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The afternoon had solidified into something thick and suffocating, filled with the kind of boredom that made Law's fingers twitch for the weight of a scalpel, the drag of a blade against skin, anything to cut through the monotony. He was slumped against the motel's front desk, the laminate countertop sticky beneath his forearm, the scent of stale coffee and cigarette smoke clinging to the air like a second skin. Baby's voice buzzed in his ear, a relentless stream of words he'd stopped processing after the third mention of shoes, too busy staring at the water stain on the ceiling, wondering if it had grown since yesterday.
"-and he had this smile, Law, you know?" she gushed, twirling a lock of dark hair around her finger, her nails painted the same shade as the dark lipstick smeared on the rim of her coffee cup. "I should have given him this number. It's like we were meant for each other."
Because that's exactly what they needed: another horny guy clogging up the motel's landline looking for phone sex. He wondered how many more late-night calls it would take until Doffy finally had enough and started going after the guys dumb enough to call. There had already been a close call with one guy brave - or desperate - enough to show up at the motel in person. Watching Doflamingo tear into the poor soul had been terrifying yet also hilarious, given the sheer absurdity of the situation.
Law exhaled through his nose, slow and controlled, his gaze fixed on his crossword. The letters blurred as he kept doodling in the top corner. He could've been dissecting a frog. He could've been anywhere but here, trapped in this sun-bleached purgatory of Doflamingo's making.
The ceiling fan above them wheezed, its rusted chain clicking with each rotation, stirring the air just enough to carry the scent of stale coffee and Baby's cloying perfume. A fly buzzed against the window, throwing itself repeatedly at the glass like it, too, was trying to escape.
Outside, the sun hung heavy in the sky, casting long shadows across the parking lot. The heat shimmered off the asphalt, making the air above it waver like a mirage. Law could feel the weight of it pressing down on him thick and suffocating. He wanted to peel his skin off, just to feel something other than the sticky, oppressive warmth.
A sudden blast of music cut through the monotony of the afternoon, interrupting Baby's swooning and making the hairs on the back of Law's neck stand up. The sound was loud and aggressive, a distorted guitar riff that shook the windows in their frames. Baby's head snapped up, her eyes lighting up with excitement. Law's stomach dropped.
A beat-up VW minibus, its once-vibrant blue paint now just a patchwork of faded colors and rust, pulled into the parking lot with a squeal of the brakes. The engine cut off, but the music didn't. The doors slid open, and two guys came tumbling out.
The first one, his bright red hair standing up in all directions, stretched his arms over his head like he owned the place. The second one, broader and quieter, followed behind, his sunglasses reflecting the late afternoon sun.
The motel door swung open with a groan, rattling the bell above the frame. The scent of sweat, gasoline, and something faintly sweet - weed, probably - flooded the lobby. Law didn't look up from his crossword, though his pen paused mid-stroke. Heavy footsteps thudded against the linoleum, uneven and unhurried. Baby perked up instantly, spinning in her chair to face them.
"Welcome to the Flamingo," she cooed, leaning forward just enough to make sure the guy got the full effect. "You boys need a room?"
"Just one. Unless you got something better to offer." The voice was rough, but there was a lazy confidence to it, like the speaker was used to getting what he wanted. Law exhaled through his nose, watching the numbers on his puzzle blur slightly. He could already tell this would be worse than the last batch of drifters.
"Depends. You looking for one bed or two?"
Law's grip on the pen tightened. He could feel the weight of their gazes, one bold and amused, the other sharp and assessing. He kept his eyes on his doodle, the badly sketched polar bear's smudged eyes staring back at him.
The taller of the two, broad-shouldered, wild red hair standing up in all directions, leaned against the counter, close enough that Law could smell the cigarette smoke clinging to his clothes.
"Two would be ideal," he said, pulling a wad of bills from his pocket. "But we're flexible."
Baby let out a low laugh, twirling a lock of hair around her finger, before nudging him away from the register. He moved deliberately slow, turning to the key rack mounted crookedly to the wall behind him. He grabbed the key for room 7 and slid it across the counter.
"Separate beds. No smoking. Checkout's at noon."
The redhead picked it up, his fingers brushing against Law's as he did. His friend stood silently behind him, arms crossed, sunglasses hiding whatever he was thinking.
"You always this friendly, or is it just us?" The redhead's grin didn't falter, but there was something calculating in his eyes. Law didn't like it
"Just you," Law replied, tone flat and clearly uninterested. Why couldn't they just get to their room?
"Don't be so rude," Baby giggled and lightly slapped his arm, though one glance from him had her pulling her hand away quickly. The redhead just chuckled, low and rough. He didn't look away, his eyes following their exchange.
