Chapter Text
The rush of his power is always a thrill, but especially now. His strongest attack and even if it's wasted on these weaklings, it's just the start. The first blow in his challenge to Red Hair, longest reigning Emperor. Last of the old guard and Kidd's gonna be the one to knock him down.
Two Emperors, then see if the world keeps overlooking him for someone that didn't even take down one.
His blood is pumping through his veins, excited for the coming fight, the clash. Seas, Kidd loves that moment. And the one that comes after, when he's proved he's the stronger. All his instincts howling at his victory.
At taking out one more rival.
(And that's what Red Hair is. A rival for the crown, the guy Kidd has to beat to force the world to acknowledge him as the pipsqueak's equal. Kidd’s just as strong a captain, an alpha, as his mate.)
Damned Punk is almost ready, Kidd can feel it in his bones. See it in the arcs of electricity coming from it, knows what they mean. Nearing max power, then Kidd lets loose.
And–
A weight crashes onto Kidd’s shoulders, something he instantly identifies as Conqueror's haki. Thick and heavy as it pushes at him, tries to force him to kneel. Demands his submission.
Kidd refuses, rejects that. He doesn't kneel for anyone, that's not who he is. Kaido couldn't make him stop fighting, Big Mom couldn't force his surrender. It'll take a hell of a lot more than this to make him submit.
So he snarls at the figure on his ship, red hair and famous scars giving away exactly who he is. On Kidd’s turf, a part of him snarls angrily.
Seems like Red Hair isn't gonna make Kidd wait after all.
Fine with Kidd, even if Damned Punk really isn't optimal at close range. Long as he hits him, it should only take the one shot.
If he's willing to risk Victoria. Kidd can probably do a patch, but she won't take the hit well.
“Eustass Kidd.” The other alpha speaks and Kidd can feel the weight of haki on him. Hears some knees hit the deck, Killer's sharp inhale. Oh, Kidd’s gonna make Red Hair regret that. “I'm going to give you one chance to surrender.”
Fuck that. And forget Damned Punk, Kidd is gonna punch his damn face in. Thinking he can Command Kidd. His inner alpha roars at the insult from a rival, an intruder.
“In your dreams, bastard!” It takes nothing to call components from Damned Punk to his arm, the whir of machinery starting to quiet as his arm grows.
This is gonna take his Awakening. But Red Hair isn't Big Mom, if Kidd pins him to something he's done.
The bastard just sighs, as if this is all one big inconvenience. “On your own head be it then.”
The weight of the haki on Kidd’s shoulders suddenly increases, all his muscles locking in place. Not listening to him, even as he suddenly smells fear from Killer next to him. Hears as his partner hits the ground, while Kidd can't do a single damned thing.
What is this? Kaido didn't do this, Big Mom didn't. Not even Straw Hat, who did some absolutely crazy things, could freeze people.
But, try as he might, Kidd can't move.
Not as Red Hair walks closer, leisurely, like he has all the time in the world. As if keeping Kidd pinned is nothing, as if Kidd is nothing.
And Kidd can't even move his mouth to spit insults, to bare his teeth and growl as Red Hair comes within arm's reach. Kidd is looking at him, can see his easy confidence. Can smell the victory on him. And the dominance, the demand for Kidd’s submission.
It's enough to pull a rumble from Kidd’s chest, even if he can't actually do anything else besides glare down at the other alpha.
Kidd will break through this.
“Hmm. Can't say much for his tastes.” It feels like the other alpha is picking him apart with his eyes. And finding Kidd wanting. Well fuck him, Red Hair can think whatever he likes. Til Kidd makes it so he can't do much thinking at all.
“Fuck. You.” It takes basically all his strength to force the words out, to pull back his lips in a snarl under the force of that haki.
But Kidd does it.
Displeasure flashes across the Emperor's face, Kidd can smell it too. Anger that quickly turns to reprimand, like Kidd cares. It only makes Kidd snarl again.
