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Law's had an uneasy, nagging feeling ever since they set sail for Zou, perhaps even before that. At first, he thinks it's simply the lingering anxiety over everything they went through in Dressrosa or simple disbelief that they – well, mostly Luffy - had managed to defeat Doflamingo and survive the ordeal. Or, he reckons, it's just worry over his crew that he's been separated from for far too long and now that he's going back to them (against all odds), he suddenly finds he feels doubly responsible for them.Robin notices, of course; she is the sharpest and most observant of the Straw Hats and it’s been obvious from the beginning that she oughtn’t to be underestimated. She approaches him when he's brooding on the deck, not joining in on the others' celebration. He declines her offer of companionship, and she simply smiles, not easily thrown out of balance. The truth is, Law would love to have someone ease his worries, but since even he doesn't know their exact source he doubts talking to Robin would help. On the contrary, it's possible her love for the macabre would simply manage to dredge up horrors he hasn't even considered yet.When they get to Zou, it's not what any of them had expected, yet despite all the trouble Law finds himself relaxing slightly, his crew is all there and they're all healthy and safe. And simply seeing Bepo's reaction to his return makes him glad that he didn't die after all. It makes him feel less alone, reminds him that he has people who depend on him now. And much as his past defines him, he can feel it relax its iron grip on him just a little. Free, Cora had wanted him to be free. Not yet, though, not yet. Doflamingo is still alive and his haunting presence in the world will perhaps always anchor Law somewhere in the muddy waters of the past. But he also dares to think about the future much further now, beyond when I deal with Doflamingo for good. He lets himself focus on his own crew for a while, not getting too wrapped up in the internal feuds of the Straw Hats - they may be allies, but they're not family.He's got enough family as it is. Not only his crew, no, now he also has someone he thought would only be a fleeting acquaintance on his journey, a few nights' fun, and a distraction from his existential misery, but somewhere along the way, he'd grown to matter more than that. And maybe this gnawing uneasiness is in part because of that. Although Eustass is more than capable of taking care of himself and doesn’t need someone fussing over his well-being and whereabouts, Law is sure he'd love to hear the detailed version of what went on in Dressrosa. The newspapers don't have time for all the details and twist even the stories they manage to fit in. But for now, he should know that Law is alive.Not that his self-destructive plan was something he had informed others about. It had been between him and Cora-san's ghost, whose disapproval he was sure he could feel even beyond the grave. I'm doing this for you, he has been telling the empty walls of his room for a decade but he knows that really, he'd been doing it for himself. The dead don't care, he knows it to be true. It makes him feel cold and lonely. His revenge has just left another empty void inside him somewhere in the space that used to be reserved for Cora-san. Time and time again he's surprised himself with his capacity for love. After Flevance he'd thought himself dead inside but Cora-san had proved him wrong. So had his crew. And though it had taken years, that dumbass Eustass has swaggered into his life as if to prove Law wrong about himself again.There’s also Luffy, who’s entirely unexpected and impossible, and a huge proponent of embracing your connections to people who are actually living. He’d never been part of Law’s plan but, ironically, had been the very thing that enabled it to work in the end. Law’s hesitant to include him on the list of people he loves, for now, but even he admits that Luffy is almost impossible to dislike. And there might be something to be learned from his easy-going character. Law’s also grateful to him in a way he doesn’t know how to express or pay back, which in turn makes him feel vaguely guilty that he hasn’t informed any of the Straw Hats about his liaison with Eustass and his crew. They’re forgiving though, so maybe that can wait. Or so he tells himself.They don't exactly leave Zou the way they planned, Luffy making the decision to break his own crew in half and thrust one half upon Law. These are really not the people he'd most want to spend time with, at all. His mind wanders to his last rendezvous with Eustass and he sighs. It had been over half a year ago now and they've discreetly stayed in touch, but neither has updated the other on any detailed plans regarding the future. Simply thinking about it makes him feel an uncertain sense of urgency and he vows to ask his crew whether there's been any contact from the other ship while he's been away. Half of the Straw Hat crew is all but ready to depart and go save their cook, and Law tries to keep his own eagerness to return to the submarine hidden. He's not a child yet he finds himself shifting his weight from one foot to the other, wishing they could leave already. He's not looking forward to