RR: They are being meanies – they've yet to reveal why.
Naghi-Tan: Zoro's concern is…questionable. His judgement is harsh for a reason. Each chapter will soon to explore why.
Siriana2526: Thank you! :D You are right about Zoro – he isn't the sweetest, but there's definitely something behind all that bluster. Only Sanji knows the truth.
: : 7 : :
That night, Sanji couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned, looking for a comfortable position, and finally gave up, leaving his bed with an irritated expression. Ussop had watch, tonight, so he made a couple of snacks in the kitchen – finding great interest in the butter he used for the night's dinner – and set out to find him. He caught sight of the younger man hunched over the picnic table, trembling a little, over a board game. He wasn't alone.
"Ah! What are you doing up?" Ussop asked him, not hiding his relieved expression as Sanji set the tray down, frowning at Law. The surgeon looked quite disappointed to see Sanji there, arms crossed petulantly as Sanji noticed that the chess game was going in his favor.
"Couldn't sleep…what's all this?"
"A challenge," Ussop answered, a little shakily. His hand shook as it lifted to his mouth with alarm. "If I lose…"
"Quit terrorizing my crewmates, or I'll kill you," Sanji told Law firmly.
"It would've only been for a day," Law replied with irritation, frowning at Ussop. "Most humans could live without their – "
"I really didn't want mine removed for 'scientific purposes'!"
Sanji didn't ask what they were bargaining, and took a seat next to the sniper, sighing lightly. He couldn't stop thinking about the creamy bowl of butter he'd left behind, feeling himself salivate at the image of it.
"I was going easy on him," Law explained, knocking down Ussop's king, then resetting the board. "I'm not that cruel."
"Yeah, right!" Ussop exclaimed, helping himself to the sandwiches Sanji brought, and allowing his pleased expression take over his current one. "Oh, that hits the spot! I don't know, Sanji, but your food tastes different, now…"
"Like how so?" Sanji demanded, snapping upright.
"There's something different…I can't describe it. Or maybe it was just my own relief in the moment, that makes everything taste so much better."
"Yeah, okay…" Sanji looked over the board, and made the first move. While Law took his time to consider the next, Sanji asked, "Has Zoro been bitter towards anyone else, lately? Or is it just me?"
"Probably just you," Ussop said, frowning at him. "He doesn't act any different with us. I noticed he's been a little gruff when we're all together."
"'Gruff'? He's been downright cantankerous," Sanji muttered. "Like it was his responsibility in the first place."
"It's been discussed that it hasn't, right?" Ussop said cautiously, Sanji stomping on his foot underneath the table. He jerked his knee upward, hitting it against the tabletop and rattling the pieces. Law made his move with the knight. "OW!"
"Of course not, jerk!"
"I'm covering all bases! Like, I understand that it was through some type of intake, but why weren't the rest of us affected?" Ussop asked with a bewildered expression, Sanji turning his attention to the board, considering his moves. "Can you imagine if it happened to me? Sanji, I would never agree to carry it! I couldn't handle all those weird changes, and – frankly, I've heard all the stories. Anything involving any type of pain, regardless of the scale, is something I'd shy away from."
"It wouldn't be delivered by traditional methods," Sanji repeated between clenched teeth, moving his bishop. "And there's a timer involved."
"Still…I mean, you're growing more every day. Fast." With a skeptical frown, Ussop added, "I don't understand why you'd go through with it, that's all. Considering everything surrounding the unusual event – like, I know you heard this countless times, but men aren't equipped to handle this for a reason."
"Seeing the ultrasound changed things, for me. I made up my mind, and if these nerds can do what needs to be done, then I trust them to do so. After all, they don't have anything to gain by removing me from the picture," Sanji said pointedly to Law, who shrugged, considering his pieces.
"I guess not," Ussop said slowly, with an undecided frown.
"But the thing Zoro was concerned about was after," Sanji continued, rubbing the hairs on his chin. "And I get that part, but…I'm sure it'll work out just fine."
"It's not like you'll be alone, though," Ussop pointed out.
"I have faith in my friends."
"That's right! With as big as we are, there's always a course of action we'd take to take over where you can't," Ussop said cheerfully, watching Law make a move.
Sanji made another move after a quick scan of the board. Law scowled at him.
"And besides, it's not like we haven't had kids ride along with us! And it'll be yours! I'm sure you were a great kid!"
"I suppose," Sanji said on a sigh, palm on cheek. "Nonetheless, it doesn't change anything. It's not like I'll change, or anything…I lack maternal instincts, right?"