“Yeah, you're definitely a brat that needs to learn your place. Kneel.” The pressure of the haki around him only seems to grow, what was holding him still now trying to force him down.
Kidd locks his knees and growls, refusing.
“I said kneel.” The Command is backed up with even more Conqueror's haki, Kidd knows he hears the deck start to splinter. Even as everything in him rebels and fights back, Kidd knows it's a losing battle.
That doesn't mean he isn't gonna fight it. Kidd won't submit, glares at Red Hair even as the struggle becomes Kidd’s entire world.
Kidd won't surrender. Won't bow his head to another alpha, it doesn't matter that every muscle in his body is aching with the effort of resisting that order.
Kidd might not win here, but he can deny Red Hair the pleasure of him giving in. And Kidd will pass out before he does. Die, likely.
Well, Kidd never planned on a long life anyway. And at least he knows he won't go unavenged.
(He doesn't have all the details, didn't ask for them. But he knows damn well that his hellcat pissed off Kaido and went after Doflamingo for a vendetta. Knows Law would do the same for him, with Luffy right beside him.
Red Hair won't get to enjoy his victory for very long.)
“Stubborn.” Red Hair walks to the side, leaving Kidd’s field of vision. For a moment Kidd thinks this might be his chance as the haki pressing down on him lessens, just a bit, with Red Hair’s distraction. Kidd reaches out desperately, grabbing a knife and sending it arcing towards the bastard as he tries to jump forward–
“It's a good thing I came prepared.”
Only to find himself falling instead as his strength suddenly leaves him.
The cause of it's as obvious as the feeling is familiar. Fucking Seastone. Kidd got to know the feel of it well in Wano, even adjusted to it. Could function through it.
This stuff was stronger though. And Kidd wasn't ready for it. Couldn't fight the haki with the sudden weakness in his limbs.
Kidd’s breath comes out in pants, hands braced on the deck. (Victoria. His Victoria, made her himself and she's home and his, his territory. Being forced to his knees on his own ship, it's wrong. Every instinct he has screaming at his weakness.) Fuck. Fuck. He doesn't wanna let Red Hair win like this, fuck.
Kidd didn't even really put up a fight. Woulda been better to die fighting the hag or the dragon fucker than like this. On his knees. Weak.
“That's better. You really do need to learn to listen.” Kidd tries to move. Let his anger push him through this, get him back to his feet. Let him do something.
But the force of Red Hair’s Conqueror's is too much. Kidd can't turn his head to track Red Hair, having to just listen to his footsteps as he walks around him. Listen and wait for the sword.
Can't turn his head to try and see Killer, who he heard fall.
Finally, after what feels like forever, he sees boots in front of his eyes. Can't look up, so he just glares at them.
Waiting.
Until fingers grab his chin, forcing him to look up at the bastard. Fuck, Kidd can't even turn his head to bite the bastard's fingers off. He wants to, wants to make the other alpha stop smelling so strongly of victory.
(At least he knows Red Hair won't smell fear or defeat or submission on Kidd. Only defiance. Doesn't matter how insane his haki skills are, he might be able to force Kidd into a mockery of surrender but he can't force the real thing.)
Red eyes that are almost amused meet his own as he tilts Kidd’s head to the side. “Now that that's over, do you have anything to say for yourself?”
Kidd can feel as he's given control of his mouth back. Not his head, he can't yank his chin out of the bastard's grip, but he can speak. “Fuck you, bastard.”
And he spits at him, gets satisfaction from watching it land on the bastard's chest. Who tightens his grip on Kidd’s chin as Conqueror's pulses off of him. “Rude.”
And then the hand lets go of his chin, but Kid still can't move it. Is stuck in place, unable to speak again, as the bastard's hand is on his throat. "He really should keep better control of his mates."