having nearly ten extra people on his ship — space is a rare commodity even at the best of times — but he owes Luffy more than his life and these people will be instrumental in taking down Kaido. Still, he has the feeling that the concept of privacy is not something this crew is closely acquainted with.Robin materializes next to him, making his heart skip a beat. She smirks at him as if knowing he had not been paying attention to his surroundings. Her silence is an assassin's silence, all learned through trial and error during a childhood spent on the run, something Law can relate to, easily enough. Yet it reminds him of Cora too, as all silences tend to do. His had been an unnatural silence, almost a vacuum in a place where a sound should've existed. He's not sure Cora could've ever learned his and Robin's kinda silence, he'd been too clumsy, too full of life, never truly alone. Devil's fruits are not magic, Cora had said. But Law had been small and Cora's ability had felt like magic then. And later his own, more like a curse, but curses are magic too. And watching Robin sprout arms from a mountainside? He'd call that magic, except he's twenty-six and even at thirteen he would've rather died than voiced a thought like that out loud."Ready to go?" she asks him in a self-satisfied tone that says I've been watching you. A lot of her questions are observations rather than actual inquiries.He just lets out a noncommittal hum and watches Luffy plunge into empty air with his chosen crew, their screams piercing through the quiet afternoon and probably carrying miles out to the sea as they depart Zou. They're all crazy, he thinks, turning on his heel and heading for his ship. "Let's go." As predicted, the ship is more claustrophobic than ever with the new, albeit temporary, additions to the crew. And their numbers feel twice the size since it seems Luffy likes to go for loud and rambunctious when picking crew members — something Law takes almost personal offence to. But in a way their clamoring reminds him of another larger than life personality who, as it happens, has never set a foot on Law's ship."Bepo," he calls to the polar bear who's trying to settle some kind of feud between Usopp and Penguin."Captain!" Bepo jogs to his side, relieved to be given an excuse to flee the scene of the crime. "The one who broke a bag of flour in the engine room wasn't me!""Flour…? Never mind that, have we had any contact with Eustass' crew? I thought he'd have called for an update by now." He refuses to get his feelings hurt if that is not the case. They both have other priorities, he can live without being doted on.Bepo stares at him dumbfounded before vehemently shaking his head. "No, no! No one has called. Not even… him."Bepo's nose twitches irritably and he sounds very put out as he always does when this topic comes up, Law observes fondly. There is no love lost between his and Eustass' crews, that much he realizes. It is a great source of amusement to him, how his crew doesn't want to outright insult his choices yet always finds new ways to bring up their dissatisfaction with the situation."Never mind then, I'll contact them myself. And let you get back to your… whatever that was." He waves a hand vaguely towards Usopp while already walking away.Bepo salutes him awkwardly before returning to his earlier task. It's a courtesy call, Law tells himself as he dials the number in the Den Den Mushi. Any extra men — or women, but Eustass actually doesn't have any of those in his crew — would come in handy in the battle against Kaido and though they have no obligation to help each other, he's more than certain he can persuade them to come and help. The Den Den Mushi rings for a long time, long enough that he's about to give up the task as futile and try again later when, at last, someone picks up."This is really not a good time!" hisses a voice, unmistakably Killer's, in the receiver."Killer? Is something the matter?" he asks, stupidly, since something is clearly the matter. Killer is usually the last to lose his composure, priding himself in basically being the opposite of his hot-headed captain."Trafalgar? Is that you?"Law lets out an affirmative, him and Killer have probably never had a conversation just the two of them and he feels like this being the first doesn't bode well for either of them. Not if the edge of desperation in Killer's voice is anything to go by. He's afraid to ask, to shatter any semblance of peace he’s managed to scrape together since Dressrosa. But he has to, knows he has to. He closes his eyes, inhales, takes one last moment to revel in the knowledge that at least they beat Doflamingo, whatever happens he no longer has to worry about that particular nuisance."Where is Eustass," he asks. It comes out flat, not really a question at all, Robin would be proud of him. It feels like standing on a cliff, knowing this is what you've prepared for but still not being ready. He grits his teeth and squeezes the receiver like a lifeline. Something is badly wrong. He doesn't want to know. But he needs Killer to say it."About that… Kaido's got him." He can hear a moment of hesitation from Killer's end like he's deciding on what to say or steeling himself to it. "I don't know if he's still alive."That one makes Law’s stomach drop. Of course