(Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda, obviously.)

(The song "Your Bruise" belongs to Death Cab For Cutie.)

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Your Bruise

You wake up to silence. Just like yesterday. And the day before that. Unsurprisingly, once again you are in that state between sleep and consciousness. It's getting harder to separate hallucinations from dreams. Not that you care anymore.

You haven't left your room in days. Or was it weeks maybe? It most certainly feels longer than that. It feels like it's been years since you last saw him. Kissed him. Loved him. But then again, how can that be if your face is still wet with tears?

Blinds are drawn so you can't tell if it's day or night. What's the point? All that remains for you is darkness. Darkness all the time, like a black hole swallowing you. Except there is no end to it. You still exist, and you find it to be more unbearable than anything you've ever encountered.

You sigh and turn to your right, then immediately regret it. You still aren't used to seeing the vacant spot next to you. You never will be. Unil the very end, you will remember everything as it was, before it all went downhill. You will remember the wild blood red hair, how it felt as you ran your slim fingers through it, how the pale skin tasted as you lay kisses on a bare shoulder.

A sob escapes, and your fist flies to your mouth to stifle it. No, not again. You know that if you start again, you will never be able to stop. You take deep breaths and bite your lower lip. Physical pain, however preferable it may be to the soul crushing emotional agony you are feeling, only serves to remind you once more that you are alive; that you are still flesh and bones and so very fragile. Unlike him.

You turn to lie on your back again, staring at the ceiling. Out of nowhere, a song starts playing in your mind, and you think back to the first time you listened to it. The time he made you listen to it.

"Kid, will you turn that down please? I'm trying to read here."

"Aww c'mon Law, I know for a fact that you can concentrate no matter what. I'm trying to finish this project and this song is motivating."

'No. Nononono stop. Don't think. Don't think about him. Don't think about anything related to him.'

"How is that depressing stuff helping you in any way?"

A smile slowly spread over Kid's face as he raised his head to look Law in the eye enigmatically. "It just reminds me of a good event."

But you can't stop yourself no matter how hard you try. It is all in vain, you know. For so long, you haven't been able to think anything but him.

Law raised an eyebrow in question, finding it impossible for such a song to evoke good memories. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. It was the song I was listening to the first time I saw you."

Law blinked. He opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. Instead, he went back to reading without a word, a small smile on his face.

Kid's smile widened as he went back to working on his project.

You are sobbing uncontrollably now. 'Kid, please…'

The song is getting louder.

'Come back… I'll do anything…'

You don't know how long you just wailed there. After a while, you slowly drift back to sleep, to once again dream about playful smirks, soft lips and gentle touches. The song continues to play…

…I think your bruise was understated

Cause you can't feel this anymore

It's getting bluer and you can't keep faking

That you can't feel this anymore…