pit of Penguin's stomach that had nothing to do with his injuries as Doflamingo confirmed his fears.
"I'll have Law kill you himself, like I should have had him do back on that other island."
Anything Penguin might have heard next was interrupted by a cracking sound, which grew louder and louder until the very mansion seemed to shake, and that was when the Heart Pirate heard something else. It was Straw Hat Luffy's voice, as it rose above the deafening sound of breaking rock and brick.
"Elephant gun!"
It was a shame that Penguin couldn't force his exhausted body to open his eyes, as the look on Doflamingo's face at the interruption would have been worth the effort.
-x
Law and Kidd were out the door the instant the mansion shook and they were in time to see Luffy hurtle through the debris and almost land a solid blow on Doflamingo.
Almost being the operative word, as Doflamingo had lifted his hand in time to halt the giant fist with a gigantic spider web, slowing the momentum and preventing Luffy from getting to close to him.
But it put the grinning blond further away from Penguin.
Law acted instantly when Doflamingo's head turned his way, as if the man had sensed the Heart Pirate's sudden, soon to be taken action. The Surgeon of Death hastily lifted his hand before Doflamingo could stop him, and seized Kidd with his other. "Room."
"Bullet String!"
Law bit his lip against the pain of the attack as it grazed his right shoulder, but swapped his and Kidd's position with some debris on the far side of the mansion, and landed right near Penguin.
Kidd cursed as he hit the ground alongside Law, but upon seeing torn up ground from another of Doflamingo's attacks sent after the Bullet String, he didn't give Law too much shit for the other's sudden decision to take him along for a dizzying ride from one place to the next instantaneously.
"I need to get Penguin out of here." Law said, already easing his unresponsive crewmate into his arms.
"I'm not running." Kidd growled at the look he received, before he offer his fellow captain a grin of anticipation, "I ain't letting Straw Hat have all the fun."
"Do try to not get yourself killed." Law said stiffly, his head turned away from Kidd. "I believe we have unfinished business to attend to." Law swapped positions with some more debris further away, in time to avoid another strike from Doflamingo, and continued in his efforts to get further away, determined to get Penguin to relative safety, now that Law had been given an unexpected chance to save his crewmate.
While Luffy's timing wasn't always the greatest, it certainly was this time around, and Law knew he had to get what he had in mind done fast. He wasn't about to let Luffy and Kidd take turns trying to take Doflamingo down. Law wanted that honor. He'd had enough, and as Kidd had so crudely put, Law was pissed off enough that the Heart Pirate refused to bow down to Doflamingo's whims any longer, no matter what the man threatened to do.
Law wouldn't go back, even if it meant he died in the process.
-x
Kidd had had to roll away from the debris that was kicked up from Doflamingo's latest attack, and when he had, the red haired captain was was already focusing and drawing in as much metal to himself as he could. It came to Kidd relatively quickly, thanks in part to the mansion being loaded with discarded weapons, some in good condition while others were rusted through. It was a good thing to have all of it so quickly, because Kidd was able to hastily form a barrier of scrap metal before Doflamingo could strike him again. What resulted was a dull thud and part of the barrier Kidd had created to be partially torn.
"Gum-gum…" Luffy was already racing toward Doflamingo again, steam rolling off the Straw Hat captain. "Jet punch!"
Doflamingo's attention shifted to Luffy as he raised an armament covered arm and blocked the blow, even if it caused the blond to slide back a few inches.
Inches.
Straw Hat was fucked if that was all he could do to Doflamingo, and if Kidd didn't amp his game up as well, he might go down a second time.
Doflamingo, for one, looked livid that Luffy was even there, and to have Kidd looking for a fight as well, while inconvenient, was likely something the former warlord had been anticipating.
But not Straw Hat.
Wasn't that just too fucking bad for Doflamingo?
Kidd grinned as he raised a hand and turned his focus to Doflamingo. "Repel."
The damn bastard would have to deal with the unexpected and accommodate both Kidd and Luffy. The red haired captain would have been fine on his own in this particular fight, but as there was Luffy around, Kidd would just have to work a little bit harder to take down Doflamingo before Straw Hat could.
That was the idea, anyway.
Too bad for Kidd that he hadn't realized just how furious Doflamingo was about Law waltzing off so easily with Penguin. And since Law wasn't there, Kidd was a fine stand in to turn that ire on.