His fingers are pressing down on one of his mating marks, something he has no right to touch. Kidd hates it, the feel of them as Red Hair looks down at him with cold red eyes.
“Luckily I don't mind lending him another hand.”
He presses down hard on the mark under his hand and it fucking hurts. It feels wrong. All Kidd can smell around him is the scent of Red Hair’s dominance, danding submission. Kidd fights it, tries to move, to fight, to do something.
But he can't, held in place by the bastard. And the pain starts to radiate from the hand on his neck.
Something is wrong. Something is moving through Kidd and it's wrong. It hurts, haki in his body that isn't his and is pushing down on everything that makes Kidd Kidd.
It's wrong and it hurts like nothing ever has before.
“Submit.”
Kidd can feel the order down to his bones, can distantly feel himself shaking as he resists. Refuses, even as the world itself seems to fade in and out.
There's Kidd and the pain and the knowledge that he can't give in. No matter what, even if he knows that would make the pain stop. Kidd can survive the pain.
He will.
Even as he throws his head back and screams. The hand on his throat feels like it's burning, but not. Not like any injury he's ever had.
Kidd has no clue what Red Hair is doing to him, the bastard doesn't have a Fruit. Can't explain this, but Kidd doesn't care. It doesn't matter. He just has to hold on.
Not let him win.
“You really are stubborn, aren't you?” Kidd doesn't know how he can hear the words when everything else in his mind is chaos. But he does. He hears them and feels the annoyance in them. How it cuts, the haki in him bristling like metal spikes.
Kidd is winning though. Long as he doesn't give in, he's winning. He's not.
He just has to keep–
Another long, awful sound escapes as nails dig into his scent glands. Into the set of marks over them and it hurts. Mating bites are sensitive, but not like this. “You should just give in. You're too weak, Eustass ‘Captain’ Kidd, to challenge me.”
That hits, the truth of it piercing through him. Red Hair is stronger than him. Better than him. Kidd isn't going to win. He can't.
Kidd can't give in.
He can't win.
“This is only gonna end one way, Kidd. Submit.” Red Hair’s scent, his Command, hit at the exact same time the haki inside him flares again. As it tears into some part of him that feels like it's flinching away.
As Kidd’s own instincts tell him to stop fighting, to give in to the more powerful alpha. Makes Kidd feel small in a way he hasn't been in a long time and that hurts almost as bad as the actual pain.
Which is slowly fading.
Everything hurts, but it hurts less. Kidd’s whole body sags, it doesn't feel like he can get enough air. The world feels off balance and wrong. Or maybe Kidd feels wrong.
But, he realizes as he basically topples forward, he isn't being held anymore. Red Hair isn't touching him anymore. That it's over.
“There, that wasn't so hard was it?” The bastard sounds so smug, smells so proud. Kidd hates it. Hates him.
He's gonna make him regret this.
He can, now. Bastard thinks he's won. Kidd might not have his Fruit, but he'll rip his throat out with his teeth if he has to. Kidd has the weight advantage, if he can get close fast enough.
He makes himself sit up, ignoring the way his instincts encourage him to stay down. To stay small, stay down. Submit and appease the more powerful alpha, because he's already lost.
Bullshit. Kidd hasn't lost until he's dead.
He isn't dead yet. So he pushes himself up in a fast lunge at the alpha still standing just in front of him. Kidd just needs to pin him, needs to make it quick and–
And Red Hair moves to the side, as if he already knew what Kidd was gonna do. And then something hits Kidd’s back, forcing him to either tumble forward or fall completely.
Which, fuck, is harder when he can't use his Fruit to help with his arm.
Still, Kidd keeps himself on his feet as he turns to face Red Hair. Red Hair who is standing between Killer and Dive, sword out and lazy smile on his face.
Kidd freezes.
“I think this has gone on long enough.” The tip of the blade is hovering just above the deck. So close to Dive, unconscious where she fell. “It's over. On your knees.”