"I'm Kidd by the way. That's Killer." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "You got a name, or do I have to make one up?"
Law didn't answer. Even if he had wanted to answer, he didn't get a chance.
"Ignore him, he just got up on the left foot this morning," Baby chimed in, batting her eyes and almost climbing onto the counter with how far she was leaning over it. "I'm Baby, nice to meet you two."
Though her usual charms sadly didn't seem to work this time, as the redhead's - Kidd's - gaze stayed fixed on Law as he pocketed the keys and straightened himself up before finally turning to leave.
"See you around, sweetheart," he yelled, unnecessarily loud in the small space, followed by an obnoxious wink directed towards the reception desk.
Wichser.
Law wouldn't consider himself a morning person in the slightest. And yet, for some reason, he always found himself volunteering for the morning shift. The morning sun slanted through the blinds, turning the dust motes in the lobby air gold. Law leaned against the reception desk, fingers tracing the chipped rim of the ugly mug Giolla hadn't bothered to clean up when Law had relieved her from the night shift.
The silence was a rare luxury, no Baby chattering on and on about meaningless things, no couples fighting too loud and too violent in the privacy of the paper-thin walls. Just the hum of the ceiling fan and the distant drone of cicadas outside.
But of course, it wasn't meant to last. The back door, or rather the repurposed fire exit, creaked open with a metallic groan. A few more minutes of loud rummaging, and what sounded like something heavy yet soft being dropped on the floor with a dull thump, followed by the sound of running water, and finally, Doflamingo stepped out from behind the thick curtain separating the reception from the closet he called a breakroom.
He moved with that unnerving grace of his, all lazy confidence and predatory smiles, his gaudy sunglasses firmly in place and his equally gaudy pink coat draped over one arm despite the early morning heat. He didn't even glance at Law as he wedged himself into the cramped space behind the desk, close enough that Law could smell the expensive cologne mixed with the faint metallic tang of whatever he'd been handling in the back.
"Morning, cariño," Doffy purred, dragging out the word like it was a joke between them.
Hurensohn.
He didn't wait for a response as he leaned further into Law's personal space, effectively locking him into the corner, to reach for the pen Law had almost chewed through only half an hour before. Based on the way Doffy's nose wrinkled in disgust and the murmured "are you a dog?" thrown his way, the pen was still wet.
Law didn't answer. Maybe if he kept ignoring him, Doffy would lose interest. Because if working with Baby was annoying, working while Doflamingo was around could be classified as actual torture.
Doffy kept humming, the melody of some annoying jingle that popped up on the radio at least once an hour, as he flipped through his inventory list with deliberate slowness, his fingers dragging along the paper like he was caressing it.
"You're so quiet today. Didn't sleep well?" His voice was like a velvet purr, the kind that slithered under Law's skin and made every hair on the back of his neck stand up. He didn't look at Law as he spoke, but the smirk playing at his lips said he already knew the answer.
Law exhaled through his nose, slow and controlled. "I slept fine."
Doffy chuckled, low and knowing as he 'accidentally' let his arm brush against Law's, leaning in too close for comfort.
"Liar." The word was a whisper, almost a caress, before he straightened and his face morphed into something most likely meant to emulate honest concern. "Is college stressing you out? You never call home, so we all just assumed you're busy with your classes, but if you're unhappy there, no one would blame you for dropping out. But you have to at least try to make some friends at some point, being alone all the time can't be good for you."
Hurensohn.
"I'll try." Doffy's attempt at getting information out of him was as transparent as it was annoying, meant to provoke a reaction. But Law would rather die than tell Doffy the truth about the small life he'd been starting to build for himself away from his so-called 'family'.
The older man leaned in just a little too close, his shoulder brushing Law's as he pretended to squint at the register, thankfully deciding to drop the subject of Law's loneliness.
"You know, if you're bored, you could always help me with this." His fingers tapped the checklist, which, to Law's horror, only had two out of eleven points already checked. "I'd appreciate the company."
Law's jaw tightened. He could feel Doffy's gaze on him, calculating and observant, looking for any sign of weakness. It was a game. It was always a game. And Doffy loved playing. Like a cat toying with a mouse.
"Pass," Law said flatly, shifting just enough to put an inch of space between them.
"Suit yourself," Doffy chuckled, low and amused as if Law were still a teenager being moody just for the sake of it. He didn't move away. Instead, he started reading off the list in that slow, drawling voice of his, occasionally reaching across Law to grab the phone or the coffee pot, his fingers grazing Law's arm each time. Law ignored him, staring fixedly at the wall clock. Three more hours until his shift ended. Three more hours of this.
Doffy leaned in again, his breath warm against Law's ear.