-x
Law didn't know what he felt about Kidd and Luffy facing off against Doflamingo, because in the past, neither Law nor Straw Hat had been able to stand against the blond haired pirate for long.
"Here, I started another IV."
Law glanced up from stitching one of Penguin's wounds, and nodded to Chopper gratefully. "I'm nearly finished with the stitches. We'll need bandages next."
"Right, I'll go get them." Chopper agreed, as soon as he set the IV into a vein in the crook of Penguin's left arm.
Law waited until Chopper was rummaging around in a nearby cupboard before Law spoke in a low tone to Penguin, whom he knew was awake. "I'm going to go back." Law showed no outward surprise to Penguin weakly reaching up with his right hand to grip at Law, and the pirate captain merely held his own hand close to allow his crewmate to do so.
"Don't…go." Penguin rasped, his hand settling around Law's. "He won't let you fight him…Law. He'll just take you…away. Again."
"If I don't go back, he'll just come for me anyway, no matter where I choose to go, or how far." Law reminded his crewmate, before he gently freed his hand from Penguin's in time to accept a roll of bandages from Chopper. "One of the IVs is a sedative, so you're going to start to feel drowsy."
"Don't go." Penguin mumbled before letting out a slow sigh. "Of course…you gave me one, so can't...stop you."
"Not because I wouldn't want you to help me." Law said, making an attempt to differentiate this time from the previous where he had given Penguin a sleeping dosage in his wine. It seemed like so long ago now, Cliff Rock, where all of Law's troubles had come to a head in the form of Doflamingo. "But I don't want you to be in as much much pain right now. You've done enough, so rest."
"Don't let…Doflamingo take you away." Penguin mumbled, before his breathing seemed to even out as he slipped off into a semi-doze.
"You'll keep an eye on him?" Law asked of Chopper, who'd been taking Penguin's vitals again.
"I can, but are you really going back?" Chopper watched Law head for the door.
"I can't let Eustass-ya and Straw Hat-ya do all the work for me. Doflamingo is my problem. Not theirs." Law opened up the cabin door and exited onto the Thousand Sunny's deck. Law shouldered his nodachi, which he had taken back from Doflamingo in the confusion of Straw Hat trying to slug the larger man. It was likely why Doflamingo had tried harder to strike Law as he warped from one piece of debris from another.
Law raised a hand, eyes on the island the ship was anchored off of.
"Room."
Penguin was safe, for now, and as Kidd and Luffy were foolishly attacking Doflamingo, as evidenced by the dust cloud that was steadily rising over the center of Fang Island, there wasn't any harm in Law going and doing similarly.
Kidd was, again, right in a way.
Law wanted to fight Doflamingo. The Surgeon of Death wanted to defeat the man badly, so that the former blond haired warlord couldn't hold reign over his life any longer. Law had already guaranteed that Doflamingo would kill Penguin should he set eyes on him again, as Law had whisked his crewmate away because of the unexpected appearance of Luffy.
Law warped his way back to the center of the island, past several of Kidd's crewmates and Luffy's, until he reached the mansion, far ahead of any assistance from any of their crews. Law's sheathe was left on the ground as he entered the hole in the side of the stone and brick mansion with blade in hand, braced for a fight. Law relaxed only marginally at the sight of an empty main room, and turned to face a thud that sounded from the back of the mansion. Law stole over silently until he came out in what appeared to be the spacious backyard of the mansion, complete with crumbling walls and overgrown lawn.
The Heart Pirate captain was almost lulled into a state of ease until he heard Kidd curse loudly in what was clearly a warning.
"Get outta the fucking way, Trafalgar!"
Law barely had time to bring his blade up to catch the elongated, jagged metal that was Kidd's left hand, and despite what the red haired captain attacking him could mean, Law couldn't help but be amused by the jagged metal assortment of weapons that now masqueraded as fingers. It was nothing like the flat, finger-like appendages he'd glimpsed before. "I guess I should say that I'm grateful your left hand was not like this when doing...other activities?" It certainly would have cut into Law's skin, and one suspiciously looked like a blade of some kind. Law braced his feet against the ground as Kidd's metal hand rested heavier against his blade, the tips curving over the blade and toward Law. "Your powers are rather fascinating, Eustass-ya, though right now, perhaps concerning would be more apt."