There's no command this time, for all that Kidd can still feel the Conqueror's haki heavy in the air. But it's hovering, not forcing. Red Hair is threatening but not forcing. The last thing Kid wants to do is give in.
Dive is still just a kid. And Killer is right there.
Kidd’s escaped from one Emperor. He can do it again if he has to. And nothing he’s done has even touched Red Hair.
Slowly, because he hates this, Kidd drops to his knees.
“Good boy.” Kidd glares death at Red Hair as he walks closer, sword tucked back into its sheath as soon as Kidd gave in.
It's only a few seconds before Kidd is once again looking up at the bastard. Kidd knows all of his hate is showing in his eyes. “I'm going to kill you.”
“I'm sure you believe that.” His tone is condescending as he looks down on Kidd. “But we're done for now. Sleep.”
Kidd doesn't even have a chance to resist the Command, his eyes closing as without any input as he collapses on the deck.
“That was dramatic.” The voice is vaguely familiar, but oddly distant as Kidd’s mind starts to shut off.
“He started it. I just finished things is all.”
~~~
Kidd wakes up. Which isn't weird, he'd figured that Red Hair wasn't gonna kill him. He had too many chances that he didn't take, wouldn't have forced Kidd to sleep just to kill him. Even if the whole time he was just toying with Kidd.
Kidd expects chains and a cell. He hates it, but he knows the drill by now. Lose to an Emperor, then they try to break you. Make you work for them. Kidd can't see any reason that Red Hair would be any different than Kaido.
No, the weird part is that he wakes up smelling Luffy. And there's no way that Kidd would have slept through that fight, so his mate can't be here. It's not possible.
And Kidd's still in Seastone. He can feel that weakness, making it harder for him to open his eyes. So Luffy can’t be here.
Finally forcing his eyes open, Kidd gets a look at where Red Hair is keeping him. Still on a ship, that's the first thing he notices. Probably heading to somewhere, though Kidd doesn't know where. He's never heard of Red Hair keeping prisoners.
That's not a great sign. Escaping from a ship will be harder, Kidd might need to wait until they reach land. Otherwise he can only really escape if he takes the ship by killing all the Red Hairs.
In Seastone, Kidd doesn't particularly like those odds.
Second thing he notices is that he isn't actually chained. There's still a Seastone manacle on his wrist, but it's not attached to anything.
So he's down an arm but not chained. That he can work with. Means they are underestimating him. And Kidd hates being looked down on but that doesn't mean he won’t take advantage of it.
Finally he looks around the room itself. Kidd doesn't know yet if breaking out of his cell will do him any good, but he still wants to know how to.
Only, it quickly becomes obvious, this isn't a cell.
He's in an actual bed, for one. And not a cot, either. There's an open door across from him showing a small bathroom. And while the room is boring, it's not depressing. The door that must lead out doesn't have bars or a window. Kidd can even see a pile of fucking blankets folded up in the corner.
The bastard stuck Kidd in a heat room.
Kidd pushes himself up, surprised when doing so gives him a clearer view of his ‘pillow’. Because Kidd recognizes it, even folded like this. The black fabric is too familiar for him to not.
It's the black jacket the pipsqueak left with him when they all split up. And now that Kidd is looking closer, he can see that on the top of the pile of blankets is the blue coat from Law. The bastard would have had to go looking for those, search through Kidd’s room to find them.
The hell is going on here?
Doesn't matter. Red Hair can play whatever games he wants, Kidd doesn't have to play along. Kaido and all his lackeys couldn't break Kidd. Whatever this is, it won't work either.
More important is figuring out what happened to his crew. They were all down when Kidd went down, Killer the only one that even had a chance at still being conscious. Kidd has gotta figure out what's going on with them before he can really figure out what he's doing.
“So you're finally awake.” Fuck, that door opens quiet. (Kidd marks that down for later, it could be useful.) Red Hair is leaning calmly against the doorframe, eyes examining Kidd. He pulls his teeth back in a growl.