"You're so tense, cariño," he murmured, the nickname dripping with something dark and mocking. "You should relax. Or let me help you relax."
Hurensohn. Hurensohn. Hurensohn.
Law didn't dare answer. Because if he opened his mouth, he might say something he'd regret, and he didn't want to give Doflamingo the satisfaction of getting under his skin. Instead, he focused on something else. The water stain on the ceiling seemed to have grown a little more overnight.
While Doffy went back to working through his list painstakingly slow, and obnoxiously thorough, Law pondered if it was worth it to mention the possible leak in one of the bathrooms. Just as he had come to the conclusion that he truly couldn't care less if one of the rooms flooded, the phone rang. Doffy's smile turned sharp, all teeth and predatory delight, as he snatched it up.
"Yeah?" A pause. Then his voice dropped into that smooth, dangerous purr Law had heard too many times before. But there was something strained in his voice, making him sound almost perfomative, and if Law didn't know better, he would've thought Doffy was trying to mask his unease. "Ah. You." He shot Law a look - amused, almost triumphant - before pressing a hand over the receiver. "Gotta take this in the back. Business."
Law didn't react. But his fingers twitched toward the phone as Doffy disappeared behind the curtain, quickly followed by the heavy door to the back room clicking shut and locking behind him.
For a second, he considered it. Picking up the receiver, pressing his ear to the line, listening in on whatever shady deal Doffy was making. But then he remembered the last time he and Baby had tried that. Years ago, when they had been unsupervised and too curious for their own good. They'd accidentally overheard Doffy's low, rough voice murmuring things that had made Law's skin crawl and Baby gag. He wasn't repeating that mistake.
Instead, he decided to just enjoy the silence while it lasted. Beautiful, blessed silence. Law exhaled, rolling his shoulders. He could almost taste the peace-
The front door swung open with a bang, and just like that, Law's brief moment of relief evaporated like mist in the sun.
Kidd stood there, sunlight haloing his broad frame, grin already in place. His gaze was already locked onto Law like a target.
"Morning, sweetheart," voice rough with amusement and too many cigarettes.
Scheiße.
Kidd's grin didn't waver as he braced his forearms on the counter, the scent of smoke and leather clinging to him like a second skin. He was close enough that Law could see the faint white scar bisecting his left eyebrow, and the way his knuckles were scuffed raw in places, like he'd been in a fight recently.
Law's fingers twitched towards the checklist Doffy had so carelessly left lying open, the coded names of his buyers and suppliers visible to anyone walking by. He flipped the paper over in one sharp motion, the edge of the page snapping against the counter. Kidd's eyebrows lifted, but he didn't comment. Law doubted that he was much of a reader anyway.
"We're hitting a concert tonight," Kidd said, voice rough but carrying that same lazy confidence as before. "Figured we'd ask if you wanted to come."
"No", Law didn't bother looking up from the now-blank paper. Maybe being direct would make Kidd leave faster.
"No?" Kid's grin turned sharper, like he'd been expecting resistance. "Why not?"
"I'm working."
"So say you're sick or something. Doubt you have many people checking in at night." He tilted his head, studying Law like he was trying to peel back his skull and see what made him tick. "'sides, you look like you could use a night out."
Law's jaw tightened. He didn't owe this guy an explanation. But the silence stretched, and Kid's smirk only deepened, so he forced out, "You should ask Baby. She'd probably love to go."
Kid's expression flickered, something like amusement mixed with frustration, but before he could say anything, the curtain swung back dramatically.
Doffy's gaze, his eyes unreadable behind his stupid glasses, landed on them. He was smiling, but there was an undeniable tightness to it. Once again, Law was glad he hadn't picked up the phone, if what had been said had been bad enough to put Doflamingo in such a sour mood.
"Why are you lying, cariño? I thought I raised you better than that." That call must have gone horribly if the viciousness in his voice was any indication.
Law's fingers curled into a fist, his nails digging into the soft flesh of his palm. It was all he could do to stop himself from throwing a punch and starting a fight he would most certainly lose.
Kidd straightened, seemingly unfazed, and turned his triumphant grin towards Law.
"So you are free tonight. We'll pick you and your sister up at 6, then."
"I'll make sure they're on time." Law wanted to punch the smug grin off Doffy's face.
"Great. See you guys then," Kidd seemed completely oblivious to what was going on in front of him, though Law doubted there was much going on in that head of his anyway. The dumbass just shot him another grin that made him look like one of the lost causes lying in the neurology wing.
"See, that wasn't so hard now, was it? I think it's nice if you and your sister do things like this. You're always so serious, that can't be good for you." Doffy seemed way too pleased with himself. It made Law's blood boil.
"Fick dich doch einfach!" He hadn't meant to rise to the bait, but Doflamingo just had a talent for always worming his way under his skin eventually.
