"I changed my data plan," Sanji was saying to Law once he arrived home the next night, keys rattling as he walked into his apartment, "so I will be limiting my calls. Texting is fine, but mostly during your work hours."

"Why the change?" Law asked, sniffing his sleeve as Lamie looked at him from the kitchen, wearing an expression that suggested she could smell him. "Aren't you rich?"

"I was thinking of buying a used car. Something stable. But to stay within the boundaries of my plan, I'll be calling before nine."

"Aren't these things unlimited in the evenings?"

"Not my plan. Are you home?"

"Yeah, I just got in – "

"Thursday still on, right?"

"Yeah, I could pick you up before because – "

"I am not a damsel in distress that needs a ride everywhere, I can find my own ride there. Shit for brains."

Law made a puzzled expression as Sanji hung up on him. He looked at Lamie, who was watching him with what seemed like a sullen frown. "What?" he asked her, tossing his phone onto the table. "Now what'd you do?"

"I didn't do anything," she said immediately, looking down at the counter. Law felt like something was hanging in the air between them, but he was unsure of what it was. She seemed a little jittery, so he had to think back on what he'd done lately to cause her discomfort. "Um…was…were you talking to Sanji?"

"Yeah." Law left it at that because it was weird talking about these things to her. He left her to take a shower and ended up in his chair with a beer, thinking about the changes he was making. He was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to magically turn into a pleasant man that controlled his temper and put his past behind him, but he felt some confidence in that he could do something to at least try and control his efforts a little more.

At least…not throw a rage fit whenever Smoker talked to him. He needed to look into that a little more. With as much space put between them, why was he giving that old man so much power? He rolled his eyes, sipping at his beer as he tuned into the Cooking channel. Last night's dinner with Sanji was great – he couldn't express himself with Lamie there, but he finished every bite.

It made him wonder why the pair, normally chatty, suddenly seemed subdued. He figured Sanji was just being self-conscious – that little outfit of his caused Law's lips to twitch in remembrance of it – and Lamie probably held herself back because…

Well, Law wasn't really sure. He glanced over at her, seeing her bent over her homework at the dining room table. He figured he'd ask later when she wasn't so busy.

The next morning, he talked to Sanji on his way to work, the man going on and on about his neighbors holding some sort of birthday party for one of their kids and cooking something that he wanted to replicate, but was worried over how he came across should he approach them – honestly, the younger man was a walking ball of insecurity for the appearance he put on. He ended up accusing Law of setting him up for "encouraging his behavior", which left Law wondering how the hell he even did that. His thoughts then moved to work once he got there, busy with identifying burn victims from a car crash caused by a road rage incident.

Once he finally ended up thinking about his sister, it was dinner and both of them were eating with Penguin at the dinner table. Penguin was working on a protein shake but looking longingly at their solid food. It finally occurred to Law to really look at his friend to see his weight loss, but all he noticed was that his neck was a little thinner. Penguin often wore layers and it caused Law to realize if he'd ever seen the man wear something fitting to show off any sort of manly figure he had. It made Law realize he hadn't seen Shachi or Penguin wear any fitting clothes in all the time he'd known them.

"Penguin," he said, wiping his mouth. "Were you and Shachi always the fat kids in class?"

"Oh my god," Penguin groaned, slamming his protein shake down onto the table and looking at Law incredulously while Lamie looked at her brother with vague alarm. "Law. We were always the fat kids. Did this now just occur to you? Fucking years later?"

Law gave him a limp shrug. "I just always saw you as your personalities, I never thought of you guys as fat or skinny."

"I…hate you. I hate you for not noticing shit, but since I know you're awkward at seeing anything beyond your scope of selfishness, I'm not even going to hold it against you," Penguin decided on a suffering sigh.

"Law," Lamie admonished softly. Law gave another sheepish shrug, puzzled at his own lack of observance.

"It's not a big deal," Penguin assured her. "He's always been like that."

"It really doesn't work on noses, does it?" Law ended up saying.

"What doesn't?" Penguin asked, a little confused.

"Your nose. It's huge."

"Man, shut up. If you have anything significant to say, say it then. But don't comment on people's appearances," Penguin complained, touching his nose while Lamie looked insulted on his behalf. "Look, I worked out this big deal with Sanji, and it doesn't look like you've changed at all. Have you gone to the gym at all this week?"

Law stuffed his mouth so he didn't have to answer and Lamie did it for him. "I don't think he's gone in all the time I've been here. But it sounds like fun."

"You don't need to lose any weight," Penguin told her.