There's a flare of haki, the weight pushing down on Kidd for a few seconds, as the scent of dominance floods the room. A wordless order from the other alpha to stop, to submit.
Kidd just bares his teeth and growls louder. Red Hair might have caught him, but he isn't going to be an easy prisoner.
“Quiet.” The sudden Command takes his breath away for some reason, has the rumble in his chest dying for just a second. Red Hair takes that as his cue to continue. “I think you need to understand your position here as my guest until your alpha comes to get you.”
“Bastard. Say what you mean. I'm your prisoner.” Kidd isn't gonna let him try to pretty it up to make himself sound civilized or something. They're both pirates, this is what it is.
Haki flares again, digging into Kidd. Digging in, an echo of what the bastard did to him before. “You should listen better, it will make this much easier on you.”
The man pauses, as if waiting for something. Kidd just glares at him, wanting him dead but knowing he has to wait for the right moment.
“Good.” The haki lets up as the alphas scent changes to one of approval, laid on so thick it makes Kidd’s stomach turn. “Now, as I was saying. You've shown that it's a mistake to let you roam unsupervised. Luffy really should have known better. But since you can't behave yourself, you're going to be staying with me until he comes to get you.”
Great, this all comes back to the pipsqueak. Cause Kidd can read between the lines. He was causing trouble in Red Hair’s territory, but the bastard has decided that being Luffy’s mate makes him a valuable hostage. And Red Hair isn't known for being as aggressive as some of the Emperor's. So he's likely looking to make some kinda deal with Luffy, using Kidd as collateral.
“He won't.” Kidd tilts his chin up as he says it, defiant. “Both of my mates trust me to handle myself, they aren't gonna be sailing to the rescue.”
Hopefully that will derail any trap the bastard is planning on setting. His mates, cause Kidd has no doubt that if Luffy comes Law will be right beside him, can handle themselves. Including against this bastard, Kidd would bet that he can't get them both with that haki trick. But he'd rather not give Red Hair the chance to try.
Better that Kidd escapes on his own. Later, maybe, they can all take down another Emperor together.
Red Hair just chuckles, though. Like Kidd's words don't bother him at all. “Oh, I'm pretty sure Luffy will be here soon after he gets my invitation. But if he doesn't, I have other plans.”
There is something almost gleeful on his tone.
Kidd ignores that, instead focusing on his most important question. “Where's my crew?”
“Alive.” Red Hair says. Kidd feels a rush of relief, even if that didn't really answer his question. Still, if Red Hair only wants him to use as a bargaining chip or bait, he doesn't need the rest of Kidd’s crew. That they're alive is something Kidd needed to know.
Sure, he failed in his job as their alpha. But the cost isn't permanent. He can still salvage the situation.
“What are you gonna do with them?”
“I don't remember saying you could ask questions. Maybe I'll answer, if you remember your manners.” There's a warning tone to his voice.
Kidd’s never cared about warnings in his life. Like hell he's gonna start now.
“We're pirates. If you want manners, you're living the wrong life, pal.” Kidd puts as much disdain as he can into the last word, to let Red Hair know just what he thinks of this nonsense.
“I tried to do this the nice way.” Kidd barely has time to brace himself, before the haki comes crashing down again. Red Hair is predictable at least.
Only this time it's stronger. And Red Hair himself lashes out too, grabbing Kidd and pulling him off the bed. Pushing him down. “Kneel.”
Not that Kidd has a whole lotta choice, with Red Hair putting him on the ground and the haki keeping him there. He still glares up at the man, still tries to make himself get up, to push through the pressure. Kidd doesn't listen to Commands.
Then the bastard's hand lands on one of Kidd’s mating marks again. And something in him goes still, freezing as Kidd remembers how he used them to hurt Kidd before. At the touch where it shouldn't be.