The van idled in the motel parking lot like a dying animal, its engine coughing out black smoke in uneven bursts, exhaust fumes curling into the thick evening air like demonic spires. The rear doors were already open, revealing a gutted interior, no seats, just a tangle of blankets, empty beer cans, and the lumpy remains of a nasty-looking mattress wedged under a pile of crumpled band shirts. Law stared at it, then at Kidd, who was leaning against the van's side, grinning like this was all some kind of joke.
"You sure this thing's roadworthy?" Law asked, voice flat.
Kidd leaned against the van's side, one boot propped against the bumper, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He took a slow drag, exhaling smoke into the humid air.
"It's got wheels and an engine. What more do you need?"
Law refused to dignify that with an answer. Baby was already climbing into the passenger seat, her laughter bright and sharp as Killer revved the engine in response.
"Oh my god, this is so exciting!"
That was easy for her to say. Unlike Law, Baby didn't have to carefully monitor every word out of her mouth for fear of it being filtered back to Doflamingo. Her desperation for his approval made her a liability, something Law had learned early enough to keep his distance. He'd never quite worked out whether it was simple attachment or something more complicated and frankly disturbing, but either way, it amounted to the same thing: Baby told Doffy everything, and Law told Baby nothing.
"Okay, let's go," Kidd yelled in that too-loud voice of his, before flicking his cigarette butt away and climbing into the van.
The van lurched forward before Law even had both feet inside. He barely managed to brace himself against the metal frame as Killer took the first turn at what felt like sixty miles an hour. The back was a minefield of sharp edges and loose debris, and Law had to grab onto a rusted toolbox to keep from sliding into Kidd, who just laughed and steadied him with a hand on his shoulder so they could both crouch down against the walls.
"You drive like a maniac," Law snapped at Killer's back.
"Sorry, princess, better hold on tight," Killer shot back, turning his head to face Law and taking his eyes off the road for an entirely too long time.
The ride was a nightmare of potholes, sudden stops, and Killer's complete disregard for traffic laws. Baby 5 spent the whole time shrieking with delight every time the van hit a bump, while Kid just smoked and watched Law with that infuriating grin, like he was waiting for something.
By the time they skidded to a stop outside the venue, a dingy basement pub with a flickering neon sign hanging crookedly over the front door, Law's knuckles were white from gripping the toolbox. The music was already thrumming through the ground, a deep, distorted bassline that vibrated up through his boots.
"Alright. We're here," Kidd hopped out of the van before quickly turning back to Law and offering his hand, like a true gentleman, which Law pointedly ignored. His boots cracked on the pavement with a thud.
The air smelled like gasoline and cigarette smoke, the kind of scent that clung to clothes and hair long after it was over. Baby bounced on her toes beside him, clutching his arm like she was afraid he'd disappear. Kidd pulled a small, crumpled square of paper from his pocket, holding it up between his fingers.
"Alright, who wants to have some fun?"
Baby immediately leaned forwards, her dark eyes wide with excitement, one hand already reaching for it.
"Awesome, tonight's gonna be amazing," she giggled, plucking the paper out of Kidd's palm before Law could stop her.
"You don't even know what it does," he said, harsher than necessary. He remembered the unit on drugs.
Lysergic acid diethylamide, known for its powerful psychological effects and serotonergic activity, if ingested, can lead to visual and auditory hallucinations, sensory changes such as echo-effect or synesthesia, as well as bouts of paranoia and nausea.
"Relax, sweetheart. It's just a little bit of fun," Kidd smirked, lighting another cigarette. "Or are you scared?"
Law's jaw tightened. He wasn't scared. And who was this asshole to suggest he could be? He was just cautious.
"C'mon, Law. It'll be fun," Baby was pouting, though, whether it was because she was trying to convince him or because Killer had, thankfully, snatched the tab from her before she could pop it in her mouth. Killer, who had been mostly quiet up until now, generally seemed to be the more responsible and level-headed one of the duo, although that didn't mean much in light of his driving style.
"Just split one. You both seem like lightweights anyway."
Law stared at the tiny square Killer placed in his palm, one half of a yellow smile staring right back at him. It looked innocuous.
"Stop overthinking, just open your mouth." Kidd's grin had taken on a sharper quality, his own full tab lying flat on his tongue, the intact smile urging Law to follow his example. Before he could continue spiraling, he forced his eyes shut, popping the small piece of paper into his mouth.
The inside of the venue was smaller than Law had expected, a low-ceilinged basement with exposed pipes running along the walls and a makeshift stage at the far end. The crowd was already thick, bodies pressed together in the heat, the air heavy with sweat and cigarette smoke, and something sweeter underneath that Law couldn't focus on long enough to identify.