"Not that you should be noticing that sort of thing," Law warned him with a full mouth, chewing awkwardly.

"Maybe we can go together?" Lamie suggested to him tentatively, fiddling with her fork.

"Maybe we should!" Penguin spoke up, expression lighting up. "It'd be fine. Shachi and I could use an extra workout."

"I don't want to work out with you guys," Law grumbled. "Having you standing over me, judging me while I…lift…something. Probably a free pizza slice…they still doing that?"

"Not your gym, buddy."

"The community center offers certain classes that maybe you and I should check out," Lamie then ventured, looking at Law directly. "Just to do something different than sitting around."

"Better than watching television and drinking," Penguin agreed.

"I don't want to socialize, I don't want to – " Law noticed Lamie's disappointed expression, and he remembered he was supposed to ask about her personal problems. Which reminded him… "Hey. Haven't you been moody lately? Did you get your period?"

Penguin choked on his protein shake while Lamie looked at her older brother with alarm. Penguin kicked him underneath the table, causing Law to choke on his vegetables.

"No," Lamie snapped at him, removing herself from the table, snatching up her plate. She strode into the kitchen to deposit her things then walked to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Penguin looked at Law with a heavy expression while Law made a face.

"I…absolutely…didn't mean to say it that way," he mumbled uneasily. "I just…she's been acting weird, and it wasn't an insult, I was just trying to understand why it's been so fucking awkward, lately."

"Geez, man…what is your problem?" Penguin snapped at him, lowering his voice to do so.

"I keep meaning to talk to her about it but things keep happening. I started taking Anger Management classes," Law then said to him. Penguin looked at him with doubt, then changed it to approval after some moments of consideration.

"That's a good step…"

"Every Thursday. I'm going to see how things work out. So far, it's…well, it's a step, right?"

"What made you do that?"

"Just…road rage…"

Penguin wasn't sure how to take that, but Law shrugged and continued eating. Fiddling with his cup, Penguin then said, "I mean, it's not bad. It's a good idea."

"I think it is."

"I think she just wants to spend time with you, you know," Penguin said. "She seems lonely."

"She should really make her own friends."

Penguin gave him a look of exasperation while Law gave him a look of frustration. "Talk to her about it!"

"I will but I don't want to do…whatever she wants to do but…I don't know…I mean, I'll do what I can."

Penguin looked at him with sympathy, then nodded. "I think the first step is speaking up. It's been, what, six months, now?"

"Yeah, just about…"

"What's her favorite color?"

Law looked clueless, looking at Lamie's school things with consideration. After not finding any hints, he shrugged.

"Her favorite radio station?"

Law recalled not really paying attention when she tuned the dial in the car and shrugged again.

"Her favorite movie? NO," Penguin then said, hand out once he realized Law was going to shrug, "this is something to work on. You live here with her."

"I do."

"Make an effort! Sometimes I think she wants to tell you shit, but she keeps her mouth shut because you're not the most inviting person that you can be."

Law was aware of this problem. "So…like, we talk but…haven't really delved into personal things."

"Then make it personal. You're making good steps, recognizing that," Penguin then amended with an approving nod. "I mean, considering what you were like a year ago – I think you chilled out a lot. That's not saying that crazy bitch has anything to do with it, I just think you made more of an effort to be a better person. Now that I know what's going on, it's that old guy talking to you sometimes – "

"Don't even bring that fucking asshole up. I swear to fuck, the next time he approaches me, I'm going to kill him. I'm tired of him walking up to me and saying shit – he pisses me the fuck off so much, I can't even think."

Penguin shook his head as Law finished his dinner, practically steaming as he did so. "The only reason why someone's words affects you like that is because they're true."

Law realized that Sanji had essentially told him the same thing. He set aside his utensils, looking at his empty plate with disappointment. "I need bigger servings," he mumbled.

"Did you find your bat, yet?"

"No. That's a six hundred dollar bat, Shachi's going to have to pay for it."

Penguin made a face, but it was one of amusement so Law wondered why it was missing. By the time he left, Lamie had finally made a reappearance. Law glanced at her before saying, "I didn't mean to say it like that. I just…you seemed moody, lately."

Lamie frowned at him, then shrugged a shoulder as she took a seat on the couch. "I think that you haven't been around a lot."

Law considered that Lamie was reacting passive aggressively to his absence, and he did have to admit he had been leaving her alone without that same sort of lingering fear he'd had in the beginning. The thought that he'd been lax with his usual tense awareness was enough to make him feel startled.

He'd dropped his guard – surely his life wasn't changing that significantly to think that it would always be this way.