he's alive! They hadn't even said goodbye, just till next time, so certain there always would be next time. The anxiety that's been building rivets up, making his knees weak. He grips the edge of the table, determined to stay upright. He's not sure what he had expected but this is not it. Eustass has always been proficient at getting himself in trouble, but this is a new high even for him."What do you mean Kaido's got him! I thought you were going after Shanks!" None of it makes any sense. He feels like he's been swept to a free fall off Zou but he can't trust anyone to catch him before he hits the water and drowns."Well, it didn't exactly go according to plan!" Killer hisses back, sounding stressed but clearly trying to keep his voice down. "Kaido attacked us and Kid, he… ah…"If he didn't know better, Law could've sworn Killer was sniffling. It feels surreal, he tries to picture Killer crying and realizes he's never even seen the man's face. He doesn't know what to say, everything sounding like platitudes in his head, so he remains silent, waiting for Killer to just say it."He fought Kaido so we could escape and he lost, obviously… Kaido, he must've taken Kid. Yeah."After that, they share the silence that descends and Law tries to think. That's always been his best weapon, better than any sword or even his devil's fruit. But he's coming up empty. He clears his throat, licks his lips."I think if he was dead, I'd know it. It'd feel… different." He feels foolish before he even finishes saying it. How stupid is he? Does he believe in special connections and true love now? He entirely expects Killer to scoff at him for being a sentimental fool."I think so too. That means he must be alive." Killer's voice sounds more determined now, like this is something he chooses to believe in, all else be damned. Law thinks about how wrapped up in Eustass' life Killer's own must be, how inseparable those two are. Law knows he needs a purpose, an most likely so does Killer. And he refuses to let there be another Cora-san in his life. Eustass is different, and therefore he will not suffer the same fate. The only way to sway his own panic is to take the reins and reassure Killer, who sounds like he wants to be told it'll be okay. Even if he'd never admit it or actually ask for help."Where are you now? We're heading for Wano, if Kaido has him then that's where he'll be." He does his best to sound certain. Because Eustass has to be alive. And he has to be in Wano so that Law can get to him before it's too late."You're going to help get him back?" There's a healthy dose of skepticism in Killer's voice and Law feels a twinge of guilt. Is that how low an opinion they have of him, really?"I know we're not in a pirate alliance…" he starts."Yeah, just a fuck alliance," interrupts Killer, in dry tones.Law finds himself snorting, feeling almost hysterical. Fuck alliance is what Eustass had called it, crude as ever and always eager to make his crew as uncomfortable as possible. The man seemed to consider obscenity a virtue and an achievement.“Regardless,” he breathes into the receiver once he’s managed to stifle his laughter, “there is absolutely no way I’d let you idiots plan his rescue without me. You don’t have to like me, but you do need me.”There’s a long pause from Killer’s end. “Guess we could use some extra help. You aren’t the dumbest person I’ve met.”That’s high praise coming from someone like Killer. It’s ironic that Eustass is able to broker some kind of peace between them when he’s usually the one starting the fights.“I’ll call you back later. We’ll arrange a rendezvous.” He thinks it’s probably best not to drop the news that they’re now allied with the Straw Hats just yet. Not like it’ll stay secret for long.“Fine. I’ll be here.” And with that Killer hangs up.Law places the receiver back down. He feels like he’s managed to reassure Killer somewhat, give the other man some hope in this bleak situation, but now that he’s alone with his thoughts the gravity of the news start to sink in. He finally lets himself slump to the floor, his back against the leg of the table, and lifts up one shaking hand. He’s a surgeon, one of the best there is, and steady hands come with the territory. Like this? He’d be useless. He closes his eyes in hopes of blocking it out, but he can still feel it, a tremor working itself through his whole body as if looking for an opening it can use to make him fall apart altogether. Not going to happen, he reassures himself, but even the voice in his head doesn’t sound certain.He does his best to calm down, to regulate his breathing. He shouldn’t care this much, not about Eustass of all people. And yet he can’t think of a single thing to distract himself from this fear that once again it’s all already over before it has even begun. He's beside himself with worry and he knows he'd find it embarrassing if this panic wasn't overriding his usual defenses. However, right now, exactly this is the most enormous thing in the world, the encompassing dread keeping him from breathing. He doesn't want to let it show, doesn't want to risk someone walking into the room and seeing him like this, curled up on the floor and entirely pathetic.Though would it really matter if they found out his greatest weakness? The worst has already