"Shit. Why the fuck are you joking now?" Kidd sounded torn between amusement and exasperation. "Seriously, get the fuck away before I gut you or something." Kidd made it sound as if he had done something of the sort, to another person, at some point. The red haired captain glared out of the corner of his eyes. "I am going to kill that motherfucker for this."
"I told you to leave." Law said grimly, briefly taking his eyes off of Kidd in search of Doflamingo.
"Behind." Kidd grit out tersely, even as he pulled his left hand back and swung the jagged fingers of his hand back at Law.
Law warped away out of caution, and was glad he did; Doflamingo had come up from behind as Kidd had warned and Law hadn't even sensed him. The dark haired Heart Pirate landed a short distance away, readying his blade as he thought quickly about how to free Kidd from Doflamingo's control. A burning flare of pain shot up Law's right arm as something struck him from behind, preventing the Heart Pirate from thinking about anything. Law stumbled forward and barely had time to warp away again, and landed ungracefully on his side a short distance away, and stilled at the sight that greeted him.
It was Doflamingo.
But he had been over by Kidd, so why-
"I told you before on Dressrosa that it was pointless to fight me, Law." Doflamingo taunted as he walked over toward Law.
"None of you could hope to hold up to me in battle." The same voice came a short distance away.
Law stiffened in shock, and quickly looked between the two tall beings he saw, his mind uncomprehending.
Two Doflamingos, but why?
The second Doflamingo chuckled at the look on Law's face. "Did you think you'd seen all that I could do with my powers, Law?"
"It's best to keep an ace up your sleeve when dealing with your opponents." The first Doflamingo added.
"A clone…" Law muttered. It had to be, though how Doflamingo could fashion one with his powers was intimidating to say the least. A puppet made of string, yet able to physically strike an opponent separate of the original body.
At another curse from Kidd, Law rolled onto his back and barely brought up his nodachi sideways to block the metal left limb of Kidd's.
"Where's Straw Hat-ya?" Law hissed at Kidd, even as the second Doflamingo walked off, leaving the first to oversee manipulating the red head. The original, Law presumed.
"Dunno." Kidd grumbled sullenly, shaking the faintest amount and almost, it seemed, able to resist pressing down against Law's nodachi further.
"Room." Law said hastily, having dropped use of his powers the moment he'd landed on his side earlier. it was going to be hard, but it seemed like he would have to keep his powers activated, despite the draining of his stamina in return. At the sight of the thin dome flaring up in response to his spoken word, Law moved himself out from where he had been pinned by Kidd's left hand, and the Heart Pirate put some distance between himself and Kidd for the time being. From the harsh grating of metal scraping up the surface of the ground Law had landed on, it seemed like he wouldn't keep away from Kidd for very long. It was even less time than Law had anticipated, because suddenly Kidd had barreled through the tall grass to Law's right, and landed a glancing blow on Law's already wounded arm.
Law went down without much choice, just from the sheer force he'd been hit with, and with a pained grunt, Law his head briefly against the ground as he landed. A weight settled over him not too long after, and Law lay inert on the ground, feigning unconsciousness. He didn't need his eyes open to feel the tips of the metal of Kidd's hand resting dangerously against his throat, or the low, constant flow of 'shit' emanating from Kidd under the red haired captain's breath.
"I'd advise against any unnecessary movements, Law." Doflamingo's voice sounded from nearby. "Otherwise I think I'll have this red haired fool incapacitate you." Doflamingo laughed. "Fufufu. Not that I would take you back to my ship conscious. No, I think I'll deal with Straw Hat first, so that you don't get any more ideas, and then him." A snarl from Kidd let Law know that Doflamingo had indicated the red head in some way. Doflamingo ignored Kidd, naturally, as the blond continued on, "Only after I've dealt with them will I deal with you. Perhaps I'll choke you out like I did your crewmate before. Remember that? Pity his mouth still worked after that."
Law said nothing, knowing that Doflamingo was merely trying to goad him, but it was a struggle to keep his eyes closed. His feigning seemed to be fooling Kidd, at the very least, because in addition to the 'shits' there was also a low, wavering addition of 'wake up'. Law wasn't sure why that mattered, but the idea of Kidd having any worry over him was so outlandish that the Heart Pirate captain really wasn't sure what to think. Perhaps he would ask later, if Kidd didn't deny having done such a thing. It certainly sounded almost like Kidd was almost...concerned about him, but that just seemed so-
"Mingo!"