"Well…I've been pretty busy," he said gruffly.

Lamie made another face that Law could only describe as sullen. Something he'd seen a few times when she was a kid and denied something that any little kid would be upset about. So it made him wonder what else he'd done wrong. It reminded him how he hadn't given his friends any consideration until they brought up the little things to surprise him.

He was pretty selfish, he admitted to himself with a shake of his head. He had to work on that!

"Sorry," he added.

"Um…we should hang out together," she then said, brushing her hair from her face. "Just us. Like we used to."

Law wondered how he was going to do that. He glanced at his phone. He wanted to talk to Sanji about their next Anger Management class – please don't dress so gay – but he realized he had to focus on this. "Okay, but…I mean, we live together, so…we pretty much hang out all the time."

"Yes, but…" Lamie trailed off awkwardly, and Law glanced at her again to see why. She seemed suddenly tense, picking at the cushion. "Is it possible to make some time for us to…get to know each other? Like, what's your favorite color?"

"Blue."

"Do you still collect coins?"

Law had a vague memory of keeping a jar at the house they all used to live in. He wasn't sure what happened to it after that. "No. I don't…collect anything, anymore."

"Knives?"

"For self-defense."

Lamie considered his answer. "But you don't seem so vigilant, anymore."

Law sighed noisily. "I know, I see that."

Lamie smiled at him, but it fell away just as easily.

"My favorite color is purple," she then said. "It used to be orange, but…purple has always made me think of mom's favorite dress. It was purple, with the frills…do you remember?"

Law couldn't remember anything positive about their mother, so he shook his head. Lamie continued on with, "It always made me think of the last time we went to the amusement park together, and she wore that dress. We had a ton of fun that day. Eating cotton candy, drinking all that sugary lemonade…I threw such a tantrum at the roller coaster because only you were tall enough to ride with dad and I had to stay behind with mom…I just remember people staring at us because I was crying so hard. It's so embarrassing when I think of it…"

Law struggled to find that same memory. But all he could think of was those days spent at the Donquixote house. The chaos was a loud as the activity at the amusement park, he supposed. Just as flashy. "I don't remember that," he muttered, glancing at his phone again. "The things I remember are mostly from that house. Happier memories with…our parents are very vague."

Lamie nodded with understanding. "I guess it would be tough. Do you remember our next door neighbors? I swear, you had such a crush on the oldest daughter. She was a teenager back then. I don't remember her name…"

Law honestly could not think of this memory, furrowing his brow to do so. Did all the things he remembered have to be the bad ones? Lamie realized that venturing into this area wasn't a good idea – she thought that he might take it as an attack. She didn't mean it that way, but she supposed that the resentment she felt was spilling out through the cracks.

She said hastily, "Um…so, do you want to do the gym thing? We can do that together. I'd like to try running, but not out in the open where other runners will judge me. I'd rather be somewhere where other people are struggling like me."

"I honestly…" Law trailed off. His sister was trying, and he was tired of being told he was selfish all the time. He had to recognize the efforts of others around him and stop being so self-involved.

"Yeah, okay," he then grumbled reluctantly. He looked at his phone again, then considered the time.

"Do you have an important date?" Lamie asked him, a touch impatiently. Law looked at her, then turned his phone face down. He then realized why Lamie had been so moody, lately. He had been taking off most of the time to go see Sanji, leaving her behind to her own devices. She couldn't say that directly without offending him – once upon a time, he admitted, it would have.

"So, that's what it is," he said, looking at her. "You think I've been neglecting you."

Lamie looked chagrined but tightened her lips. "I just…"

"Are you going to tell me that this is a bad idea, too?"

"I think I've already expressed myself about that, and it doesn't matter what anyone else says, you're just going to do it anyway," she mumbled.

"Yeah, because I made that choice. I don't need anyone else telling me what I should be doing or how I should be doing it when I've already made a choice to do it anyway."

Lamie rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "That's what you used to say as a kid, too."

"So, what, you resent me for that?"

"I just…I know it's different here," she said slowly, her face tight, "and it's nothing like it is back there. You showed me the basics, I'm doing this thing to get a gun. But sometimes I feel like you expect me to take the place of you, and I'm not you! I'm scared, Law. I'm scared of them, I'm – fucking awkward here, and you just keep leaving me behind like I'm expected to do this myself."

Law couldn't help but give her a disgusted look. "You were out in the streets on your own, Lamie, how hard can it be here? At least here you have more options! I have confidence in you to do what you need to do, you're not a baby! I can't expect you to be a weak creature if you've been on your own all this time."