happened. Not the worst, his mind whispers, not yet, not yet. He sincerely hopes that's true. Would pray for that if he knew someone who'd listen. He feels completely, absolutely adrift even though the ship’s not even noticeably moving. He's been alone before and survived. But for a long time now there'd been that something, someone tethering him to reality. Giving him purpose. Though their time together has always been limited in the past — and all the more precious for it — the anticipation for their next meeting had done much to ground him. As had the simple knowledge that out there, somewhere was someone who had his best interests in mind.Calm down, he tells himself, Eustass is strong, perhaps the strongest person you've ever met. Have faith in him. Trust. A concept entirely foreign to him for so much of his life, yet he'd found it in the strangest place; Eustass who was always arrogant, always loud, always dangerous. But above all, always safe. A place for Law to let go and know he'd be looked after and appreciated. Love and dedication communicated by crude words and a voice unused to tenderness. And now he’s locked away from Law, possibly forever. And that's probably the worst part, the thing that opens an empty yawning chasm of dread inside him. Because it could be too late already. He closes his eyes, tries to breathe, but his nerves are wired high and he feels like he's coming out of his own skin.He gets up fast enough that his vision swims and turns swiftly on his heels, determined to do something. Hide. Plot. Act. He'll beg the Straw Hats for help if he has to. He sincerely hopes he doesn't have to, but he will, for this one thing. He grits his teeth, eyes glued to the floor, entirely in his own mind when he almost runs into Robin, standing there, head slightly cocked to the side. She watches him, sloe-eyed, that face sharp with intelligence and suddenly he knows that she knows. With her skill, there's little privacy on the ship, but he doesn't have the capacity to feel anything over something as trivial as eavesdropping, not right now, maybe not ever."Sorry," he mumbles and tries to twist around her but she reaches a hand out, grabs his arm. Probably the first time she's touched him."Trafalgar," is all she says.He lifts his eyes to meet hers, just for an instant, and knows that she's dangerous. And safe. He lets out a little sigh, feels a tiny bit of tension leak out of his muscles and lowers his eyes again. Robin holds on for a moment longer, then lets go without further comment. He stands there, suddenly unsure.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"I suppose you heard all that," he says, his voice sounding choked up even to his own ears. He doesn't doubt that whatever had been left out of his conversation with Killer has already been filled in by Robin's quicksilver mind.She doesn't attempt to deny the obvious, instead stepping to the side so that she's no longer blocking his path. "It's not for me to intervene."He takes that to mean she's been spying more for her own benefit than her crew's. Whether that makes any difference in the end, he doesn't know, but he trusts that she knows how to keep her mouth shut."If you need anything," she adds before he can think of fleeing, "all you have to do is ask."She's tenacious, entirely uncaring of the fact that he's already rejected her offer of companionship before. Talking has never been his chosen method for dealing with issues and he's not about to start now."I don't want to talk," he says, hoping she won't take it personally. He doesn't want to talk to anybody.She looks at him, really looks, like she can see straight through him. "I said anything."It's uncanny, how it only takes her an instant to see things it's taken him years to discover about himself. He could pretend he doesn't know what she's offering, but that'd feel cowardly and there's no point in lying to Robin of all people."What are you saying," he asks, mostly to buy time. He hasn't seen this coming, although he's starting to learn that with Robin one should always expect the unexpected."There's nothing you can do about this situation right now, especially considering the state you're in." She reaches out, circling his wrist with her hand. "You wish you could stop thinking about it."But he has to think about it, has to formulate a plan and then a secondary plan in case the first one falls through — or there's a variable he neglects to consider. He has to brief his own crew on the situation and then the Straw Hats. Somehow, he'll convince them that his plan is worth following, despite the fact he's been lying by omission.Yet he can’t deny the accuracy of Robin’s words, his emotions are coloring every decision he makes, leaving no room for objectivity. Moreover, he’s only got the barest understanding of the situation, will have to wait till they reach Wano to get the full details from Killer, who’ll undoubtedly want to take part in the planning. He may have agreed to work together, but that doesn’t mean he’s agreed to trust Law unconditionally.“Then what do you suggest?” Law asks, admitting defeat.Robin doesn’t even stop to think before replying. “Give up control for a while, let someone else take the lead.”“That someone being you?”