Baby was already lost in the crowd, her laughter rising above the music as Law watched her drag Killer towards the bar. Killer, despite his size, looked helpless as he followed Baby through the crowd.
Kidd, meanwhile, was grinning like a wolf, his arm slung around Law's shoulder as he steered him through the crowd. The stage lights strobed red and blue, painting everything in a sickly, watery glow.
It started in his stomach. A low, rolling unease that he initially attributed to Killer's driving and the stale air.
Breathing through his nose, he tried to push it back down. It didn't help. The nausea built steadily, indifferent to his attempts to reason it away, until his mouth filled with saliva in the way that usually meant he had about ninety seconds before things got significantly worse.
He needed to get to the bathroom. Kidd was still jabbering on about whatever band was going to play tonight, as Law's eyes finally fell on the bathroom sign hanging crookedly over a dark hallway. He didn't have time to explain, too worried that opening his mouth would make him throw up all over the place.
Instead, he unceremoniously shook off Kidd's grip and started squeezing through the wall of bodies around him. He didn't have time to look back to see if Kidd was following him; he had to reach the damn bathroom. An elbow hit him right in the side, and someone yelled something unintelligible next to his ear.
Law's stomach lurched. The floor tilted underneath his boots, just slightly, but enough to make him stumble a bit.
"Watch out." And suddenly Kidd's hand was on his arm, pulling him upright. "Where are you going?"
Not wanting to risk anything, Law kept his lips firmly shut, only pointing towards the direction of the toilets. Thankfully, Kidd seemed to get the hint, his face morphing from brief confusion to realization.
"Oh shit."
The crowd parted almost seamlessly for them as Kidd pushed and barreled their way through to the door.
The hall to the restrooms was narrow and dim, the walls covered in scratches and smudged writing. Kidd kicked open the nearest stall door, the hinge screeching and slamming against the wall.
Law barely made it to his knees before his stomach started heaving. He retched, his knuckles turning white with how he was grabbing the porcelain. Kidd was leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed, with an expression that was at once sympathetic and deeply amused.
"You look good down there," Kidd grinned down at him in a tone that only sounded half-joking.
"Fuck off," Law glared at him. Though he did take the hand extended towards him, glad to get off the floor that was sticky in ways he didn't want to examine too closely.
He pushed past Kidd, towards the sink. The water was cold and came out in a reluctant trickle. He splashed some on his face, but it only made him aware of how hot his skin felt.
"How long has it been?"
"Maybe forty minutes." Kidd pushed off the doorframe, reaching past Law to turn the tap off. "You're fine. Worst part's over. Your body just needed some time to adjust."
"That's not how it works," Law said, though without much conviction.
"Works differently for everyone." Kidd shrugged, handing him a crumpled paper towel from the dispenser. "Want to go back out, or you want to stay in here and examine the wallpaper?"
Law looked at the wallpaper. It was peeling in long strips, the pattern underneath faded and stained beyond recognition. He was, he realized distantly, already finding it a lot more interesting than he should.
"Out," he said firmly, before pushing away from the sink and walking ahead.
The main room was worse and better all at once. The music had slowed, or maybe Law's perception of time had. The guitar riff stretched like taffy, each note vibrating in his bones. The crowd was a sea of faces, some laughing, some screaming, some melting at the edges. Law blinked, and a girl's smile split too wide, her neck twisting like rubber, stretching itself towards him before snapping back into place.
The lights above the stage were red and blue. They had been red and blue when they'd walked in. But now they seemed to move differently, pulsing in a way that matched something Law couldn't quite identify. They weren't following the music's rhythm exactly, but instead whatever was hidden in the layer between the bass and the guitar. He blinked. The pulsing didn't stop. If anything, it seemed to intensify.
"Hey." Kidd's voice was so close, as if they were standing right next to each other. "You still with me?"
Law turned his head. It took a moment longer than it should have for the question to register.
"Hm," he said. And then, because it was true but mostly because he had apparently lost his usual filter somewhere between the bathroom and here, "Die Lichter bewegen sich."
It happened between one blink and the next. The lights had been moving for a while now. That slow, breathing pulse that Law had been tracking with the detached interest of someone cataloging a scientific phenomenon. The music had texture. The people around him were all there and yet at the same time they weren't, just formless shapes that seemed to solidify sporadically when his eyes focused on them. Maybe that's why it took him so long to notice him.