"I know that, brother, but…I can't get that conversation you two had out of my head," she then said sullenly. "You might think it's amusing but – "

"Oh, fuck, there's another person here who knows more about this shit than I do," Law grumbled with exasperation.

"If there's a lot of people telling you that this is a bad idea, then maybe you should listen to them! We're saying this for a reason!" Lamie fretted with her hands before saying, "How did that family keep you rooted? What about them made you stay with them? You thought it was great at the time, right? Doffy was always giving you all this expensive shit and letting you get away with murder, with no rules, and Cora spoiled you rotten, too. Yet that environment was a shitty one, and look at you now!"

Law rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "I cannot compare the two."

"I like him, but he is not someone I would want to get close to," Lamie mumbled. "He sees absolutely no wrong with us and is kind of condescending towards women, like we're incapable of helping ourselves. And men – whatever he went through with them, he'll always resent them. So it'll always be your fault when it could be his, and I don't think that's healthy."

"Speak your mind about it now, because no matter what, I'll make my own choices."

"That younger crowd is rather…flamboyant," Lamie continued. "It's almost like they haven't seen what we have. It seems like they'll be upset if anything bad happens, and so they can't see past a surface value. I trust them to a degree but I can't put my faith in them. I get that they're happy and they're distracting but when it comes down to it, can they insert themselves into a picture where it's actual life or death?"

Law understood what she was getting at, and he knew it was fair to think that way of Luffy and the others. Frankly, he never stood around to get to know each Strawhat personally, nor bothered to understand them. He had no idea if they went through hardships; he didn't know if he could trust them to face death in the face. All he was confident was that they were convenient pawns to use if he needed them to be in the way – Luffy was easily excitable, like a dog Law could set loose to cause the chaos Law needed to use. He'd planned that just in case a situation got out of hand with the Donquixote family.

He kept that to himself.

"What matters," he said slowly, "is that they're free."

"Just because something is free doesn't make it good," Lamie insisted.

"This is a lot of pent up resentment for you to show," Law then said. "I thought you were fine with what you were given since you arrived here."

Lamie fell silent, but she wore a resentful expression. She felt that she'd overstepped herself, and worried quickly if Law intended on getting rid of her. She gestured helplessly. "You want me to leave?"

"I'm not saying that I feel challenged by you," Law amended, "you don't have to leave. But nobody should interfere with the way I'm living my life and tell me I'm doing a shitty job at it. I know I am. But it's up to me to decide that. If I make a shit choice, that's my mistake to learn. You can tell me all this shit to express yourself but it's not going to change what I'm already doing."

Lamie fiddled with her fingernails while keeping her gaze lowered to the floor. The tension racketed suddenly, and Law thought that she had more to say but she was locking it up inside of her. Her jaw clenched.

"Fine," she muttered. "That's all I have to say."

"You can't resent me for this, Lamie."

"I can resent anyone I want to. We were separated for years, Law, but you're always leaving me behind!"

"Well, whose fault is that? Wasn't it our parents?"

"They're not here!"

"They're not, but they made the decisions that put us where we are today! So it's their fault, and it's not mine for trying to get my shit back together! If I'm doing something that makes me feel a shred of happiness, I don't want all these fucking people telling me I'm not being happy enough or not doing it right!" Law suddenly bellowed at her, causing her to jerk and cringe. Her face immediately screwed up with upset, tears glittering at her eyelashes. He felt guilty, but angry about it.

He stood up from the chair, swiping his phone. "I'm going for a walk."

He left the apartment with a slam of the door and Lamie continued to sit on the couch, watching her tears splatter over her hands. In the intense silence left behind, she thought about the things they'd said. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to share what she had thought or felt, but she had thought talking them out with him would help Law understand her. Had she overstepped her boundaries? Was it really her place to say anything at all?

: :

"I never noticed this before," Zoro said uncomfortably to the others, Lamie looking up from her pizza, "but those two disappeared together a lot before we actually found out what was happening."

After he said this, the others at the table looked around themselves. Lamie was surprised, her eyebrows lifting as she realized that Law had left the area without her even noticing. Sanji's presence was missed as well, Luffy's mouth dropping open as he stopped chewing. Penguin looked alarmed while Nami was scandalized. Shachi wore a stunned expression while Franky's eyes widened. Lamie wiped her mouth as Ussop slurped noisily at his drink. Vivi held a hand to her mouth while Robin continued eating her salad without showing any reaction at all.

"Oh my," Vivi whispered, looking around herself. "You're right! When did they leave?"

