A/N: Found a DJ-scanalation site. Was therefore interrupted, and lost my train of thought at the tunnel. I promise, it'll happen a few more times.

Thanks for the reviews! This is a rollercoaster in pain (emotions) so everyone keep those hands up! (or down, whichever)

: Swimming :

Law meandered into Sanji's hospital room later that week, under the guise of one of the surgeons on the floor. Sanji looked up with a pout because being confined to the bed while being force-fed antibiotics and the resetting of his leg had made him grumpy. He was still battling a fever caused by an infection – stupid dirty ocean – and was slightly loopy. When he saw Law enter his room, he frowned at him. They'd crossed paths a couple of times during the Epic Battle of Power and Manly Will And Good , but hadn't really said anything pertaining to personal stuff at all – because it wasn't manly, and it wasn't good.

"That was fucked up," he said in greeting. "Shitty liar."

"I admit, I didn't tell you everything," Law said, pulling up a chair. His sword was painfully obvious sticking out of his white lab coat, and the surgeon mask atop of his head was a meek excuse for his hat. Even after everything had settled, he looked as if he hadn't slept for days. "But I had a plan for everything."

"I can't believe you lied to me. At least Gin was truthful!"

"I didn't lie – I just didn't tell you all of it. Look, Sanji-ya, years ago I had decided I was going to right these wrongs, and I knew I couldn't do it by myself. So once I did my research and examined my course with thorough investigations, I knew coming here would improve my chances," Law said, reaching out and locating Sanji's med chart. He continued to speak as he flipped through it. "I saw what the D family was capable of – I knew that I'd found what I'd been looking for. But once I heard Roronoa-ya wasn't here, it took a few weeks locating the bastard and returning him to the island without fucking up my plans."

"Zoro said something about washing up on the beach – he said nothing about running into you."

"He had his mind set on coming back, Sanji-ya, but he wasn't going in the right direction. He's an idiot. I suspect he'd been trying to get back home a lot sooner than that. I only had to convince him the direction to take here."

"And by 'convincing' you mean causing serious damage to their boat and teleporting them back here, under the guise of a cyclone?" Sanji said skeptically. He was positive Zoro would remember Law if they'd ever run into each other – so he guessed Zoro was returned 'forcefully' without ever meeting the man.

"Well…he got home, all right?" Law said with a shrug, confirming Sanji's thought. He set the chart aside, and stood, disconnecting all the antibiotics that were hanging from the stand while Sanji frowned at him. "I didn't want to believe it at first, but this Monster Trio I kept hearing of seemed to fit my needs the strongest. Being here all this time, you had to understand, I had my doubts. Especially in you. I still wasn't convinced, but everyone spoke of you so respectfully that I merely accepted that you 'as is'. If you weren't demonstrative of this massive kicking skill they bragged about, maybe they secured their motivation from your motherly ways."

"Utter betrayal from someone that made me feel like you cared about me," Sanji muttered.

"In the end, it doesn't matter, right? Luffy defeated and combined my enemies and combative resources, he assisted with the biggest task I'd ever given myself, and, in a few months, my world will be all right, again. Besides, you hadn't any feelings for me in the first place. I only played the part to get your crew assembled properly."

"You're such a calculating piece of shit. I don't know whether to hate it, or admire it," Sanji admitted, watching as Law removed a couple of the bags, then set them aside.

"Either way, Sanji-ya, I was definitely focused on having the situation resolved as quickly as possible, and justified every one of my actions," Law said, gathering up the bags in one hand. "For me to have actual feelings would just be – a setback. But…"

As he wandered out the room, Sanji scowled at his casted leg. It all made sense – the way Law handled all of them into a combined group, the way Zoro made it back to Roguetown, the way Law himself kept a small, clumsy distance between them. To have it all revealed when Doflamingo came along had been startling.

Last Sanji heard, Zoro had walked out from the hospital with a nurse still trying to cut the stitch needle from his wounds, and hadn't been seen since. That was right after Chopper had begged them to seek treatment after they'd washed up to shore. In fact, all of them had gone missing, but Sanji didn't mind. He had a lot to think about, and they'd only be kicked out for their noise, anyway.