“I get the feeling you’ve done it before,” she says with such confidence he doesn’t dare ask how exactly she’d come to that conclusion, he’s not sure he’d like the answer.If there’s something about the way he carries himself and interacts with the world around him that inadvertently broadcasts his proclivities, well, he’s not in the right state of mind to examine it. For now, he’ll chalk it up to Robin’s inhumane observational skills, ignoring the fact that Eustass had seen it too.“Maybe.” He doesn’t meet her eyes.“You can say no,” she reminds him, her fingers still clinging to his wrist.He doesn’t. He’s the one to lead the way to his cabin, on the off chance that they meet someone on the way there — this is not something he wants to take the time to explain, to his crew or hers. However, the moment the door is safely locked, Robin steps into his personal space.She pushes him back until his legs collide with the bed and he sprawls on his back. Robin follows him in one swift motion, straddling him and pinning him to the mattress. She's a solid, warm weight on his midriff and he feels like he's sinking already. Her skirt, always so short, is riding up, revealing her tan legs on either side of him and he wants to run his hands over their smooth surface, but doesn't. That's not how this works.Robin lets her right hand rest on his chest while her left cups Law's face, turning his face towards her. "This can go either way, Law. It's your choice, I'm just here to help."He looks at her, hardly has a choice in that, not with her hand holding him firmly in place. "I want to…"His mouth is suddenly dry, the implications weighing him down. He wants to, what? Robin to fuck him? He doesn't want to seem too eager to jump in bed with just anyone, though that might be a bit late now. But to go all the way, with someone who's not Eustass? Law doesn't think he'd mind, especially in these circumstances and certainly not if it’s with a woman, he's peculiar that way.He probably wouldn't consider Robin a threat, that dumb fuck, it's no wonder he ended up getting his ass captured. Eustass could certainly be short-sighted at times. But Law can't help feeling like it'd be a breach of trust, even though they've never made any such promises. The truth is, he's always found the physicality of sex grounding, the best way to get himself out of his own head. Without sex, it's twice as hard and usually, no one manages it. Well, almost no one. As much faith as he has in Robin’s abilities, he doesn’t think there’s any point in trying to keep this platonic.Robin is still waiting for his answer, eyes gleaming in the darkness.He gathers himself. "Just… all the way. It's better if we do it all the way."For anyone else, that’d probably be too vague of a statement, but Robin only nods in understanding."Give me your word," she says, her tone firm and steady, but all he can do is blink at her, confused."I promise?" It comes out as a question because he's not sure what she wants.Robin lets out a dark chuckle, her eyes crinkling at the corners. It suits her, makes her look kind, approachable, though he knows it's but one side to the complex puzzle that is Nico Robin. Still, he can't help but smile up at her a little, for having seen it."That's not what I meant," Robin half whispers at him. "Give me the word that'll make me stop."Ah. That kind of word.Eustass, whispers his mind as if to taste the name, but tonight the taste is bittersweet and Law suspects that's the one word that might end up slipping from his lips without any conscious thought. It's not usable, anyway, not a word he associates with stopping. It's a word for a feeling he thought he'd never feel, burning inside him, almost too strong to stand, and it's his to keep. He'll stick to his usual choice, instead."Umeboshi," he grins at Robin, all teeth and no glee.She raises an eyebrow but nods at him before leaning in close. He can feel her elegant nose, one that's never been broken, touch his cheek. Her warm breath is ghosting his face and he thinks about the mark of loss imprinted on her, so rarely visible. She's had a hard life, but mostly she carries the darkness inside, it only spills over the edges occasionally if she's pushed out of balance — not an easy task. In many ways, she's an opposite to what he's used to, for no one could look at Eustass and mistake him for anything but what he is, scars and marks of battles lost and won, mostly won, riddling him all over. Damn, Law even misses that ridiculous metal arm, its clumsy cold weight mostly a hindrance outside the battlefield.Robin's hand sneaks into his hair, carding through it, starting slow, and it suddenly hits Law how ridiculous it is that he's toppled from a one-armed man's bed to sharing one with a woman in possession of an unlimited number of them. Eustass, he thinks, probably would find it highly amusing. He hopes he gets to tell him this, gets to hear him laugh about it. Yeah, it’s ironic, because it should be funny yet he can feel a tear escape from the corner of his eye and slide halfway down his cheek. Robin's hand wipes it gently away and she shifts, her hand still in his hair, comforting."Is kissing okay?" she asks and even in the darkness he thinks he can detect a hint of want in her expression. As if he might say no because he had said yes to sex but this… many might consider different. Is