"None of them said anything! No one asked for my approval!" Luffy said indignantly, lowering his pizza sandwich, grease and sauce glittering around his mouth. "You have to ask the captain, which is me, for bathroom permission because maybe I needed to go, too!"

"Bathroom's probably occupied anyway," Robin commented lightly. "It's a unisex stall."

"Ugh," Franky commented while others wore expressions of revulsion. "In the bathroom?"

"Well, I mean…" Nami trailed off thoughtfully, looking around the crowded restaurant. The glass windows were covered in advertisements, which made it difficult to see the parking lot at night. But she could see passerby's legs walking by, so she scanned what she could to see if Sanji were taking a smoke break. "Sanji smokes a lot so he's probably outside."

"Bathroom's out," Ussop reported, watching a teenage girl leave with her younger sibling in tow.

"Not in the car," Vivi continued to whisper, looking scandalized. "Didn't he park in front?"

Zoro hastily patted his pockets for his keys, and held them up. "I drove, so they're definitely not in mine."

"They wouldn't be so rude! Would they?"

"Honey, please," Nami said to Vivi, shaking her head. "When you're an adult and you got to get it, you're going to get it wherever you can."

Vivi gasped.

"I imagine for men it makes things…easier…because it's not that hard," Shachi said slowly, trying to be understanding.

"Not that many buttons to push!" Nami laughed while Vivi's face reddened.

"It makes sense to spice things up a bit," Robin said with a chuckle, Franky looking at her with horror.

Lamie's face stiffened, and she felt uncomfortable as the others continued to joke about it. Penguin looked at her with worry, elbowing Shachi in the side to say something. But Shachi crammed more pizza into his mouth so he wouldn't have to.

"How can you guys joke about it so lightly?" Lamie muttered, Ussop leaning in to hear her while Luffy resumed eating with a cross look to his face. "Isn't it…gross?"

"What's gross about it?" Nami asked her directly, lowering her soda. Lamie realized that Nami had a confrontational tone, looking away with an anxious pull at her hair.

"Relax," Robin told Nami firmly before looking at Lamie. "I imagine that it's fine if two people can show affection towards each other if they aren't bothering anyone about it. Before this conversation can turn into a direction none of us intend it to be, Sanji went to go buy some cigarettes from across the street, and Law is actually over there buying beer without wanting any of us to notice."

Once all of them caught sight of the man leaning behind a support pillar with a half filled mug in hand, attention on the news channel on display on the wall television, most of them looked sheepish. Law would have remained hidden if Robin hadn't pointed out his reflection in the window.

Robin continued to eat while Lamie looked ashamed and Nami relieved that she hadn't made it into a situation she would have regretted.

"Besides," Robin added, "they finished hooking up before the pizza actually came. Shachi has a big truck."

Shachi choked on his soda while Penguin looked startled. Patting his pockets for his keys, Shachi realized that they weren't there. Robin held them up for him, Franky looking at her with astonishment.

"And you're right," Robin continued, nodding at Shachi, "it's easier for men."

He wore such a horrified face while others followed suit that she ended up laughing.

"I'm just kidding. You dropped your keys when you got up to get a refill. All of you must relax," Robin then chided gently, amused at all of them. Luffy stared at her with a pensive expression while he ate, the others around the table sharing anxious looks amongst each other. "All of you are getting difficult to tease. Is there something we need to get off our chests?"

"Lamie?" Nami offered, unable to hide her snide tone.

Lamie considered her battlefield, expectant faces turned in her direction. She sneaked a glance towards Law's direction, then at the entranceway. She felt pinned on the spot and the intimidation factor in facing off against all of Sanji's friends and possibly putting her into deeper shit with her brother made her lips thin and her appetite disappear.

"I'll tell you guys what's up," Luffy said, lowering his pizza to the platter and looking at all of them seriously. Considering his expression, all of them turned their attention his way, Lamie folding her hands into her lap and feeling her skin break out into a light, anxious sweat. "This thing about Law and Sanji put us all on edge. Because it's weird, right? It's weird because Law is a dog, and Sanji is afraid of dogs."

Attentive expressions shifted to confusion as Luffy went on to say, "It's obvious Sanji got bit by a dog, once. You can tell because anyone who got bit by a dog will always react to a dog with extreme caution! And Law is a dog because he bites anyone that gets too close, and he'll attack you if you look at him funny. Plus, he's really hairy."

"Er…" Zoro trailed off, looking extremely confused while Ussop stared at Luffy with a puzzled face. Robin stopped chewing to consider this while Nami and Vivi looked at each other with doubt. Lamie was struck into dumb silence while Penguin and Shachi wore a similar expression.

