Kiza: Hi guys, sorry for the short chapter, but i hope you like it, please review.

Groaning, Sanji slowly sits up, there was a throbbing on the left side of his face. He didn't know how long he was asleep for, but he still felt tired, and his left eye felt itchy. Much to his annoyance, he reaches up in an attempt to scratch it, but then he feels some catch his wrist stopping him suddenly, looking up he is met with the sight of Ace glaring at him slightly. Frowning Sanji roughly pulls his arm away from him.

"Don't go grabbing me roughly like that. I don't like it." Sanji snaps, he really wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone, he wanted to be left alone for a few more hours, at least until the throbbing in his head went away.

"You shouldn't try to scratch at your own eye. Not when Chopper isn't sure of what's wrong with it yet." Ace explains, well, scolds. Sanji hearing that tone turns to glare at the fire user. Ace merely smirks at him. "Why so angry?"

"I don't fucking need you telling me what I should or shouldn't do!" Sanji growls, he then pushes the blankest off and attempts to stand up, but he is stopped by Ace who gently pushes him back down. Sanji then slaps his hand away and goes to yell at him, but stops when he sees the worried and hurt look. Frowning Sanji looks away and rubs the back of his neck. "S-Sorry…I didn't mean to snap at you…it's just my head is throbbing." Ace smiles and pats the younger pirates shoulder, Sanji smiles slightly at him. "Hungry? Want me to mak-"

"Whoa, Whoa. Sanji. You have to rest, Chopper doesn't want you cooking yet. Don't worry, Nami and Robin got it covered."

"EH!? Why are my precious ladies cooking!? Why aren't you lazy bastards doing anything!?" Sanji asks with shock, that reaction this causes Ace to start laughing. Of course he should have expected that reaction. Sanji merely stairs at him with confusion, but that look fades away as he blushes and looks away. How dare he laugh at him!? He was a gentlemen! Of course he was going to be upset that his ladies were doing hard labor. He then feels the older male ruffle his hair gently, as not to upset his throbbing head anymore.

"Sorry, Sorry. But hey, wanna go see the others? They have been on pins and needles." Sanji then smiles and nods.

"But, who were those guys? The ones that shot me. I've never seen a Pirate ship like that." Sanji asks, he could see a dark angered look appear on his face, causing the blond to become uneasy, if Ace got like this, it must be because those guys where dangerous. "Ace?"

"Slave traders. Sanji, I have to know. Was there anyone on any of the islands before getting to thriller Bark that seemed strange to you? Asked you who you were? Or knew who you where?" Ace asks, Sanji had a look of shock on his face.

Slave traders!? He was shot by slave traders!? Ace could see the panic and confusion in his eyes, sighing he then ruffles the blond's hair again to calm him down some, which seemed to work. Ace smiles slightly, he had to admit, he liked Sanji. He sort of reminded him of his old friend, Thatch. Maybe that's why he felt close to him, maybe that's why he felt as protective of the blond. Sure, he was much younger than him, but still.

"Seriously!? Slave traders Ace!?" Sanji asks, nodding Ace leans back and crosses his arms over his chest. "What the hell!? So your telling me that my beautiful ladies where in danger and I couldn't do a damn thing to stop them!? Did anyone get hurt!?" Sanji asks with worry, Ace rolls his eyes and shakes his head. Of course only Sanji would be worried about the others and not himself.

"The others are okay. It's YOU they were after Sanji." Hearing that he looks up at the male with shock. "That's why I asked if on the previous islands you were on did anyone seem…strange? For lack of a better term." Sanji then sighs as he takes a moment or two too think about that, then it hits him. There was this guy in Water 7. He had walked up to him, greeted him by his name, and then started to go on about his life before being a pirate. Hell the guy even knew the names of everyone that worked at the restaurant. Of course he found it strange, but he really didn't think much of it. Until now. Ace frowns as he sees the shocked look in the blond's eyes. He had run into someone.

"Damn it Sanji! Didn't you think that maybe that you should have been more careful about talking to someone!? Who was it!? Which island!?" Ace suddenly asks with anger, Sanji then glares at the older male. He wasn't about to let this guy yell at him for something that wasn't even his fault.

"What the fuck!? You act as if I knew this was going to happen! I didn't know the guy, he just walked up to me and knew me immediately! It was at water 7! I doubt he would be there now, but don't go yelling at me!" Sanji yells back, Ace growls.

"I just saved your life! Why are you getting mad!? I have every right to be upset! Your carelessness could have gotten Luffy hurt!" next thing Ace knew, before he even had a chance, Sanji kicks him hard in the chest sending him through the door, shocking Chopper who was on his way in to check on the blond.

"YOU CALLING US WEAK!? WE COULD PROTECT LUFFY! WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE JONING THIS CREW!" Sanji yells with rage and anger, but he then clutches his head in pain as Chopper rushes to his side.

"Sanji you have to calm down!" Chopper scolds, the said doctor then turns around feeling the room hotter than it was a moment ago, and he sees Ace openly glaring at Sanji and Sanji glaring right back.

"You got a lot of guts doing that chef." Sanji growls.

"And you got a lot of guys saying that it was my fault those guys showed up." Sanji states simply, Ace then gets up and stalks over to him, seeing the look of pure anger in the logia type's eyes and he becomes nervous and begins to shake. Sanji on the other hand looked completely calm and was now standing up. Chopper than grips the blond's pant leg and hides behind him. The two where now nose to nose and both glaring at each other. "You think you're so big and bad huh? Just because you're from the whitebeard pirates? Well guess what, you're not. Once the times comes, Luffy and the rest of us will take down your crew, in front of the whole world." Suddenly he flinches feeling Ace grip his face roughly and the heat radiating off of his hand wasn't helping, he reaches up and grips the older male's wrist and attempts to get him to let go, but fails as he feels the palm of his hand burn, so he pulls it away.

"Small fry like you, don't even deserve to be out here on the grand line. Go on, next time those slave traders come back, I won't defend you. Rookies like you won't get far. You won't even be able to get into new world."

"He doesn't need you to defend him." Turning around he sees Zoro leaning against the door frame, walking in, he pushes the older male away from the blond. "Luffy is looking for you." Nodding Ace give Sanji a single last glare and walks out of the room. Sighing Zoro turns to look at Sanji who was glaring at the ground. "Did he hurt you?" the chef shakes his head. "You sure? You're shaking."

"I'm fine…" he mumbles, he was shaking out of anger, he couldn't believe that Ace would dare act that way after acting as if he actually LIKED him no more than a few hours ago. Rolling his eyes he looks up at Zoro with a frown. "Guess you were right. Shouldn't have gotten used to him being nice." Zoro shakes his head.

"Forget about it. Just ignore him and do your thing." Zoro explains, he looks down at Chopper, the small doctor looked scared out of his mind. Then he looks up and watches as Sanji walks out of the room.

"W-wait! Sanji you're not allowed to-"

"I just need some fresh air." With that he walks out to the deck and notices that it was actually night time, sighing he walks over to the railing and leans against it, staring blankly at the ocean. Shaking his head, he sits down and bangs his head on the railing. He really didn't want to get into that fight with the older male. In all honesty, he loved his crew, they where his family, but Ace was the only other person he actually knew and considered a friend. He actually really, really liked the fire user. He wouldn't ever admit it out loud, but he found the older male attractive, and he had a small crush on him. Again, not like he would ever admit that, but either way, he felt bad for arguing with the fire user, looking up, he then feels someone press a cloth to his nose and mouth.

That was the last thing he remembered before he blacked out.