it a step too far? He doesn't think so. He can tell she wants it, and she should get something out of this too. He hopes she's getting something out of this."Go ahead," he murmurs, somewhat breathless at the mere thought of it.She leans back in, her lips on his, painfully slow and decadent. She's being so careful with him, and he can tell it's not a sign of insecurity or lack of experience, she's taking his measure, smoothing the edges, making sure he won't break. But he might, this time he just might. He squirms, impatient, craning his neck. Robin's mouth turns more insistent and her fingers tighten in his hair perceptibly, making his scalp tingle. He lets out a small sound and Robin hums into his mouth with approval. The kiss goes on for a while before she straightens her back, a decisive set to her shoulders. She glances down at him, wipes her thumb along his lower lip almost thoughtfully, and then rolls off him, leaving him feeling oddly deprived."Get on the bed," she tells him and he quickly drags his legs off the floor and shuffles closer to the headboard.He barely has time to lean back on the pile of pillows stacked there before Robin crawls over to him, still fully clothed. She takes a hold of his wrists, looking smug, and hikes them up against the headboard. In an instant two extra arms sprout into existence, taking hold of his arms and returning the use of her regular ones to Robin. Not for the first time, Law thinks about how perfect Robin's power is for this. He opens his mouth to comment on it but quick as a whip, Robin takes a hold of his jaw, warning him."From now on, no talking unless I give you permission," she says. He shuts his mouth with an almost audible click and swallows deeply. Robin is staring at him intently like she’s savoring the slowness of this. He is grateful in ways he cannot even articulate. It's hard enough giving control to someone he trusts, worse when it’s a person who's still virtually a stranger. He's learned the hard way to guard against being taken advantage of. Yet Robin seems to instinctively know what to do, not to take things too fast or escalate them beyond his boundaries. With a lingering look, she grabs his shirt and pulls it open, buttons popping off and rattling somewhere into the darkness."Hey!" he starts to protest but doesn't get further before a forceful slap leaves the left side of his face stinging in pain."Un Fleur Slap," Robin announces with a straight face as if using battle techniques in the bedroom is an everyday occurrence for her. Well, Law can imagine Eustass doing it too, it seems like an easy way to assert dominance and he can't exactly fault them, it works. Any further protests die in his throat and he remains silent.Robin runs a delicate hand across his exposed chest and traces the edges of his heart tattoo. "This is exquisite."Law’s inclined to agree. It's excellent work, clear lines and dark ink even after all these years. He's suddenly glad she has forbidden him from speaking because this particular piece is not something he wishes to discuss, no matter how proud he is of it. It's still too raw and painful, maybe always will be, but especially now, after everything in Dressrosa has dredged it back to the surface from whatever depths he's tried to bury it in. It is a strange contradiction, he acknowledges, how he wants to display these marks so plainly to the world but doesn't expect anyone to really pay attention or to comment. That the one he had them for will never see them. Eustass tends to appreciate them too, but then he appreciates everything about Law, almost to a point where it's embarrassing for him. Eustass may be brash, and always eager to pry details about Law's life, but he seems to innately know which topics are too painful, out of bounds. Has those himself. He’s never asked much about the tattoos apart from an occasional, "did you design it yourself?" and, "I bet you enjoyed the needles".Law wants to tell him about Dressrosa, may even be ready to talk about Cora — for the first time he wants to at least try. It's been eating away at him and he knows that in theory at least, talking about it might help. It sounds a bit dramatic now, but he never expected to live long enough for his own mental health to matter much. It's ironic that the time he learns a more positive outlook on life is also when he's in the danger of losing everything, again. He grits his teeth, feeling weak. He refuses to think about the worst-case scenario."I can hear you thinking," Robin says.Law bares his teeth and almost growls at Robin to just get on with it already. As much as all the slowness has put him at ease it's also allowing him too much time in his own head. Still, he resists the urge, the memory of being slapped still fresh in his mind. Robin seems to sense his desire to speak. "You learn quick," she offers a compliment, reminiscent of a teacher imparting some vital lesson on a student that's exceeded her expectations. He can picture it, in another life, Robin standing in front of a class, keeping their attention with the power of her presence alone, them wanting to learn simply to please her. He doesn't really know her, but he knows they're both, first and foremost, after knowledge. Neither of them chose to become a pirate originally, the world chose