"But somehow," Luffy continued on, "Sanji lured that dog in to feed it because he feeds everything and everyone that smells hungry, and he dared a pat because Sanji's bad-ass that way, and Law realized that pats are actually nice and BOOM! Sanji likes the dog for being nice to him and Law likes Sanji because Sanji respects dogs who bites! That's why it's weird! I totally understand, but what I don't understand is why people don't respect it."

He picked up a few slices of pizza and turned them into another sandwich before saying bitterly, "I think Squidward needs a leash. I'm sick and tired of looking for him all the time. He never answers me, anymore…he used to at least send me a middle finger emoji but he doesn't even do that…"

"Oh, honey," Namie said with sympathy, patting the top of his head.

"Are we still talking about dogs, or people?" Ussop asked cautiously.

"Now that I know why Squidward doesn't talk to me, thanks Sanji," Luffy said sarcastically, wiping his mouth. "Sanji is my friend first but I found Law on my own. Law needs to realize I like dogs, too, and I like to pet dogs. Why can't he come close to me when my hand is extended? I wash with soap, I know what's up…"

"I'm so confused," Zoro muttered while Robin furrowed her brow.

"I stopped listening a long time ago, someone please get me up to speed," Shachi begged of the others.

"I like dogs," Luffy added with a wistful sigh. "I wish I had a pet. Maybe an iguana. Hey, can you eat iguanas?"

"You can't eat those! What are you thinking?" Ussop screeched.

Lamie looked so lost that she wasn't even sure where to start unraveling this speech to understand it. At that moment Sanji returned, carrying a plastic bag and bringing with him the stench of smoke. Luffy gestured accusingly at him as he took a seat next to Robin and Zoro. Lamie lowered her gaze to the table, feeling awkward with Sanji there.

"Are you allergic to cheese?" Luffy asked Sanji. "Because you never eat with us."

"I ate a slice on my way to the store, idiot," Sanji said, wearing an amused look. "What'd I miss? Everyone looks like they were stumped dumb by something you said."

"Well – " Ussop started to say when Luffy interrupted him impatiently by asking Sanji, "Did you ever get bit by a dog?"

"Yeah, actually," Sanji said, pulling out his leg and lifting his foot up to show off a long faded scar. "Here. It was one of those lap dogs. Savaged my ankle so bad that I never did like the things after."

"What a pussy," Zoro commented with a snort. "You can't even see anything underneath all that damn fur."

Luffy looked at everyone with a smug expression, causing confusion to grow more intense. "See? Told you!"

"You're not gossiping about me, are you?" Sanji asked suspiciously, sliding his leg back underneath the table.

"Yeah, we were," Luffy said on a challenging tone. "That's what happens when you take off all the time. You have all the time in the world to go get your cigarettes, and you decide to do it right at family dinner. You're so rude, sometimes."

"I'm sorry," Sanji had to laugh while Luffy looked pouty. "I won't do it again."

"Make sure that you don't. Larry, did Law eat?" Luffy then asked, leaning over Nami to do so.

When Lamie managed a limp shrug, glancing in the direction of her brother, Luffy snatched up all the remaining pizza anyway. He spit on it, much to the disgust of everyone sitting there.

"Well, too bad for him," Luffy decided, satisfied with claiming his territory.

"Sanji, are you afraid of dogs?" Ussop asked tentatively.

Sanji rolled his eyes. "I'm not afraid of dogs."

"Spiders, on the other hand," Zoro spoke up, then laughed while Sanji looked mortified. "You should hear the octave leaving him when he sees one! What a sissy!"

"Yeah, I got bit by a dog once, but that only made me cautious, not afraid," Sanji corrected, kicking Zoro underneath the table.

Luffy gestured frantically at himself, indicating that he'd told them this. Sanji gave him a puzzled look.

"Why are we talking about dogs?" Sanji then asked on that bewildered tone. "Did someone get bit?"

"I'm actually very lost in translation," Franky murmured, wearing a dazed expression.

"Guess I shouldn't disappear so much," Sanji said, brow furrowed with mystification.

: :

During their Anger Management class, the group members shared what pissed them off that week and they were instructed on meditation techniques. That was followed by an activity where they had to share a little of their fears and doubts, but it wasn't a completely successful action. Instead, some of them left in a huff and had the rest leaving angrier than when they came in. The sweet-faced woman looked upset, and Law ended up waiting for Sanji while he stayed behind to comfort her.