Cora looked just like he had when Law had last seen him. Tall and warm, his coat slung over his shoulders, a cigarette in his mouth. He knew, on some distant and increasingly unreachable level, that this wasn't possible. How would Cora know where to find him? He hadn't left a note since the first time he'd come home to find Doffy rummaging through his things. Cora couldn't possibly know he was here. Unless-
He must've stopped by the motel. Maybe someone there had told him where Law was, and now he'd decided to surprise him. And now he was finally back. Standing right in front of Law. So close that he could touch him. All he had to do was stretch out his hand and watch as it passed right through Cora's chest.
He watched with growing horror as everywhere his hand had touched, the body in front of him melted away, the flesh sloughing off in wet clumps, dripping off his fingers onto the sticky floor.
Cora didn't seem to notice his body falling in on itself. His eyes were still staring at Law, a filmed over and unseeing stare that passed right through him. His mouth was split into that same smile he had thrown Law, that night he'd told him to wait. When he'd promised him he'd be right back just moments before dissapüearing forever.
Laaw's own mouth opened around a sound he didn't make, because he couldn't make any sounds at all, his lungs had simply stopped.
He turned away, tried to search for anything familiar to orient himself by, a head of red hair or maybe even Baby's ridiculous bow, just something to walk towards.
Three figures stood in the space he'd come from. Or maybe he'd come from the opposite direction. Was he even in the same room anymore? When had the band stopped playing?
But none of this really mattered because the figures kept closing in on him. And why were they so familiar? He had never met a faceless person before. He was pretty sure they didn't exist. Yet here they were, two taller ones and one smaller, surrounding him, their hands reaching out towards him.
He stumbled back, his foot catching on something and sending him almost falling into one of them. He could feel fingers on his skin, stiff and cold, the movements clumsy and uncoordinated. The fingers were moving higher, almost caressing his neck, until they reached his cheek.
"Law, mein Schatz, wie groß du geworden bist."
Where was his mother's voice suddenly coming from? She couldn't be here, she was- they all were dead. But that thing was smelling like her favorite perfume. And were those his father's glasses perched on the other thing's noseless head? The smaller one was even wearing the same dress Lamy had worn that day. But they couldn't be here. Law had watched them die, had heard them scream, when the intruders-
Nein.
He had to get away. He whirled around, but the crowd was a wall, a mass of teeth and hands, all reaching and snapping for him, swallowing his family up.
He pushed through the crowd, his shoulder catching someone's drink, the glass shattering somewhere behind him. He didn't turn around. He had to keep moving. He had to get out. He just needed some air, to put some distance between himself and those reaching hands and whatever his brain was doing because none of this was real. He knew it wasn't real. He was a medical student, and he knew exactly what lysergic acid diethylamide did to serotonin receptors, and none of this was real-
A hand closed around his arm, fingers digging into his biceps and yanking him backwards. His feet scraped against the sticky floor. He thrashed, kicking and screaming, but the grip was unrelenting.
"Sh sh sh, cariño. Stop making such a fuss." Doffy was grinning down at him, his sunglasses reflecting the strobing lights, his teeth too white, too sharp. His pink coat was pristine, untouched by the filth around them, his gloved hand clamped tight around Law's arm, dragging him away from the crowd.
"Lass mich los! Lass mich-" His voice cracked, he felt like throwing up. He kicked, his boot connecting with something sturdy and wooden.
"Now, now, cariño," Doffy tutted, his breath hot against Law's ear. "You're coming with me."
The door burst open, and the night air hit Law like a slap. The parking lot was too bright, the stars too sharp, the ground tilting beneath him. Doflamingo shoved him against the side of the van, and Law collapsed, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Look at me."
Kidd was crouched in front of him, his red hair wild, his wide eyes staring at Law with something like concern. His hands were on Law's shoulders, steadying him. His fingers felt almost unnaturally warm.
"Just breathe, okay?"
Law merely nodded, not fully trusting his voice yet. Kidd sat down on the ground beside him, his back against the van, his shoulder an inch from Law's. They stayed like this for a while, Law trying to get his breathing under control, while Kidd lit another cigarette. It was Kidd who finally broke the silence.
"You feeling better?"
Law swallowed. The world was still wrong, the stars pulsed, the van's paint rippled like water, but the panic was ebbing, replaced by something almost like serenity.
"Yeah, I'm good." He said, and it was only half a lie at the most.
"If you say so," Kidd studied him for a second. Then, the bastard actually grinned. "Just don't start freaking out at nothing and screaming like a psycho again. What were you even saying back there? Sounded like you were having a stroke."
"Shut up, Arschloch."
"See, you're doing it again. Are you sure you didn't fry your brain?"
Kidd's face was suddenly way too close, his breath hot and uneven, his pupils blown so wide his irises were just a thin ring of color around the black. Law caught himself staring at his mouth, the chapped lips, the way his canines glinted in the dim light. Then Kidd licked his lips, just a subconscious flick of the tongue, and Law stopped thinking.