Law returned with a few items, and set up a brand new bag of antibiotics. "I did have feelings for you. And if I let myself think, I'm sure I still do depend on you for, ah, certain…um, things."

"I'm not sure I want or need your feelings, now."

"Of course not. I'd understand. It's complicated."

"But at least it's calm, now."

"Definitely." Law sat back down, and picked up the chart again. He made his own adjustments with a Sharpie. Then set it aside with a heavy sigh. "Once I return to my own crew, Sanji-ya, I'm sure it'll take time for yours to make it out to the New World. I'm sure many things will change for you, and that – "

"And I care about this, why?" Sanji grumbled. "Great for ya for getting rid of that shitty, feather wearing weirdo, but we're left with this mess."

"It'll be fine. All that's left behind is the emotional bullshit you and your crew needs to sort out amongst yourselves," Law said. He made a face. "And there's a lot of it. I have never been so immersed into such chaotic mindlessness as this one. It's rather insane how childish you all are, but frightening at the same time because there's so much power between all of you. It's true what they say – the Gods should fear the D family."

"Well, watch out. Because I'm sure by the time Luffy's ready, the Grand Line won't be prepared for us. I just hope you don't find reason to betray him."

"I won't," Law said with confidence.

"What if things were different?" Sanji asked sullenly. "What if I had been receptive to your feelings?"

"Well, we can't dwell on something like that when it hadn't," Law said bluntly. Sanji almost appreciated him for answering directly but it bordered almost on painful. He suspected Law lacked any close relationships with anybody around him.

"Well, now what?" Sanji asked him. "Did you complete your make-up mid-term?"

"Of course," Law said, digging into his inside pocket and pulling out some packets with 'A+'s' on them. "If I got anything less, I'd have to very angry. I didn't almost die and lose my arm for a fucking A -."

Nerd, Sanji thought. "So you're going to leave just like that?"

"Once my credits are transferred properly, yes. I'm still waiting on confirmation," Law said, rolling up the packets and replacing them into his pockets. "But I wanted to…apologize, for deceiving you. And the others."

"Have you told them, yet?"

"No. I can't seem to catch up to them. They went on this celebration binge and, for some reason, it consists of going from island to island to eat at various noodle shacks," Law said with irritation. "Honestly, is eating that important to them?"

Sanji glanced off to the side, thinking about how hard the kids had pressed him to be their cook 'for life'. "Yep. Very important."

Law studied him for a few moments. "You're supposed to be this great cook. I haven't had the personal experience with it, just that shitty restaurant food, but will you take it up again?"

"It wasn't shitty if you kept eating it!"

"Aye, well…I needed to eat and I honestly went there just to stare at you," Law confessed with a slow blush.

How can he be so cold, and yet so awkwardly endearing? Sanji wondered with bewilderment. "I don't know how to take that now that you've confessed to using me to get close to the others…"

"Maybe if you had more life to you as they claim, I'd probably feel different about things. But how fair would it been if I had, and something happened, and you got in the way of my plans?" Law then mused, looking up at the ceiling with a frown. "If they'd suspected my relationship with you, I'm sure it would've been very inconvenient for me. I'd probably just end up killing you, and that would have fucked everything up, especially my relationship with Luffy and the others. So, you see why I couldn't quite give you my feelings?"

Sanji stared at him with a disgusted expression. "I don't know whether to feel offended or impressed or sad about all of this."

"The point is, Sanji, I find you attractive, but your personality is not desirable. It's flat, lifeless and lacking in any sort of humor. Most of the time, it was like trying to warm up to a mannequin."

"Then why are you in here?"

"Because you should know why I did what I did. It's only fair."

"I have this burning need to beat you."

"Not with that leg," Law then said, casting a doubtful look at the cast. "And besides, I'm aware you broke it fighting Doflamingo, but I wasn't there to see it. I still doubt every ability you have besides moping and smoking and bringing order to those damn kids."

"And you still sit there insulting me with a straight face."