Only a second, but he knows the bastard notices, it's obvious from the smirk on his face. “Good. Stay calm. And if you want something, ask politely.”
Kidd glares, sullen. He doesn't want to give this bastard any kind of satisfaction.
The pressure on his neck increases, the warning more than obvious. Kidd can comply or Red Hair is gonna torture him again. Pride wars against practicality.
Pride wins.
“Make me, bastard.” He is tensing even as he snarls the words out, knowing what's going to come next. Pain.
Kidd can survive pain.
“You just don't learn, do you? Submit.” The Command hits at once with his haki, weighing down on Kidd at the same time thorns seem to pierce deep. If it wasn't holding Kidd so tightly, he'd probably scream.
As it is, he can barely breathe. It's too much, it's crushing him. He can't do anything, shouldn't do anything.
And then it stops as quickly as it started. All of the haki releases its grip, Kidd unable to stop himself from curling forward as he gasps for air.
“Now we're gonna try this again. You wanted to know about your crew?” The words are said calmly. Like Red Hair has all the time in the world.
Kidd wants to push back.
He doesn't. Submit. “Please. What are you gonna do to them?”
The words are reluctant, Kidd has to force them out of his throat. But he still does. And something in him loosens.
“Good boy.” The condescension in Red Hair’s voice is insulting. But Kidd needs to know. More than he needs to spit more insults at the bastard, he needs to know what's going on with his crew.
“I don't plan on keeping them.” Kidd's heart nearly stops beating, a growl forcing its way past his lips. “Oh, calm down. You might have given me plenty of reasons to kill them, but I don't plan to.”
“What–”
The glare sent Kidd’s way has his mouth closing against his will. Red Hair continues after a pause. “I'll cut them loose after I finish a little errand. No need to keep them around and they'll be more useful taking a message to your mate for me.”
That's good. Far better than anything Kidd had been hoping for or expecting. Means that soon, Red Hair won't have anything to use against Kidd. And they'll be safe. Kidd doesn’t doubt that the pipsqueak will look after them.
“Which mate?” He knows the bastard is talking about Luffy. Despite the fact that he has to know Kidd has two, he's only been acknowledging Luffy. And while Kidd doesn't really want the bastard anywhere near Law, that's weird. And he wants to be able to call the bastard on something. “I have two, you know.”
He's braced for pain, for however Red Hair is going to react to Kidd speaking out of turn again. But the Emperor just looks down on Kidd with a small smile.
“Your alpha, of course.” The way he keeps calling the pipsqueak that is fucking strange. Yeah, he's an alpha and Kidd's mate. He isn’t Kidd’s alpha though, Kidd is the alpha of his crew. He doesn't answer to anyone. “Sending them to Trafalgar wouldn't do much good.”
Kidd suddenly really hopes that Killer goes looking for Law instead of Luffy. Just to spite the bastard. The hellcat is smart, he'll come up with something.
“Scared of him, huh?” He taunts. Because the bastard should be. Pipsqueak might have done a lot of the fighting, but Law's still the one that started everything to shake up the New World. What's another Emperor to that track record?
The bastard just laughs at him. The sound of it is mocking. “Why would I be scared of a captain that just lost to another Emperor?”
What? “What happened to Law?”
Kidd is on his feet without even thinking about it. Law's strong, he wouldn't lose easily. He didn't fight Red Hair and Luffy would never hurt their omega. Which left Blackbeard and the clown. “Who?”
“He was a fool who left his alpha, just like you.” The bastard is unbothered by Kidd glaring down at him. “I didn't tell you you were allowed to stand.”
“Answer the question, bastard.” Attacking him won't do anything, Kidd repeats to himself. He's at too much of a disadvantage. And the bastard still has Kidd's crew.
“Obviously you need another lesson. Kneel. ” Power surges, forcing Kidd to his knees before he has a chance to fight back. “Luckily I have plenty of time to teach it.