Once they finally began leaving the facility, Law thought to send Lamie a warning that he was going to be late returning home. All he got in response was a simple "k", which prompted a clenched sound of exasperation to leave him. Sanji lit up a cigarette, watching his reaction.

Law reached out and closed the door behind him with a firm tug. Moments after they walked away from it, it was shoved open with a bang that prompted Sanji's surprised attention, seeing a man stomp off after a disgusted look in their direction.

Law had kept glaring at this man throughout the group session, but Sanji wasn't sure what the problem was between them. Law wasn't going to tell him that the man had been personally offended by Sanji's ugly loafer and sock combination. The blond was wearing them along with a pair of orange shorts and a flashy print Hawaiian shirt, hair tucked underneath a ball cap. Since Sanji took himself seriously wearing this shit, Law had to support him. He was secretly amused by the ugly spectacle, but he wouldn't admit that out loud…

"My sister is mad at me," Law mumbled in response, tucking his phone back into his shorts pocket.

"What'd you do?"

"Where do I start? You can't please women any more than you can please men."

"She's not just 'women', Law, she's your sister," Sanji stressed with a roll of his eyes. "She's in a different row than just 'women'."

"Who the fuck does she think she is, trying to manage what the fuck I do?"

"This again…"

Law fiddled with his goatee, looking pensive about it. "I kinda miss my old life, where I stuck to my-fucking-self and wasn't branched out in a million fucking directions. All I had was softball, my job, and those two fat asses as my company."

"Mr. Popular," Sanji said on a snide tone. "However will you handle it?"

Law wondered if he should tell Sanji the content of the argument, but it felt like it was none of Sanji's business.

"She works tonight," Law then said, lifting his eyebrows. "Doesn't get off until 11…?"

Sanji instantly cheered up, tossing his half smoked cigarette aside. "As long as I'm out of there by ten-thirty, let's make this happen."

: :

Once he heard Law hop in the shower, Sanji got dressed and shoved a cigarette between his lips. The sooner he could leave, the better he felt being out of the apartment. He felt some guilt in the matter because he didn't want to cause the siblings any more trouble than they were already in with each other. He slightly envied them, though, he had to admit that. As awkward as they were, after being estranged for so long, at least they were attempting to be considerate of each other's feelings and wishes.

Unlike his own siblings…

As angry and resentful as they were with each other – Sanji was positive he was one of those problems - they could still express themselves to each other and were attempting to work it out. Awkwardly. But…

He slipped on his loafers, adjusting the height of his socks, then winced as he stood. He had to brace himself against the nightstand, the intense heat of vertigo hitting him suddenly. Despite it, he grinned because he would not regret that. He would have to ask Law if the neighbors looked at him funny after this.

With uncomfortable steps, he left the bedroom and made his way through the dark apartment to find his car keys abandoned on the floor between kitchen and living room. He found his shirt, too, yanking it on while stumbling towards the front door.

Something powerful and ominous hit him before he could make a move to open it. The locks were secure – he vaguely remembered that Law had yanked them into place – but there was something that made all his senses ring. With every part of him on full alert, he stared at the closed door. He felt like all his hair was standing on end. There was nothing to indicate what was out there, but Sanji knew this feeling very well. The very doorframe shifted with heavy weight, causing a creak that startled him despite himself.

The knock was slow but light – centered high above the peephole.

"I can hear you moving around in there," came a low, deep voice. It was slurred slightly, but it made Sanji's nerve-endings tingle with danger. He shivered, taking a step back. He was startled at how heightened his senses were, how scared he felt. He swallowed tightly, glancing back towards the bedroom. He could hear the shower running, Law's actions dedicated to a good cleansing.

Sanji's mind raced with impulsive thinking. He swallowed tightly once more.

"Hello?" he called out tentatively.

The doorframe shifted once more.

"Open up, please."

"I'm sorry, who is this?" Sanji asked, hating how tentative his voice was. His fingers clasped around the doorknob, and it rattled underneath his grip.

"Law. Did you lose your balls? Your voice is so very different from what I remember."

"I'm sorry, but you must have the wrong apartment." With much effort, Sanji unlocked the door to open it, just enough to show himself. His head tilted back with utter surprise to look up into the face of a very tall man.