"I'll be here for, perhaps another week. I'm hoping those credits are transferred by then. And hopefully your crew shows up so that I may explain my end."

Sanji wished he had a cigarette. He glared at the window. He felt a little stung, but not entirely – he felt almost relieved by the turn of events because he'd felt guilty for not feeling anything for the man, for expressing anything. But he had to wonder if it were an unconscious thing that he hadn't – maybe on some level he knew Law wasn't completely into it.

Then he noticed Law was standing there with a strangely expectant expression. Sanji looked at him with clueless regard, until the other man stood up quickly and made his way to the door. But paused to look back at him again. Then slowly started out the doorway –before looking back at him again.

"After all that?!" Sanji snarled at him. He glared out the window, arms crossed stiffly over his chest. But then he saw that Law was now peeking in on him from the open doorway, and that just made him roll his eyes. He scooted over so that the bed could accommodate two, and gruffly patted the available space.

Minutes later, the man was snoring, looking absurdly vulnerable hugging his leg as he napped. Sanji shook his head, making a face as he realized he'd never understand his own kind.

: :

The next night, Sanji had all his cookbooks and recipe notes lying in piles around him. Law was sitting at the edge of the bed, still in his surgeon's getup, picking out meals that Sanji had to 'try'. Both of them looked up as Luffy marched in, his mouth set in a grim line. He had pond fronds hanging from his messy black hair, and suspicious red fluids staining his white shirt, and his sneakers were smoke stained – but Sanji didn't want to know.

"Sanji, you're not done, yet?" he asked with disappointment, frowning down at the cast. Then he noticed that Sanji had his feet resting atop of Law' thigh; the older man was actually rubbing his feet with one hand and flipping through one of Sanji's favored books with the other. The overall scene looked rather cozy for a pair of men that claimed no physical feelings toward each other. Luffy picked his nose for a moment, squinting as he tried to figure it out.

"Actually, I'm having the cast taken off tomorrow," Sanji said, noticing Luffy's scrutiny. He jerked his feet from Law's grasp. "It's healed!"

"He's only receiving services for the infection, Luffy-ya," Law said patiently, flipping the page.

"You know everyone here can tell that you're not an actual doctor?" Luffy asked, him, tilting his head to observe the very poor concealing of Kikuko.

Law lowered his reading glasses back onto his nose and flipped down his mask. Even with the sword still visible, Luffy was pretty convinced that Law could pass as one of the surgeons downstairs.

His eye twitched for a few moments before asking Sanji, "Can I have a set, too?"

"NO! Wait! That's not what I came in here, for!" he then interrupted himself, hand up. With a deep breath, Luffy placed his hands on his hips and stood tall. "Sanji, I came here to apologize. I didn't mean any of those shitty things I said that day. I was really mad, though. I was mad and upset and I really didn't mean it. I flew off the handle. It might be my hormones. Can boys get periods?"

"NO!" Sanji and Law yelled at the same time.

"Well, I was feeling pretty sensitive, and I'm sorry I said it. I didn't mean it. I was scared that you were going to leave us, but, after all this, I guess you're safe. Which means we're not going to lose you, right?"

"Yes, Luffy, I'm not going anywhere," Sanji said with a sigh, closing up a book. "I believe you and the others need to talk with him, though. He's got a lot of explaining to do."

Law nodded at Luffy, removing his mask and glasses. "I infiltrated your Friends' group to have you help me take down the bad guy. Therefore, I wasn't really planning on taking Sanji anywhere with me. It would've just been a hassle."

"HEY!"

Luffy thumbed his chin with a contemplative expression. Then he held it up. "OK!"

"It's not 'ok'!" Sanji yelled at him.

"See, Sanji-ya, it wasn't that big of a deal," Law then said with a heavy sigh, resuming thumbing through the pages.

Sanji hit him with one of the books. "Because you censored a good majority of it!"

"But, in the end, that's all I care about, Sanji," Luffy said, hands on his hips. "I can trust Law not to lie to me. You wouldn't do that, would you, Law?"

"Nope. Not to your face."

"See, Sanji?"

"But what about me?" Sanji asked, aghast.