Ussop coughed, Law considering his pieces with a deep frown. Sanji glared at Ussop. "Allergies," Ussop explained, coughing a few more times.
"Well, I don't! My behavior has not changed since this happened! I'm still smoking, I'm still doing the things I normally do – there's nothing that will change in the battlefield with me, I'll still be in the forefront! I'm doing opposite of what people think I should be doing! It's only a body thing," Sanji added, watching as Law moved his queen.
"Right, right," Ussop murmured fitfully, glancing at him from the corner of his eye, trying to imagine Sanji fighting with a large, protruding stomach. Sanji caught the action, frowning at him. "I'm just - ! I think something like that would kick in automatically! Like, when we were fighting those pirates, I noticed your steps were a little off – "
"I. Was. Sick."
"And your arms were lowered. Unconsciously, maybe you were protecting it," Ussop added quietly. "Like, you were in the midst of it, but you didn't hold the same sort of body confidence that you usually do – "
"I never noticed."
"I kinda got these special eyes…"
"You and your 'special' eyes can go to Hell."
"The more weight you accumulate in one area, the more your body adjusts to make up for it," Law said. "It would probably be important to train for that type of thing."
"Don't talk to me about 'training' when none of us here haven't seen you do any sort of thing while staying here," Sanji told him crankily.
"It makes no difference to me," Law said, waiting for Sanji to make his move. "If you lose it, I can still take it and study it. There's a win-win situation for me overall. I get my study regardless."
Ussop gaped at him.
"If I lose it, do you honestly think I'd give it over to you?" Sanji asked, making his move. Law scowled at the set-up before him. "It'll have a proper burial, and then we move on. You want to do some twisted study on kids, do it on your own fucking time."
"I wonder why they chose you to do this upon," Ussop wondered out loud. "Did you offend anybody while we were there? You have a habit of doing that."
"I probably did, but I can't pinpoint any exact moment when."
"Admittedly, we were lax in thinking that nothing could happen with such…plain people," Ussop went on, hands between his knees as he glanced over the board.
"Fuck," Law muttered, dropping his king. Ussop didn't understand how he'd given up when they hadn't even made five moves. He struggled to understand the set up, but given that chess involved making moves a few ahead, he didn't see what the surgeon could with just the presentation before him.
"I guess that goes to show that we might be too confident, but how is that a bad thing?" Sanji asked, digging around for his cigarettes, remembering he'd left them in the kitchen. "There's nothing wrong with having a bit of confidence."
"When it allows us to lose our guard, it might be," Ussop muttered, seeing him search himself for his cigarettes. It was puzzling to see that Sanji wouldn't have them on him, considering how much he smoked. He rose from the table. "I'll get them. Where'd you leave them?"
"Kitchen. And, thanks, Ussop."
"The parasite is sucking all the brain cells out of you," Law told Sanji, as he reset the board, Ussop leaving them hastily. "It'll be more common in the future."
"Maybe it's my maternal instinct kicking in," Sanji mused.
"The probability of this child emerging with multiple health problems as the result of your smoking is pretty high," Law said, making the first move. "Add to the costs of costly hospital checkups, possible medication that might not be so hurriedly available considering all your travels, and risking the chance of stillborn death – it's easy to fix you as the result of this unplanned pregnancy, but not the monster."
"Quit calling it a monster!" Sanji snapped at him, placing a pawn ahead.
"It's easier to consider it that way. I might develop a special fondness towards it."
"Yeah, right, I've seen how you take care of things you're 'fond' of…"
Tapping his fingers together, Law narrowed his eyes as he considered the board between them. "But I'm still hoping for a traumatic ending…the fact that this thing was engineered to give males the potential to birth means that there are flaws to it, and its design can be mutated as the result of your own genetic introduction…"
"Unfortunately for your hopes and dreams in that sort of possibility, I was born very normal," Sanji told him on a droll tone, fussing with his hair. "My siblings received the treatment, and not I."
With a long, drawn-out sigh of disappointment, Law moved a pawn.
"You are twisted."
"I had hoped that this venture, this time around, would prove more entertaining than the previous."
"Isn't it? Everyone hates you, so it makes sense that you'd lose sleep being on alert."
"That's not exactly a new thing with me."
