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Getting with Trafalgar has taught Kidd and Killer a new form of boundaries. Before, when it was just the two of them, the boundaries were seemingly silent. A long story of being raised together since Kidd was born and Killer was barely three. A long standing, no more than the breeze, understanding of one another.
Now, there is a rift in that silence, a storm under sunny weather. The tug of yes and no so sharp and out of left field it spins their heads, a small voice begging for questions and an even louder shout telling them to leave it be.
The final straw of this back and forth is when Kidd grabs Law’s wrist, pining them above his head before kissing on his neck; a primal instinct, no different from a stuck rabbit, and fear in his eyes causes the man to thrash and the redhead square in the head. His body crashes to the floor as he grabs his side with his real hand, and quick glance to Killer for help.
It works, it always does. The blond is quick to help his boyfriend back on the bed and look over his head, no bruise or swelling yet at least. They both look at each other, their faces doing all the talking.
The rift is back when they look at the other curled in on himself desperately trying to get the stuck blanket over his body. How is one supposed to communicate if they can’t even look at him? When he doesn’t want them to look.
A bright glint shows in his blue eyes as he taps Law’s shoulder, Kidd knows exactly what he is planning on doing. The smaller man wearily looks up, bangs shielding most of his face at the action. Killer and Kid both turn around, backs facing towards him. The blond is the brains of both of them for a reason.
A small, confused hum comes from the surgeon, they can almost imagine him cocking his head to the side just like a bunny.
Killer realizes he needs prompting, it’s not everyday you can practically read someone’s thoughts, so he talks about himself and his insecurity about his face and laugh. The start and the inevitable end thanks to Law, Marco, and Chopper’s wonderful work. He sighs when he talks about Victoria, and he hunches his shoulders up when talking about the nasty Pleasures. It’s all body language Kidd is fluent in.
Next is his turn, so Kidd takes a moment to think where to start. He talks about being locked in the basement and his devil fruit forming from the rotting fruit, how he saved all five of them. He talked about why he wanted to be pirate king and why he dropped the idea. His battle with Shanks, but only the second made his voice strain and turn weak near the end. He unconsciously reaches for the arm no longer there, a hopeful wish at protecting what’s left. He feels Killer grab his hand, squeezing it when his voice gets shaky. He knows.
The blankets behind them shuffle a little, and the small sound of scratching skin breaks the silence. It takes Law a good minute to gain the courage, but he manages. He tells them, slow and careful, of Flevence and Amber Lead disease. He nervously chuckles when he gets to the suicide bombing part, and all emotion leaves his tone when he talks about meeting Doflamingo.
He’s quiet for a long moment again, small sniffles being the only sound coming from him. He shakily exhales as he continues, from the start to the end of the abuse. Where he was touched and where he wishes he could scrub away. The names that were tainted and the titles he wants erased from the world.
Law talks about his Cora-san, the man that saved him. His voice fills with happiness and joy again, sounding less like himself and more of a fantasy. It quickly breaks when he tells them how he died, what happened to his corpse, and what happened to him after. A lonely silence settles before Law tells them it all happened again on Dressrosa and how he’s never told his crew.
They can feel the tension coming from Law, they can almost sense the need to be held, so they turn around to see the man reach both hands out. They quickly grab a hand each and don’t do anything more. A silent agreement between the three of them.
The room’s mood shifts so similar to his devil fruit it makes Law want to laugh. Finally, looking in their eyes he sees nothing but worry, love, and kindness.
He doesn’t feel a sense of dread or need to run. Their hands are warm, hot in comparison to his freezing, the sheets are unbeatably soft, and the bed is so comfortable that if he lay down he may never get back up.
They move closer and Law still doesn’t leave. His fingers clench, not in fear this time but in desperation for them to understand. They think they do. They want to.
Killer is first to swing an arm around his shoulders, slotting himself to his right like that’s where he’s always belonged. Kidd shortly follows suit on his left, practically squishing him between them both.
Despite everyone’s lack of clothes, Law feels nothing less than content. They want to be beside him, they want to hold him with no price but him being there to be held. They want his story and voice for nothing more than knowing.
It’s sickly sweet, they sit there for what feels like an enternity before Law scoots away, quickly turning to face them both. Everything in him is telling him to look away or run, but he ends up staring them both in the face.
He sees the loss of left eyebrow on Kidd’s face, and the thick burn scar down Killer’s that realistically should’ve caused him to go blind. Something he’s never truly noticed before. He swallows the guilt and shame down for a moment, hands resting on each of their knees. Close but far enough to run if things go south, a sick habit he caused.
“I’m sorry.” Law trembles out, so close to silent it could’ve been hallucinated.
“It’s okay.” Killer says, voice filled with so much certainty it eases something deep within Law.
“For the kick… and the lying.” Law mumbles, biting his lip at the end.
“It’s alright, it wasn’t lying either.” Kidd tells, fingers pressing against his before they are holding hands. “It was protection, nothing more.”
Tears fall first, and laughter breaks next. He’ll deny it until his dying days, but Law climbs into both their laps; half stumbling and half wiping at his eyes to make it stop. He hugs both of them, pushing them closer to himself until they hug back.
Law is unbelievably skinny, Kidd is stupidly muscled, and Killer is ungodly warm under their hands. And, even if it’s just for tonight before Law figures something else to hide, that rift in their wind comes to a halt and the moon glazes in through the window.
They all lay down, a mess of covers and limbs, still connected to each other in some sort of way. It feels right, like this is what was meant to happen. Killer plays with Law’s hair as they both fall asleep in Kidd’s arms.
This is most definitely right.