"So, where did you get that, anyway?" Luffy asked, slinking over to Law and pulling at his coat. "Me and the boys are thinking of getting our own sets to play with at home."

Law stared at him. "You're going to be playing 'doctor' with each other at home?"

Luffy giggled. "Why does it sound so dirty when you say it like that? Perv."

"I'm not! You are!"

"Don't ignore me!" Sanji roared, automatically kicking Luffy away from the bed with his good leg. The action caused Luffy to fly across the room, slamming into the opposite wall.

"It seems you're in no need of this." Law frowned at him, then used Kikuko to break open the cast. Sanji grumbled as he pulled the broken cast away from his leg. After a few moments of Law inspecting the hairy leg for himself on whether it was okay, Sanji stood from the bed, stretching, then testing his weight on that limb.

Satisfied that he felt nothing out of the ordinary, he brightened. "I feel great! Good as new!"

Both men clapped. Then Luffy pouted, examining Sanji closely. "You're no fun, Sanji! You peeled them all of!"

"My…peeled…peeled what?" Sanji asked, touching himself for anything that seemed out of place.

"All your burnt skin! Zoro let us tear his off – "

"Disgusting!"

"Now that all is well, I'm going to go home," Law said, donning his face mask. "I'll take you both back to his apartment, if you'd like. But in return, I'd like this in lieu of payment for my services."

"What kind of services?" Luffy asked. He sniffed the air suspiciously, earning a foot to the face.

Sanji looked at the pages Law pointed at, Luffy stretching to look as well. "Well, that's simple and easy. I can do that."

Law poked his forehead. "No pickled shit in it, either, or I will kill you."

"You're the pickiest shit I've ever had to meet. It's no wonder I stuck with the basics with you! You lack taste buds and a healthy diet!"

"Sanji, will you start cooking, again?" Luffy asked him, stretching out to gather books and recipes together. "I know you keep saying 'no' to all my requests because you wish I'd die a fiery death from being adorable, but I'll keep asking until even after we've left!"

"Who said anything about you being adorable?" Sanji asked.

Moments later, he was disappointed to see just how much of a mess he'd left behind that one day. He wandered toward his room with an annoyed sigh while Luffy tossed his things in the direction of the bookshelf, and Law finally slipped out of his jacket. Not even seconds later the younger man zipped into Sanji's room, dressed in the coat, the mask around his neck.

"But I am really sorry, Sanji. It was all I could think about," Luffy then said, as Sanji started gathering things for the bath. In the background, both of them could hear the other man drawing a bath. The unrequested action made Luffy's face constrict with confusion as Sanji turned away from the closet, kicking some of the contents back in. "I said really hurtful things."

"Luffy, I was angry, too. At everything. I didn't know how to take it. Yes, it …it did hurt that he'd come back, and I was expected to accept it as 'just so'," Sanji said. "But…I knew better. I knew you weren't being a total ass. It'll be fine."

"Yeah, they all said that you would say that, but…I don't take you for granted. Yeah, Sanji, I'm still mad and disappointed at Zoro, but…but he came back. He came back, and it feels like old times, and…and I can't let go of those times. Those times are the best moments in my life, and, quite honestly, I can't remember what life was like before we began living with you, so you guys are my life!" Luffy said. "It wasn't right of us to think you'd be both when you can only be Sanji. And you were there for us no matter what you were going through. So…so when I said that stupid stuff, it was wrong. And I'll forever feel stupid for saying it."

At this point, he dropped down into the dogeza that Zoro had described. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, for I am just a dumb, stupid kid."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Sanji said with a chuckle, knowing that the position was Zoro's influence. "Get up, stupid kid. It's fine. My feelings for all of you have not changed a bit."

"I promise not to cause a scene like that, ever again."

"Bath is ready," Law said, wiping his hands on his jeans. Luffy lifted his head with that scrunched expression. "I'm going to clean the kitchen and start the rice."