"Look, I understand why you did it," Sanji then said, considering his options carefully. "Despite himself, Moss didn't have the advantage everyone thought he was capable of. He had measured weight against an enemy that could have easily fallen into his sword, but his enemy had an advantage – he had that dragon brat at his side. Zoro finds it difficult to fight a weaker enemy – they're beneath him. If given the choice to run the kid through, he would have not, and his pride would've taken a shot. Giving him ample time to die – but you pierced him where it could be fixed. Granted, the timing was fucked up, but it allowed them the retreat they needed to get that idiot to safety."
"I was aiming higher."
"Shut up. Without Zoro there to assist, Luffy had to rely on the Ninjas – they proved themselves capable of giving him the time he needed to recoup, but did you really need to sabotage that effort, as well?"
"If I hadn't," Law stated slowly, "I would've never been able to stop Kaido on my own. It gave me enough time to fulfill my own agenda, allowed them to re-emerge with a better game plan, and it played out nicely. Unfortunately, my reputation with hiding inner motives leaves a lasting impression."
"Kid was able to reattach his arm."
"He's a ginger, they're unstoppable forces of nature."
Sanji moved the pawn again. "It won't be the same, this time. Everyone will be too busy watching their middles with you around."
"There's no such thing as being too alert."
"What's in it for you, anyway?" Sanji asked curiously. "To be honest, having the One Piece in your hands doesn't seem like something you were actually working for. You took down key players in the whole World Government corruption situation, and upset the Marines - granted, Doflamingo was your own personal agenda, but everything else? Is tinged with Revolutionary motives in upsetting the balance of this world."
"Mind your business."
"Luffy will be Pirate King, but you're not the type to assume that sort of existence," Sanji told him. "The attention doesn't suit you. Luffy wants to be recognized for the freedom that comes with the title – he's not interested in world domination or change. But your involvement in the scheme of things…it stands with nobody or nothing."
Law made his move, expressionless. Studying his options, Sanji reached over and knocked down his own king. Law frowned at him, while Sanji frowned back.
"I couldn't find them," Ussop said breathlessly, returning empty-handed. Sanji sighed heavily, rising from the table.
"I'll have to retrace my steps," he said. "Play nice, you two."
In the kitchen, wondering when he'd last had a cigarette, Sanji cleaned the few things he'd used to make their snacks, then looked back at the butter. Figuring it wouldn't hurt, he took a teaspoon to the creamy substance and took a bite. The oily combination made him shiver, but he managed to swish it around his mouth, chewing clumsily, and finding it suitable for his taste. He took another bite, put everything away, then went to go brush his teeth, wondering what it would taste like if he dipped his cigarettes into butter before smoking.
The next morning, the island was in sight. The crew readied themselves to anchor and disembark while Sanji and Nami went over the grocery list. He had no idea Robin was secretly measuring him as they did so. He still couldn't find his cigarettes, and was on edge as cravings hit him hard, but he struggled not to show his discomfort to the others. He figured he'd load up once he got into town, and put them in a safe place in the kitchen, where he'd always remember them.
"Maybe you should stay on board," Zoro told him as they all walked out onto the desk, making their way down to the raft.
"Maybe you should mind your business."
"If word gets out that you're…that," Zoro spit out, unable to say 'pregnant', "it's going to renew interest in having people chasing after us unnecessarily. It's not that noticeable now, but as you grow bigger, you'll stand out as our weak point. Not everyone can watch over you."
Sanji stared at him dubiously. "Why would I need anyone watching over me? I watch over myself, dipshit."
Zoro rolled his eyes. "You've been a space case recently. Like I haven't noticed you start and stop things in the middle, with other people picking up the slack you left behind. Once our enemies see that you're not focused, they're going to hit you, first."
"I'm flattered that you've been watching me so closely. A true friend would."
Zoro glared at him. "Don't take my observation out of context! Stop talking like that! Pisses me off that you'd be so fucking…unconcerned about this sort of shit, and disregard my words."
Taking a few moments to consider his words carefully, Sanji then said, "I take it that the moment you started is gone."
"What are you talking about? This isn't about a moment, it's about the entire crew!"
"Of course. I'm just referring to what we had before we ended up in separate directions – "
"Will you stop bringing that up?" Zoro hissed at him, looking around them, making sure that they were the only ones in sight. A glance over the railing show him Luffy trying to show Law the school of fish drifting by, rocking the raft, and causing loud alarm to ring out over the water. Red-faced, he turned his attention back to Sanji. "That has nothing to do with – with anything! Absolutely nothing!"