for them and thrust them into circumstances that made that choice seem like the only bearable one. She wants to know the truth about the void century, he'd seen her face at the poneglyph, the way she lit up had made him realize how much she kept inside, constantly. "What is it that you're thinking about? Is it your…" she pauses, looking for the right word and Law waits, patiently, curious to see what she'll settle on. He, for one, has no clue what the right word for him and Eustass's relationship would be. Definitely not 'fuck alliance'. "…paramour?" she concludes. That makes him snort. Paramour!? He's sure she’s chosen the most ridiculous word on purpose, wonders if maybe she isn't carrying a pocket-size thesaurus inside her bra just for the hell of it — on her outfit that’s the only place she could’ve possibly hidden anything. He realizes he's been staring at her chest and tears his eyes away only to be caught in her gaze. "You may answer that one, you know," she tells him."Actually, I was thinking about the poneglyph," he goes for the truth. "Oh? I'd rather think about this poneglyph right here," she smiles wickedly at him, leans backwards, and slides a hand between his legs. He's tempted to laugh, her lines are even cornier than Eustass's, something he hadn't thought humanly possible, but the laughter catches in his throat and turns into a groan as her hand strokes him through his jeans.He's been letting the weight of his arms rest solely in the grip of Robin's extra hands and can suddenly feel his left one being released, thumping down next to his head while the still injured right one remains safely in Robin's firm yet gentle grasp. Robin leans back towards him for a moment and grasps his wrist, leading it under her skirt."You can think on this instead," she suggests and admittedly, he does lose the grip on his higher brain functions at that moment. She'd shed her underwear earlier, he realizes, before joining him on the bed, and nothing is barring the access for his fingers. His heart thumps faster as if encouraging him to hurry up. Sure, he'd been in the mood before, who wouldn't be with someone like Robin sitting on top of them, but suddenly he feels almost desperate for it, like his whole body has switched gears without a moment's notice and his mind's left behind to adjust. When's the last time he’d fucked a woman? He has no idea and some shadowy memory of a woman could never hold a candle to this very real one on top of him, anyway. Who cares when it happened last, right now Law's more interested in when it's going to happen again. He rotates his wrist for a better angle, Robin's hand still around his arm, guiding him or perhaps simply using him. She's wet already, and two of his fingers slide in easily. Robin doesn't make a huge production out of being touched, she simply sighs quietly and leans back, her hands braced on the mattress on either side of his hips. She spreads her thighs slightly, tilting her hips up towards him. It's clear she's not really going to participate on this part, leaving all the work to him — and all he has to work with is one arm. Well, it should be more than enough, or he'll be sorely embarrassed with himself.Robin, it appears, is not one to mete out praise abundantly, perhaps believing that deeds matter more than words. And Law is grateful when he finally, finally, feels hands undoing the button on his jeans. He’s momentarily so distracted by his own expectant giddiness it doesn't even register that Robin is still leaning on her arms and must've sprouted another extra pair behind her to administer to Law. She uses her power with the kind of unconscious ease that leaves Law both envious and in awe. No matter how much he trains, his own ability takes so much concentration and, above all, energy that he can never forget he's using it. Even when he makes it look effortless, somewhere in the back of his mind he can feel it draining the life out of him — as if demanding he pay back for being saved on that cursed day.She produces another arm, he feels its fingers grabbing at his hair and pulling, forcing him to crane his head backwards uncomfortably. "You're slipping," Robin says, somehow managing to sound normal despite Law's fingers inside her, his thumb rubbing at her clit.She lets him suffer for a long minute during which he can only stare at the ceiling. When she deems he's been reminded appropriately, she releases her hold on his hair and moves back, his fingers slipping out of her. "Enough."She lifts herself up and wraps those slender fingers around his cock, stroking it a few times before sliding down on it without warning. The feeling of it makes him gasp and without realizing it, he pulls against Robin's hold on his arm, pleasure mixing with pain when his injured arm protests the movement. "Shh," she soothes him. "Take it easy."He places his free hand on her thigh, sticky fingers against warm skin. She tilts her head to the side. "Something you want to say?""Please," he starts, pausing to draw breath, "please don't get pregnant.""Don't worry about that now. Don't worry about anything."He can only imagine how that’d play out, her getting pregnant and him having to explain it all to Eustass. But he trusts her enough for this, if she says not to worry, he won’t. For now, at least.