Law did open his eyes at that, and watched, with a horrified fascination, as Luffy swung a gigantic fist into Doflamingo. That Kidd fell on top of him immediately after as Doflamingo switched his attention to Luffy was painful. Mainly because Kidd had not retracted whatever the hell he'd done with his artificial left limb and had ended up scratching Law's right arm up further. A curse of 'fuck' didn't make Law feel any better, nor did the sight of Doflamingo landing a short distance to grin evilly at Straw Hat. Law's gazed off past the two other pirates squaring off before he made up his mind with a slow exhalation.
"Don't you fucking do it, Trafalgar." Kidd hissed in Law's ear, the red head using his right arm to lever himself up off of Law to glare at him. "I'll stop you."
"Why?" Law's honest question seemed to stun Kidd and infuriate the other captain at the same time to the point that Kidd was damn near bristling.
"Why the fuck do you think?" The red head ground out. Kidd muttered something under his breath before he added, "Besides, you said we had unfinished business, so if you get yourself killed now, how are we supposed to settle things?"
"That's not an answer." Law suddenly had the uncomfortable feeling that he knew what Kidd wanted to say, but as neither of them would ever admit to actually caring about one another's well-being, the Heart Pirate knew Kidd would not say a thing. Law saw Doflamingo swing his hand, and Law, his room still activated, made his decision.
"Don't you dare, you fucking bastard! Attack from over here!" Kidd may have reached down to try and seize him by the arm, but it didn't matter because Law was already gone.
Because Law had dared to do it.
He dared so much that he gambled and swapped positions with Straw Hat, as Doflamingo was making downward slash that Luffy had apparently been prepared to try and block.
Law took the blow instead.
It hurt, but it was worth it to see the surprise on Doflamingo's face, and the fury that soon followed when Luffy bounced right back and, fist engulfed in flames, struck Doflamingo solidly for sure this time, as he had on Dressrosa, and tried to do when Law had first been blackmailed onto Doflamingo's ship.
So much for that trick not working twice, Law thought with a curl of his lips. The pain didn't hurt so much in the face of that satisfying sight, but the feeling of confidence fled the moment Law felt the sensation of Doflamingo's powers settling on him. Law fought to resist, but seeing that nasty smile, coupled by Doflamingo kneeling and spitting out blood to one side as he backhanded Luffy away didn't bode well for one person.
Kidd.
Kidd, who was taking a long time to get to his feet.
"It's funny, Law." Doflamingo said causally, as he rose and walked over to stand alongside the Heart Pirate captain. "I thought I told you that you shouldn't go getting attached to people. It's harder to leave them behind that way, when they become an anchor weighing you down." The former warlord grinned eerily as he lowered himself to be face to face with Law, pointedly ignoring the Heart Pirate's silent struggles. "I'm curious, Law. Would it upset you to kill him, like when I attempted to make you murder your crew?"
"Stop." Law choked back another sound of protest as he felt himself forced to shift his grip on his nodachi. "Leave him out of this."
Doflamingo merely laughed at him as the blond puppeted the Heart Pirate captain's limbs to his liking.
Law made the attempt to dig in his heels to no avail. Doflamingo had him trapped.
Why? Why was this happening? Law had told Kidd that he could get hurt if he didn't put space between himself and Doflamingo, and now the fallout had come. Law just hadn't imagined that he would be forced to be the one doing the harm, but as it was Doflamingo, perhaps it shouldn't have been as much of a surprise.
"Trafalgar!" Kidd had made it to his hands and knees.
"Stay...away." Law managed to gasp out, before a string constricted around his throat, silencing him.
"Don't waste my time, brat."
As if in slow motion, Law felt himself forced to turn, even as he sensed Kidd rising to come toward either himself or Doflamingo, to continue the fight. Law wasn't sure if the red haired captain would be able to fight after this, because Law ran Kidd through with his nodachi instead. The momentum with which Doflamingo had forced Law to turn as the Heart Pirate angled and thrust, coupled with Kidd's own forward motion of rising to his feet, had impaled the red haired captain partially onto Law's blade. Kidd buckled immediately with a choke of surprise, the red head's weight sagging against Law as Kidd let out a low gasp and another choke of a barely held back cry of pain as what had just happened sunk in. Law's sword arm shook as he desperately fought Doflamingo's manipulations to try and prevent Kidd from piercing himself further on the blade.