"I just thought…we could somehow connect…more closely than what we have – "
"I strayed off my path. Stop talking about it. I don't have any involvement in this, and I never will. I gave you my thoughts about it, and you disregarded it, as you usually do, and you've selfishly pushed forward despite my feelings on the matter, and you're pushing some – made up thing you imagined in that stupid mind of yours to make something out of nothing! I'm paying for it, now! Paying the price of my own stupidity to think you even thought similar to me."
Sanji exhaled heavily, feeling the frown pull at his features. "You say all that, but you're the only one that's more passionate about it overall. These mixed signals – "
"There are no signals!" Zoro shouted at him. "None!"
"I'm right here, stop yelling at me!" Sanji shouted back, feeling the embarrassing burn in his eyes start, his emotions roiling uncontrollably at that moment. He turned away to focus on something in the distance, hating his display of emotion for hitting at such a cruel moment.
"Weak point," Zoro muttered, making his way down the ladder, Sanji fuming for the thought.
Once he felt more in control of himself, he looked himself over, searching for signs that he was the obvious 'weak point'. He wore a loose sweater, and he had to use some string to keep his pants in place – leaving them unbuttoned – but he'd been assured by the others that he didn't look 'pregnant'. Self conscious as he was about his appearance, he figured it would be fine.
"You need these vitamins," Chopper told him, pulling on his backpack while holding tightly to a list. "It's essential for you to start taking note of your health with added nutrients. I noticed you haven't been smoking, today. There's a tea I can actually concoct to help you with the cravings in case you're jonesing."
"I must've misplaced them," Sanji muttered, making his way down. "I can't find them anywhere."
"That's going to be a common thing to experience!" Chopper said shakily, putting the list between his teeth.
Everyone went their separate ways once they reached town, Sanji wandering off with his shopping list, adding sacks to a horse he'd rented because no one knew where Zoro went. He figured his usual packhorse deliberately lost himself, this time, and resolved not to be too angry about it. But just in case, he added in extras to Zoro's alcohol needs, in case Sanji had to butter him up a little. Which reminded him, he was going to need more butter than usual – that craving hit him again, and it was stronger than his want for a cigarette.
When he had the time, he sat in an alleyway, unwrapped the cold brick in hand, and took a quick bite. It was even more delicious than last night's satisfaction, and he took another before re-wrapping it, stuffing it deep into one of the burlap sacks, and continued on his way, licking and sucking the rest of the matter from his teeth from that point on.
It was near evening when he returned, lugging a mountainous sack on his back, carrying a couple of bags under hand, and guiding the loaded horse along behind him. With how quiet it was, it appeared no one else had returned, just yet. He had just finished pulling the last of the supplies onto the Sunny when he decided the distance between himself and the kitchen was too much. He'd grown sleepy. And his feet ached – his shoes felt tight and uncomfortably, and he felt sick from the butter he'd consumed in town. He laid down on the grass, head on a sack, and decided to take a quick nap. He was sure to wake up if he heard the others return – none of them were really with any stealth qualities, except for Robin and Law.
When he awoke, feeling the gentle sway of the ocean, he was confused. He was in his bed, and the others were back on board, roaring with laughter and voices and activity, and he hastily scrambled from his bed, embarrassed. Walking out onto the deck, he saw that Jinbei, Franky and Brook were at command at the barbeque grill, a large fish being rotated over the coals, while Nami and Robin sorted out the contents of their purchases between them. Luffy, Ussop and Chopper were chasing around what looked to be an oily bubble with a light glowing inside of it, and every time they touched it, it electrocuted them.
All the supplies he'd brought back were missing, and the island was already a distance behind them.
"I'm so sorry!" he apologized hastily, drawing their attention. "That was my job to do."
"It's fine, Sanji-kun!" Nami said brightly, shaking out a shirt. "Robin and I took care of it."
"You guys shouldn't have to do that! Here, I'll make you some drinks, or something – let me help you put that stuff away - !"
"It's okay," Robin assured him, holding up a pair of shoes. "Try these on, please. We saw them and knew that you should have them. Aren't they fashionable?"
Taking them with a display of thanks, Sanji examined them. He hid the embarrassed frown he felt threatening to take the place of his smile as he saw that they were mostly stretchy material. With soft Velcro leather straps that would adjust for comfort, and hard soles that guaranteed durability.
"Also," Nami added, holding onto a pile of clothes under one arm, "I bought you a shirt. Try it on, please."