“You good?” she asks, and her voice betrays no urgency.He gives a curt nod, eager for something, anything, and yet he isn’t entirely prepared for when she starts moving. It feels good, she's tight around him, her hips moving in a steady rhythm as she rides him. She's looking down at him, eating up any minute change in his expression. He stares back, mesmerized. She looks completely put together, still, her clothes in place and her hair falling on her shoulders in silky waves — a complete opposite to how he feels. He's hot and unsteady and her weight on top of him isn't stopping him from feeling like he might fall apart at any moment. She's managed to change his focus, but he wants more. He reaches out his hand to grab her waist in an attempt to pull her closer. It's not very effective and she doesn't say a word, simply moves it back under her skirt where it had been before. Law doesn't need to be told twice — he resumes touching her slowly, deliberately, to the rhythm of her movements. There's no sound apart from the ones their bodies make moving together. She doesn't moan or praise him, nothing to indicate what's happening is giving her pleasure. He's glad for it, too. He's done this before, with people who think demeaning words are going to get them what they want, what he needs, and it has always pissed him off. Even if he's ready to let himself be ordered around he wants to keep his dignity intact. He slides his fingers down and changes the angle, slipping two fingers inside her alongside his dick. That, finally, gets a small sound out of her as she clenches around him, losing her rhythm for a moment. When he pulls his fingers out they're slick, gliding easily over her clit as he returns to his earlier task. Robin shifts and resumes her movements, now leaning over him. He wishes he had the use of both of his arms so he could reach out, cup one of her breasts, even if only through her clothes. She pulls up, almost all the way, then slides down and finds an angle so unbearably good Law can only gasp as he tries to delay the inevitable. Robin — always quick on the uptake — stops, her arm shooting out, hand clutching at his throat. "Not yet," she says. Her hold is firm, not so tight as to entirely restrict his airflow but enough to make breathing a little laborious. They haven't agreed on this but he doesn't give a damn. Doesn't think she's out to hurt him, even if he disobeyed. Yet at the same time he can't banish the thought that at some point in her life, she must've squeezed the life out of someone just like this, slowly, while staring them right in the eye.What a way to go. If she’s intended this to deter him from coming she’s unfortunately picked the wrong tactic. Whether it’s the reminder that she could probably kill him or just his body’s conditioned reaction to being held by the throat doesn’t matter. All he knows is that feeling her press down on his windpipe ever so slightly is enough to send a thrill through him. He tries to keep still but feels his hips buck up into her despite his efforts. He’s so close he can almost taste it.“You like that, huh?” Robin observes casually but he can see the heat in her dark eyes. “Maybe a little too much.”He's almost tempted to reply, to see what she'd do to punish him, but decides to save that for the next time. There won't be a next time, he tries to remind himself, but Robin's already moving again. "You may come," she says, "but only after me."Robin doesn't show him any mercy, riding him in a way she has to be feeling in her thighs by now. She lets out a deep moan that does things to him even though he suspects it's mostly for show. Determined to take her over the edge, and also to keep himself from focusing too much on how amazing she feels around him, he concentrates his full effort into touching her the way she likes — something he's in the process of figuring out. He's heard women complain before, about how men think the faster and harder they go the better it'll be. He keeps track of Robin's reactions, the way her eyes flutter shut when he finds just the right spot. Once they find a perfect rhythm together, it doesn't take long for Robin's movements to turn more erratic, her breathing picking up, and then she's clenching around him, so tight his own orgasm hits him mere seconds later and he's spilling inside her, gasping for air. He comes down slowly, realizing he's gripping at Robin's thigh. He opens his mouth to apologize, but thinks better of it. She's still panting above him, taking her time. The whole world feels hazy and he doesn't know how long she just sits there before sliding off and settling down next to him. She releases his right arm, touching her fingers to the scar where it had been cut off and reattached. "I'm glad you didn't lose a more vital part of your body," she sighs. Law groans at her awful joke, too content to muster up the energy for a reply. Not that Robin had given him permission to resume talking, anyway. "You did good," she says, running a hand through his hair. In other circumstances, he'd probably clean himself up before falling asleep, but he can already feel himself fading. He knows if he gets up now he'll get worked up again. "Go to sleep," Robin tells him and wraps an arm around him, pulling him close. "I'll be here in the morning."