Everything about this man's structure was seemingly carved out of steel. Obviously drug-infested steel – his face was spotted with angry red marks that were indicative of a horrible habit, hair greasy around his ears and forehead. He wore sunglasses, but Sanji could tell that this man's eyes were rimmed with many sleepless nights. He reeked of cigarettes and an unpleasant metallic smell that made Sanji's eyes burn. Every movement this man made was sharp and unsteady at the same time, jaw twitching from side to side. He wore a flashy pink shirt underneath a white leather jacket that didn't make sense in the fading summer heat. His skinny jeans seemed absurd with his motorcycle boots. He was so bow-legged that he stood with a hunch. Despite his gaudy appearance, this man rang every one of Sanji's danger bells.

"Ah," he mumbled, looking at Sanji with indifference. "You are not him. This is the right apartment, though…?"

"I…don't think so…? I moved in not too long ago," Sanji stuttered, wincing at the sound of his own voice. "Geez. You fucking stink, man. Did you drag yourself out of a gutter heap? If you're looking for your next hit, it ain't here no more."

Those sunglasses lifted slightly to show blood-shot and black rimmed eyes. They dismissed Sanji and coursed over him to look into the apartment. But something told him that Sanji was telling the truth, because he looked back down at the man with a slow moving frown that seemed illogical against the twitch of his mouth.

"Sorry 'bout that. Guess I did," he drawled on slowly, taking a step back. "Just…looking for my nephew. Must have moved before I could get here."

"Go take a dip in an acid vat to get rid of that problem you have," Sanji told him. "Are you from Florida, per chance? You remind me of a flamingo."

The man wasn't amused by anything Sanji said. He only looked at him with a stoic expression, then slowly turned and made careful steps away. He ended up having to use the wall for support, hand sliding noisily alongside him. He bumped his head on a neighboring outside light, the bulb cracking noisily as it burst. He steadied himself, but continued walking the length of the hall away from the apartment.

After making sure the man was gone, Sanji shut and locked the door behind him. He realized the shower had ended, but Law had yet to emerge. Hand over his heart, Sanji sought to steady the rapidly pounding beat with some slow breathing. He wiped his forehead with his forearm, wondering if that was the stepfather.

Law finally emerged from the bathroom and looked over at him with surprise. He was pulling on a faded polar bear shirt that hung over a pair of faded basketball shorts, obviously intending on going back to bed. "Didn't I dismiss you?"

Hurriedly, Sanji crossed the space between them, and in the light streaming from the open bathroom, Law noticed his expression. "You had a visitor. I lied, I told him you no longer lived here but that fucking guy was creepy as fuck - !"

Law's expression turned into steel, but he pushed past Sanji to reach up to one of the hallway lights, withdrawing a hand knife. Moving towards the front door, he found another taped underneath the dining room table, tucking that into his shorts pocket while flipping open the first, locking it into place. Sanji was horrified because he was quite sure he was going to be the only witness to a gruesome murder, and his mind momentarily stumbled.

"Tall? Meth problem? So fucking ugly it burned your eyes?"

"Yes! But - !"

"What direction? I'm going to kill him this time, I swear…" Law trailed off, and was already out the door before Sanji could stop him.

"NO! Wait! Wait, don't go chasing after him! Get some shoes on - !"

Realizing he wouldn't be able to catch up once Law raced off after seeing the broken light bulb down the hall, Sanji retreated back to the apartment. He found Law's phone in the living room, but it was locked with a code he would never decipher in time. He found his instead and made a phone call while he made an awkwardly mad dash after the other man.

HS: All of these characters are so awkward, unable to "talk" properly because they'd either been forced into silence or voiceless caused by their past. But they're getting better – making little improvements here and there. The pair have already improved significantly since the first few chapters. Misunderstandings can always be cleared up but idk in this fic…the song the title is based upon is a little ominous and just right for the overall mood. Lamie and Law have a lot to work on but one clamps up and the other explodes and neither have quite learned how to balance their emotions to have a steady conversation. Which makes things interesting…

Naghi-Tan: Just a little! You're right, because she doesn't really know Sanji, she doesn't know what Law knows of him so all she has is her own perception of him. Unfortunately, he doesn't give the clearest ideas of who he actually is – especially when his friends have to check in on him to make sure he's doing what he says he's doing D: You know him – wants to please others despite a show of not caring…

Greeny: Ha ha! Stop! Because I'm already detecting holes XD Sometimes I miss things and then when I remember I have to hastily adjust – it's stressful lol! Sanji is maturing – I'm so proud of him – and other people on the outside are just making assumptions because Sanji's actions are very…loud…but they're the way they are because of what he allows. He only reserves showing his "crazy" to Law lol (I love him, he's so emotionally unbalanced) Smoker knows what he's talking about but admittedly… even he might have some hidden motives himself. There's a reason why he keeps popping up despite Law's show of force. D: