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

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Holding Me Together

It was chaotic. Gunshots was firing rapidly, people were running like mad, and someone let out a bloodcurdling scream…

Then, as if in slow motion, he saw Cora-san running towards him with his face contracted in terror. He was shouting something at him, but the deafening gunshots and cries were making it impossible for Law to hear him. Vaguely, he made out his name and 'run' by the shape Cora-san's lips took, and that was the last thing he saw as he diverted his attention back to his eyes and saw in panic that they had widened comically.

The slow motion continued as Cora-san seemingly tripped on something and fell face first to the ground. It was only after he saw the man in an ugly pink coat and wearing ridiculous sunglasses that he understood that he had actually been shot.

"Noooo! Cora-san!"

He sprinted forward towards the figure laying down on the dirty ground, and turned the man's body so that he was laying on his back.

"Cora-san no! You can't die! No, no please! Please!"

He was sobbing as he clutched the man's shirt, but it was no use… His eyes were closed, and the bullet had pierced the left side of his chest; a vital point. He shook his head like mad, making his neck hurt but he wasn't able to feel it. He couldn't feel anything beside the huge gap somewhere inside him-

"Law! Law wake up!.. LAW!"

Someone was shaking him, suddenly he wasn't where he was a moment before, instead, it was all dark.

He swallowed with difficulty and bit his lower lip. He tried to will the tears away, but like all the other times he had this same nightmare, it wasn't working.

Kid reached over him to the nightstand on his side, flicking the light on and and taking the glass of water that was placed on the mahogany.

"Here, straighten up a bit-" Kid helped Law get into a sitting position and put the pillow behind his back.

"Drink." Law didn't say anything, and just gripped the glass with both hands lest it slipped from his hold.

He leaned forward after taking a few sips, placing the glass back on the nightstand.

Kid was slowly rubbing his back to comfort him, and in a way he couldn't understand, it was working.

"Do you wanna.. uhm-talk about it maybe?"

Law continued staring down at his laps for a few seconds, watching his teardrops leave dark marks on the duvet. Then he slowly moved to lay back down, reaching and switching the light off first.

Kid followed him and went back down, turning to lay on his side. The moonlight coming from the window was lighting up his worried features.

Law continued his silence for a few moments, trying to get his breathing regular again. How many times had it been now? He had lost the count. He had lost the count of times he had to lose Cora-san over and over again; being forced to relive the unbearable pain in this never-ending cycle of nightmares. This wasn't fair… Was it ever gonna stop?

He swallowed again, this time a bit easier, and whispered hoarsely;

"I can't…"

Kid didn't need to ask what he meant. By now, he had gotten used to being woken up in the middle of the night, his husband thrashing and moaning in pain. His eyes would be screwed shut tightly and tears would be streaming down from the corners, making Kid's heart broke into million pieces. He would do anything to be the one hurting in Law's place, and spare his love this terrible torture.

He moved carefully so that he was laying over Law, supporting himself on his elbows that was placed on either side of that beautiful face.

"I'm so sorry baby… I'm so sorry… God, I wish I could take away your pain… I wish there was something, anything I could do-"

"No!" Law's voice didn't crack this time.

"Don't you ever say that, you hear me?! How can you even think… How do you think I am able to survive this? If it wasn't for you-" And his voice broke again, quiet sobs wracking his body no matter how hard he tried to stop them. He had always lost this fight, and this time was no different.

"Sshhh… It's alright love, it's all fine… It's all gonna be okay, I'm right here for you… I've got you… Always…"

Kid was laying small kisses all over his forehead, temple, cheek, jaw, down his neck… Law sighed and the redhead's left hand grabbed his right one tightly and moved their entwined hands up over his head.

"Don't you know?.. I love you so, so much. I love you so madly that sometimes it feels like I'm gonna burst into pieces… My everything… You are my everything, and I'm never, ever gonna let anything hurt you like this ever again…"

Tears continued streaming down; this time from love overload. He really owed Kid everything; his life, his beautiful home, his family, his sanity…

"I know… God, I know… Fuck, I love you so much it hurts… How am I ever gonna repay-"

"Sshhh, no such thing. You are the biggest gift I've ever received, if anything, I'm the one in debt here… Speaking of which, it occurred to me only now that I never got to unwrap you as you wore a red bow… And nothing else."

Law chuckled, thanking his husband's silliness and the effort he was making to divert his mind from the nightmare. He always managed to find a way, somehow… That was just one of the miracles Law never quite understood.

"Oh, that's what you want, is it? Well, I'm sure something can be arranged…"

Kid continued nuzzling his neck a bit more, and then lifted his head to gaze into Law's eyes, his face alight with the most beautiful smile Law had ever seen.

"Ah, you are spoiling me… What did I ever do to deserve you?"

Law couldn't help but smile just as widely, lifting his head to peck him sweetly, and then pulling him down with him as he got comfortable on their bed, deepening the kiss.

'That's more than what I can say for myself, Eustass-ya, but even if I don't deserve you, I'm never letting you go…'