The panic Law felt seemed wrong. It was Kidd he'd stabbed, not one of his crewmates. So why? Why did Law feel like he'd stabbed himself as well? The churning twist to his gut in the face of being forced to harm Kidd didn't seem right. It meant Law hadn't actually wanted to harm the red head, despite the nuisance the other man had been making of himself ever since they'd crossed paths again. Law didn't like what he was feeling. Emotionally speaking, the act had hurt him more than he thought it would, and Law didn't like that either, because it meant that Doflamingo was right.
Law had let himself get attached, despite how bad of an idea it was to get involved with his fellow captain. And Kidd's wheeze of laughter against the side of his neck did not reassure Law in the least bit. It merely solidified the fact that Law was actually worried that he had been forced to stab Kidd of all people.
"Fuck. Bet you…wanted to do that…first night." Kidd mumbled breathlessly against the side of Law's neck. "When you were frowning and...getting buzzed." Kidd winced as another short laugh got more metal from the blade to go though his body. "Shit."
"Eustass-ya." Law breathed out shakily, not processing very well, as distracted as he was about his realization about the red head. "Tell me I missed your vitals. I tried to throw Doflamingo's aim off, but, as you found out earlier, that's easier said than done."
"Dunno." Kidd sagged further against Law, despite the groan of barely concealed pain, as he'd merely harmed himself further. "Guess it hurts a bit. Why you use...such a damn long blade?"
"It will be worse if you don't play dead." Law hissed, aware of Doflamingo's hand still aimed in his direction as the blond fended Luffy off with his other. "He might think it amusing to make me twist the blade."
"Fuck that." Kidd wheezed out, using his right hand to lever himself upright on Law's shoulder, the red head's teeth setting against the sensation of the blade through his middle. "And shit, pull the blade out already...before that bastard makes it worse."
"Can't." Law said grimly. "He has me with his power." The Heart Prate grit his teeth. "Luckily for you, I think he'd going to make me pull the blade out. Probably hit you again while you're down."
"S'not enough to take me down." Kidd reassured Law, offering a bloody grin that had come up with a cough. "I got all these scars from other battles and it wasn't enough to kill me."
"Stop talking, you'll make it worse." Law cautioned, even as he was forced to shakily step back from Kidd and pull the blade free. Law's eyes immediately looked the wound in Kidd's abdomen over, wondering about the potential of internal bleeding.
"I thought that would have been enough."
Law was distracted from diagnosing Kidd's potential fallout from being stabbed when the Heart Pirate felt Doflamingo manipulating him into angling his blade. Law's tone changed at once, becoming taut as he addressed Kidd. "If you don't get out of the way, I might lop your head off."
Kidd moved at that, hand to his abdomen in a poor attempt to stop the blood flow. Despite his confidence and assurance earlier that the wound wasn't enough to kill him, it was unfortunately enough to slow him down. Enough that Law ended up slashing the red haired captain from his right collar bone to just above his left hip. Kidd let out a curse but instead of retreating the red head went straight toward Law with a clenched right fist.
"Stop!" Law choked on another protest, not sure if he was directing the word to Kidd or Doflamingo. When Law realized he couldn't free himself, and Doflamingo was serious about the Heart Pirate captain taking Kidd out, Law was unable to prevent himself from letting out a tortured cry at the helplessness of being unable to stop himself as Doflamingo made him swing the nodachi again. There was no way Kidd could block anything after that last injury, so Law was understandably surprised when Kidd caught the blade with his left hand and hit Law in the gut with his clenched fist. Law folded instantly as he was sent stumbling backward, all fight in his body gone as his breath left him. Doflamingo still had control of his body, however, so Law couldn't prevent the man from urging him back Kidd's way and striking down with his blade.
"Kidd!"
The shout that came a short distance away was followed by Killer jumping in the way to cross his own blades together to halt Law's.
The Surgeon of Death was relieved to be stopped. If he were going to actually start a fight with Kidd, he would have done it on his own, and not because Doflamingo was forcing him to.