He watched himself grab the front of Kidd's shirt and yank him in, their mouths crashing together in a mess of teeth and tongue. Kidd growled into the kiss, his hand snapping to the back of Law's neck, fingers tangling in his hair and pulling just hard enough to sting. Law arched into it, his hips jerking forwards, his cock already half-hard from the adrenaline, the way Kidd's body felt pressed against his. How was it even possible for one person to be so fucking warm all the time?
Kidd bit his lower lip, hard, and Law gasped, the pain sharp and bright, pulling him back into his body just as Kidd's tongue forced its way into his mouth, hot and wet and tasting like a pack of Marlboros.
Law moaned, his hands sliding under Kidd's jacket, nails digging into the muscle of his shoulders.
"Fuck-" Kidd gasped against his mouth, his hips grinding against Law's, his cock hard against his thigh.
Law didn't answer. He shoved Kidd back just enough to drop to his knees in the gravel, his hands already fumbling with Kidd's belt. The buckle clinked, the zipper hissed, and then Kidd's cock was out, thick and veined, the head already glistening. Law didn't hesitate. He took him into his mouth, his lips stretching around the girth, his tongue flattening against the underside. Kidd groaned, his hips jerking, his fingers tightening in Law's hair.
"Shit- just like that-" Kidd's voice was rough, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. Law hollowed his cheeks, the fingers tangled in his hair pushing him deeper. His gag reflex kicked in as Kidd hit the back of his throat. He pulled back, spit dripping down his chin, his own cock aching in his pants.
"Wait- Fuck-" Kidd panted, hauling Law up by his hair. "Inside. Now."
Law let himself be pushed towards the van's open doors, stumbling over the threshold, his knees hitting the lumpy mattress in the back. Kidd followed, pulling the door shut behind him. The only light came from the streetlamps outside, the sickly yellow illuminating the dust particles dancing through the air, their movements hypnotic and enchanting at once.
Kidd didn't waste time. He was on him before he could blink, one hand wrenching Law's pants open, the other shoving his shirt up to expose his chest. His mouth was on Law's neck, biting, sucking, leaving dark, bruising marks as his fingers dug into Law's hips, yanking his pants and underwear down in one rough motion.
"You done this before?" Kidd grunted, his fingers already probing at Law's hole.
"Yeah," Law gasped, his cock throbbing, his mind floating somewhere above his body. He spread his legs wider, his fingers gripping the worn sheet under him.
Kidd spat into his hand, stroking himself once, twice before pushing into Law with a rough, breathless curse. Law gasped, his fingers clawing at the fabric beneath him, his back arching off the mattress. It burned, but he pushed back, taking Kidd deeper.
"Fuck- tight-" Kidd groaned, his hips snapping forwards, his cock pounding into Law with short, sharp thrusts. Law moaned, his own cock leaking onto his stomach.
The van's walls rippled, the metal flowing down the sides like liquid. For a second, Kidd's face warped as well, his teeth growing longer, sharper, the fingers digging into Law's skin turning into claws. Even his hair, already such a fiery shade of red, started smoking, the flames licking at the van's roof and making the air feel heavy.
"Dein Kopf brennt." It wouldn't do them any good if the van burned down around them, but Kidd ignored his warning as he fucked Law harder, deeper, like he was trying to dig him out of his own skin.
One of his hands found Law's cock, stroking him in time with his thrusts. Law came with a choked-off cry, his come spilling over Kidd's fingers, his vision whiting out for a second before collapsing into a whirlwind of colors - red and blue, like the stage lights, like the sirens from that night in Flevance, like the stitching on his dad's-
Kidd followed with a guttural groan, his body going rigid before slumping over Law, his breath hot against his neck.
They stayed like that for a minute, maybe two. Kidd's weight pressing Law into the mattress, the van's suspension creaking every time one of them shifted. Law's fingers traced idle patterns on Kidd's back, his mind still floating, the edges of his vision fuzzy. His body was humming, his skin too sensitive, the aftershocks of the trip and the sex mingling until he wasn't sure where one ended, and the other began.
The back door swung open with a bang.
Light and sound spilled in, harsh and sudden, and Law blinked against the glare, his brain scrambling to make sense of the shapes in the doorway.
Baby's giggle bounced off the van's walls like the world's shrillest echo.
"Oops, guess this one's occupied." She was already halfway inside, only held back by Killer's hands around her waist. Baby's hair was a mess, her lipstick almost rubbed off completely, and her grinning face was flushed from alcohol and excitement.
"Close the fucking door." Kidd was still on top of him, somewhat shielding him from Baby's curious gaze.