Sanji took the shirt, and was pleased to see that it was a plain white v-neck, something easily taken from a bargain bin. He thanked her flowerily while she beamed with delight, Robin adding to the pleasure with an expression of her own. They walked on with their things, Robin picking up a bright white case as she did so.
"Chopper thought you were dead," Zoro told him from nearby, frowning over a brown bottle. "You were hard asleep."
"I haven't been sleeping well. It must've finally caught up to me."
"Over a supply run," Zoro muttered, walking towards the railing. He glared out at the ocean, overcasted with the image of the stars and moon above the waves. "Just imagine if it were a fight."
Sanji clenched his teeth, glaring after him. But instead of giving time for a retort, he headed back to the room, and took a seat on the couch. He tried on the shoes, and his feet cried out with relief. Elbows on knees, he rested his head in his palms, glaring at them. They didn't resemble anything he usually wore, but they didn't look out of place, either. He examined his hands, finding them a little more bloated than usual, then pushed up from the couch to put the shirt away. He lingered there for a few moments, looking at his clothes with a rising sense of unease. At the rate he was growing, he would not be able to wear his pants anymore. His nicer shirts, either. He couldn't quite display himself with the pride and appeal he normally dressed with, because his stomach would stand out. He would have to stick to his comfort clothes, and that struck him with dismay.
He didn't want to give Zoro that satisfaction of him being right, but, damn, Zoro was right. Standing there for some time, he felt the shifting movement of the baby inside of him, doing something that made him wince as it felt like his insides were forced back to allow it action. He imagined it was turning, or reaching out to remind him that it was still there. He couldn't imagine the baby attempting to comfort him, because that felt too human. He lacked the maternal instinct needed to make that thought real. But it was him – so maybe it was.
He headed to the kitchen, and went about, looking for what he needed for side dishes. Things had been packed in such a haphazard manner that he took some time to put them away properly. He made a note to take inventory later on, then brightened at the thought of his cigarettes he'd bought earlier. As he turned to make his way back to the counter, he noticed only three of them sitting there on the table. Picking one up, he glared at it, then looked around himself suspiciously. This was sabotage. He remembered Chopper's uneasy answer earlier, and just as he did so, caught sight of the tea pouches nearby, labeled with his name and how frequently he should drink them.
But he didn't pause too long to reflect on it. He found the butter dish, dipped the filter into it, and smoked it. It was an uncomfortably disastrous taste, but he sucked in much needed nicotine as the butter melted upon the warmth. After a couple of puffs, it wasn't that bad, but the substance caused the filter to become soggy.
"That is disgusting," Law told him from behind, causing Sanji to spit and cough upon surprise, drawing away from him.
"It appears you're craving fat, Sanji," Chopper said with an ill expression, hoof to mouth. "That's the only explanation for this. We came in here to lecture you about it after seeing what you did to the butter."
"Surely, with experience like yours, you'd know that already," Law said, looking into the butter dish with repulsion. "Witnessing it in action leaves me wanting to projectile vomit."
"You assholes! It was you this whole time, wasn't it?"
"We've told you, over and over, asshole, that smoking was bad for the baby!" Chopper snapped at Sanji defiantly. "You refused to listen to our orders, and now it has come to this! Considering that your addiction to smoking is long fed, we've come up with a plan to help you stop. At least for the remaining months of your pregnancy. If deception is warranted, then, so be it!"
Huffing, Sanji repeated the dip of his cigarette into the butter. Chopper snatched it out of his hands, holding it away from him. "Not in front of us! It's gross!"
"Three times a day for a week, then two, then one, and you're out," Law said. "I decided that my specimen must be in better health when it finally releases itself from your scummy confines."
Chopper waved a hoof around to make that declaration somehow disappear. "It goes as stands! I'll be keeping a closer eye on you – no secret purchases! I'm able to sniff out any extra supply you might try to sneak on board, so work hard on your efforts to stop. Smoking is indicative of a low birth rate, possible health complications, and – "
"I was already informed of this," Sanji told him.
Chopper glared up at Law, the man glaring back at him, causing the reindeer to shy away from him hastily. From behind Sanji's leg, he sputtered, "We're supposed to be lecturing him together! This is a team effort! Both of us are allied, in a different sense than you are with Luffy!"
"Whatever."
"Also, Sanji," Chopper added, reaching back into his backpack and withdrawing a box that jingled lightly, "I've bought and created some vitamins for you, essential for yours and your baby's health. These are needed to ensure a healthy baby, and to replenish what you've lost as a result of its intake. Take them twice a day with food, because they will upset your stomach, and take them an hour before or after you've taken the stool softeners."