But Law found that he didn't have it in him to actually want to fight Kidd, and didn't want to think about that at present.
-x
Kidd was sluggish from the newly made wounds, but he grinned lopsidedly at his crewmate when the long haired blond half turned to him. "Hey, Killer. Don't kill him."
"He is attacking you." Killer said incredulously, "I'd have thought he'd done it sooner."
"Doflamingo." Kidd offered, waving absently in the aforementioned man's direction. "Making him do it. Made me attack Trafalgar earlier."
"His powers." Killer was silent, before he regarded Law. The long haired pirate ducked beneath another sweep of Law's nodachi, before he reached over and rapped Law sharply over the head.
The Heart Pirate crumpled to the ground without a sound, the blade slipping out of his grasp.
Not exactly what Kidd would have liked, but as it prevented Law from being manipulated into attacking him, it would have to do.
Doflamingo's grin stretched, the veins more prominent across his forehead at yet another unwanted pirate making an appearance.
"I think you made him mad." Kidd said, feeling slightly loopy from the wounds he'd been dealt. But he felt good, in a way, because he lifted a finger and flicked it at Doflamingo. "Repel."
It was satisfying to see Doflamingo's arm cut with the hunk of metal, but the shift in focus from Killer to Kidd himself wasn't the best thought out plan. The only thing Kidd had time to say was a rather hastily spat 'fuck' before Doflamingo was surging toward him. Not the most brilliant of plans. Perhaps Kidd should have listened to Law after all, and cut his losses.
Kidd snorted.
Fuck that. He wasn't going anywhere. Kidd would stay and fight, regardless of his wounds. He wouldn't go down so easily.
"Room."
Kidd grunted as he was suddenly on the ground a short distance away with Law, who had a hand to the back of his head and was grimacing. Apparently, Killer hadn't hit Law too hard, if the Heart Pirate was up after only a minute or so of being stuck.
"Ready to run yet?" Law asked with a weary bite. "Or are you in danger of losing too much blood if you try?"
"Killer didn't hit you hard enough." Kidd said conversationally.
It was good to see that middle finger, since it meant the fight hadn't gone out of Law completely yet. It was good, because the battle was far from over, and Doflamingo showed no signs of being worn down in the least bit. Not that Luffy cared as he made another attempt to hit Doflamingo.
Kidd laughed at the sight, not because it was funny, but because this was going to be harder than he thought it would be. That Law had come close to his side to press torn clothing to the stab wound was something Kidd was not at all comfortable dwelling on.
Nor was thinking about that damn scream Law had let out unexpectedly when Doflamingo made him swing his blade at the red head again.
So Kidd sent metal flying Doflamingo's way, as it seemed a better thing to dwell on then thinking about what had just happened. Kidd would just ignore the fact that he could have sworn he heard Law apologize as he pressed cloth to Kidd's back, attempting to stem the flow of blood there as well.
'Sorry.'
Sorry for stabbing Kidd, when the red haired captain was fairly certain Law wouldn't have given a damn doing it before they had crossed paths again after two years. Hell, even before they had been together in that inn room, and Kidd had almost gotten into a fight in the tavern before, goading Law by staring at him.
Kidd let his Devil Fruit power flare up to bring metal close to himself and Law, to prevent Doflamingo's attacks landing anywhere near them. The red head supposed, as he flicked metal back at Doflamingo in retaliation, that he couldn't really see himself harming Law on purpose.
Not anymore.
Wasn't that just a fucking weird thought to have on a battlefield?
At least someone, a certain straw hat wearing individual, was not so inclined to have any such thoughts, and was doing his best to pummel Doflamingo into the ground.
Kidd wheezed his appreciation of the sight, despite vaguely hearing Law telling him to stop laughing. Kidd couldn't help himself.
Luffy had his priorities straight, and it was high time for Law and Kidd to settle their own priorities so that they didn't get themselves killed.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
A/N: I was struck with a lot of inspiration today for this fic after months and I couldn't stop writing so yay, update (shh totally skipped kidlaw stuff in the beginning of the chapter, for the most part, because it wasn't precisely a good idea, considering the circumstances. It will crop up later though). You can bet that I'm dragging Gear 4 into this, because it's high time Doflamingo started getting his ass kicked in return.