"That's fine, I'll be out in a minute," Sanji said as he headed to the bathroom. After the door closed, Luffy sat up, face drawn with confusion. He tried to figure out what he was seeing, but Law was already in the kitchen doing as he'd said and Sanji was already in the bath. He sat up and crossed his legs, going over the scenes he'd witnessed.

: :

"And so, that's what we did," Luffy finished, picking at his toes. Both Sanji and Law were looking mighty uncomfortable on either end of the couch, the rubber boy sprawled between them as he regaled all of their week's adventures. "'Sop was saying something about continuing on to at least the lighthouse, but I knew it was time for you to come back! Really, I'm super excited that – "

He trailed off suddenly, then jerked away from the couch. "Franky's home!"

"I wish I could say it was past his bedtime," Sanji muttered, brushing off leaves and branches from his lap.

"He's definitely very clingy. More so than usual," Law said, picking up Luffy's outstretched hand on his knee and throwing it off of him. "I've been trying to leave for the past two hours."

Sanji snickered. "Just stay here for the night."

"I'll get the bed ready," Law said quickly, rising from the couch and practically disappearing to the bedroom. Sanji wondered if that was all he was waiting for, and shrugged, figuring there was no harm to it.

He rose from the couch and walked outside, lighting up immediately. He inhaled happily of his vice, hearing Luffy and Franky talk excitedly nearby.

"Hey, neighbor!" Franky said, leaning over his railing to smile at him, thumbs up. "You look really good, Sanji, all nice and healthy and tan!"

"It's good seeing you again, Franky. Thank you for keeping this child in line," Sanji said, pushing on the back of Luffy's head to force him into a bowing position.

"Oh, it's no problem. So, are you ready to hit the kitchen, again? It's all the kids could talk about, when we were sailing to all those food places," Franky said. " 'This doesn't taste as good!' 'Sanji cooks better!' 'At least Sanji makes us wash our hands!' Something about Ebola, but I wasn't listening."

"Ugh. Well…well, I'm feeling motivated," Sanji answered. "Tonight's dinner was…nice. Maybe I'll find myself back at it again, soon."

"We're excited about it," Luffy said. "Look, Sanji, now that I know things are cool – I'm going to head home. I'm going to have that guy send me home."

Sanji waved him off. Franky looked at him closely. "You're letting that guy hang around after all that?"

"He's leaving soon, anyway. And besides, I guess after it all, his intentions were well. And…yeah."

"How's the situation with Zoro? It's like he never left. Did you know we were only supposed to be gone for a couple of hours?" Franky then asked him, utterly stunned. "We weren't supposed to be gone nearly a week! He got us lost! The kids told me to trust him, I trusted him, and we were lost! That's the only reason why we were gone for so long, Sanji!"

"Well, that's what happens…"

"It's not okay!" Franky then examined his mullet long hair for split ends. "So…so it wasn't like we just abandoned you in the hospital. He…he was truly worried about you. He feels guilty for you getting that infection – "

"Well, he should! There was room for two!"

"And he figured with how excited the kids were that they'd only cause a scene at the hospital, and …that's why we weren't there."

"It's no problem at all, Franky," Sanji said, waving it off. "I recovered, I'm doing well. No hard feelings."

"Okay, well…we just feel…like we should've been here. But…I guess you weren't completely alone," Franky then added, gesturing with a thumb at his apartment. "What's up with that, Sanji? Are you moving on, or what?"

"There's nothing there. We're just….!" Sanji waved it off, unsure of what to call it. Franky just snorted, shaking his hair around.

"Whatever you say, Sanji, I'm cool with it."

"Ha ha ha! Why are you naked? Are you and Sanji going to do it?" they heard Luffy laugh from inside of Sanji's apartment. "Don't get him pregnant-!"

"I'm going to remove your special purpose if you keep that shit up!"

Luffy then raced out from the apartment with a determined expression and a hand over his shorts for security, leaping over the railing.

"Stupid kid," Sanji muttered, Franky snickering. "Hey, Luffy! Get home on time!"

"Oi, Sanji! It's good to have everyone back and okay!" Luffy shouted from the ground level, hands on his hips. "It can be like old times, again! Later!"

Sanji wondered if it truly could be.