"Can you move? We wanted to use the van," she pouted in that annoying tone that always got her what she wanted. She probably would've climbed inside fully if it hadn't been for Killer yanking her backwards and out of the van.
"We'll find somewhere else," he still sounded surprisingly put together, considering the fact that his entire jaw was covered in smeared lipstick.
The door fell shut behind them, and Kidd finally rolled off him. Through the van's thin walls, Law could hear Baby's muffled protest and Killer's low, even response. Then, the passenger door opened, and the van dipped slightly as they climbed in.
The engine turned over with its familiar consumptive cough. Nobody said anything.
Law pulled his clothes back into some semblance of order in the dark, his fingers slow and uncooperative. The van smelled like smoke and sweat and something faintly sweet still clinging to the air. Kidd had found his cigarettes again. The lighter clicked, and the cherry glowed briefly in the dark, and Law watched it without feeling anything in particular.
The drive back was short enough that he didn't fully lose consciousness but long enough that he wasn't entirely present for it either. The motion of the van was almost soothing now, the potholes registering as distant suggestions. The stars outside the window had stopped pulsing at some point without him noticing. He was aware of Kidd's shoulder warm against his, and then he wasn't aware of much at all.
The van lurched to a stop. Kidd nudged him once, wordless, and Law climbed out into the parking lot, the night air cool and sharp against his face. Baby was already pulling Killer towards room 7 by the wrist, her heels clicking against the asphalt, her voice a bright ribbon of sound that Law's brain declined to process into words. Killer glanced back once with an expression Law was too tired to interpret.
Law didn't watch them go. He found his key in his jacket pocket on the third attempt and let himself into his room without turning on the light.
The morning light was doing something deeply personal and offensive to Law’s eyes. He squinted against the glare of the morning sun streaming through the dusty windows, his head pounding like someone had drilled a hole into his skull. The coffee he’d chugged earlier sloshed unpleasantly in his stomach, and the smell of stale cigarettes and bleach made his nausea worse.
The back door had been groaning intermittently since six in the morning, Doffy moving through whatever he was doing with his usual theatrical heaviness. Law had not acknowledged him. Doflamingo had not acknowledged Law. This was the best possible version of a morning shift, and Law intended to preserve it for as long as possible. He pressed his thumb into the corner of his eye socket, trying to relieve some of the pressure.
The bell above the door jangled. Kidd stood in the doorway, both room keys dangling from one hand, his duffel bag already slung over his shoulder. His hair was doing its usual chaotic thing. He looked offensively fine for someone who had consumed twice the amount of substance Law had last night.
"Morning, sweetheart," he sounded way too chipper considering that he couldn’t have gotten much more sleep than Law.
Law held out his hand for the keys without a word. Kidd dropped them into his palm, his fingers brushing Law’s wrist for just a second.
"Better tell housekeeping to wait a few more hours, though, let Baby sleep a little longer," he leaned against the counter with the easy confidence of someone who had nowhere to be and no particular feelings about it. Law didn’t bother telling him that Baby was housekeeping.
"Killer’s loading up the van," he said. "We’re heading out soon." A pause, his eyes cutting sideways to Law. "We’d have room for one more if you wanna join us."
"No," Law said.
"No?" Kidd tilted his head, his grin sharpening slightly. "Just no?"
"Just no."
Kidd studied him for a moment, like he was deciding whether to push it. Then he straightened, rolling his shoulders, and the moment passed.
"Suit yourself." He pushed off the counter, already turning towards the door. He was halfway out when he stopped, not turning back, just tilting his head slightly
"Maybe we’ll swing by again, have some more fun."
Law didn’t dignify that with a response.
The bell jangled again as the door swung shut. Through the lobby’s window, Law watched him cross the parking lot, the sun catching his red hair, and then the van’s engine coughed to life and pulled out of the parking lot, and that was that.
"You look terrible, cariño."
Law turned to see Doflamingo leaning in the doorway, the curtain pushed all the way to the side. How long had he been standing there? And how had he not noticed him approaching?
"Long night?" His voice was sickly sweet with that overly concerned tone.
"I’m fine."
"Mm." The sound was soft and knowing in equal measures. "I heard you had a really good time. Even seems like you made a new friend."
Law didn’t feel like he had the mental capacity to deal with Doffy right now.
"I’m glad you’re getting out more," Doflamingo continued, unbothered by Law’s silence. "But next time you can just ask for whatever you need. I don’t like you kids taking stuff from strangers. You never know what else they might have mixed in."
Law stayed quiet and mercifully, just this once, Doffy seemed to get bored soon enough, disappearing into the back once again.
The clock on the wall rang twelve, which meant he had only one more hour to go until he could fall back into his bed and ignore everything around him.
He really couldn’t wait for uni to start again.