Looking at the box, Sanji saw that it was one of Ussop's creations, and had the days of the week labeled into them. The two layers ensured a supply for the remaining months of his pregnancy period. He felt guilt hit him, then; his friends were so eager to make this comfortable and trouble free, and he kept defying them, stubborn to remain the same. He nodded. "Fine."
"Considering the exhausted state you returned to the ship in, it has been recommended that you are not to do that type of thing on your own, again," Chopper continued. "It will be a buddy effort."
"Not really," Sanji argued hastily. "Questions will arise once I'm, uh…showing."
"Locking him in the refrigerator while we traipse about is not a bad idea," Law told Chopper.
"I will not be locked anywhere!"
"That's not a good idea," Chopper told Law. He looked back at Sanji firmly. "So be it if it looks suggestive to the outside world! Besides, maybe if you pack on weight, you will only look chubby, and that's acceptable – "
"What was that word Bone-ya used?" Law asked thoughtfully.
Chopper snarled at him, seeming to blush. "We're not using that word for Sanji's condition! Please, doctor, work with me seriously, here!"
"It's hard to take the situation seriously with a pregnant man – oh, Blackleg-ya, you had a venture with the Okamas, right? If you'd just start wearing your costume again, maybe it might – "
"Never!" Sanji bellowed at him, knocking his hat from his head. "You suggest that shit to me again, I will end you in your fucking sleep!"
"But Sanji," Chopper whined, holding onto his while Law glared at Sanji murderously while retrieving his hat, "that might be a suitable option once you're a little bigger, because no one will glance at you twice! And Nami and Robin would be more than happy to help – "
"Yes, please listen to your docs, cook," Zoro said, causing Sanji to choke on the smoke he'd just inhaled. The swordsman leaned up against the counter, still wearing an offended expression. "It's more fitting showing the world what you truly are than faking it with your continued denial."
"Then, I choose you as my shopping buddy, and it can be no one else," Sanji decided stiffly.
"Like Hell!"
Law sighed heavily, reaching up to rub between his eyes. "This incredible tension overwhelms me, sometimes. Both of you can't help but react to each other the moment one shows up, and both of you should either kill or kiss each other to get it over with, so that the rest of us could enjoy a moment of peace."
He shifted his head to the left just to avoid the stab of a sword embedding into the cabinets behind him, Chopper shrieking with alarm. Sanji kicked the sword loose from the cabinet, opening it to see the resulting destruction of cleaning supplies and a roll of towels. As fluids leaked down onto the counter, he snarled, facing off with Zoro.
"Keep your damn impulses to yourself!"
"I'll kill you for sure the next time you release something ugly from your mouth," Zoro threatened Law, sheathing the sword, stalking towards the door.
"Why say that sort of thing?" Sanji shouted at Law, snatching the roll of towels and hastily removing the ruined cleansers, throwing them into the sink.
"Only professional medical personnel has the ability to speak the truth, even if it hurts."
"I wouldn't even say something like that!" Chopper exclaimed.
"Are we all just supposed to continue pretending that they don't have a secret relationship of some kind?" Law asked impatiently, Sanji purpling with alarming color. "Maybe that's a Strawhat rule, but since I am not a crew member, I can say whatever I want."
"What 'relationship'?" Chopper gasped, looking at Sanji with consideration. "Sanji, were you and he - ?"
"NO! No, no no!"
"Does he know it's his?" Law asked Sanji curiously.
Infuriated, Sanji kicked out of him, but Law was already gone, Franky in his place, so when his foot landed, Franky bounced against the counters, dropping his barbeque baster with a startled noise. Sanji had noticed the switch, and had managed to pull some of his power, enraged at the things being said. He marched out the kitchen, Franky standing up with a confused expression.
"What's going on?"
"Ah, those three," Chopper said with a sigh. "Zoro is still upset, and Law likes to pick on him."
"You'd think he'd have better control of himself, by now, after all that," Franky sputtered, rubbing the point where Sanji's foot had landed.
"You know Sanji, he's always impulsive!"
"Not, him, Zoro! All that meditation ain't helping him. If he lets that guy continue goading him, there's not going to be any happy endings on this ship."
Chopper's brow furrowed. Franky dusted himself off. "And I'm not talking about all of us!"
"I don't…get it…"
"Maybe I'm being just too subtle, then…never mind, Doc. Come on out, soon."
