Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Fourteen

Seems like every day, we make the future of the past

Giving answers to the questions I thought I hadn't asked

-Linnea Good, "One More Time"

xxx

"Oi, Marimo!I'm back!"

Sanji toed off his shoes and was in the process of hanging up his jacket when he was assaulted by a white ball of feathers.

"Oh, not you again!"

"Broo-hoo!"

"Darn pigeon!" Sanji should have known that if Hattori wasn't with Lucci he would be with Kaku, but frankly he'd thought Kaku would have just gone home after training. "Kaku, control your boyfriend's bird!"

"Hattori, leave him," Kaku strode out of the living room and held out his arm, and for once Hattori listened and flew over to him. "Where were you?"

"Out for coffee with half of CP9," Sanji rolled his eyes.

"Safe, then."

"Could hardly be safer," Sanji brushed past him into the kitchen. "You're an interesting bunch, all right,"

"Who was there?"

"Lucci, Kalifa, Blueno and Jyabura."

"Oh, good heavens."

"Pretty much," Sanji agreed with a grin.

"Be thankful you haven't met Fukurou and Kumadori yet."

"If they're as cracked as the rest of you…"

"More so."

"Oh, joy."

"Oi, cook."

Sanji turned to find Zoro in the doorway, obviously fresh out of the shower. His shirt was unbuttoned and his hair still a deep mossy-green from being damp. "Hey," Sanji grunted in response as he looted around in the cupboards for something.

"Don't get too comfortable. We're going right away."

"Zoro, I told you, I have an ess…"

"Forget the essay. I'm taking you out."

"No, idiot," Sanji continued to loot around for food.

"Well, tough. Everyone's gonna be there."

"Everyone's gonna be where?" Sanji finally turned and crossed his arms with a glare at the green-haired man.

"The little club that Shanks co-owns. He rented it out to us for the night so we could have a private function, and only he and maybe Makino are gonna be there so the kids can come if they want," Zoro explained hurriedly, the 'kids' he was talking about obviously their friends who were still underage.

"And what's the occasion?"

"Well, besides the lunch, we never really had a chance to throw you a 'welcome back' party," Zoro admitted. "We were planning something great in a couple of weeks, but with everything that's been going on…I guess Robin and Nami just decided to bump the date up."

"Well, tell them to change it. Not that I'd ever say no to my darling goddesses, of course, but my schoolwork has to come before frivolity," Sanji dug out a cigarette.

"You use too many big words."

"And you have the mental capacity of a goldfish," Sanji replied smugly, holding his cigarette loosely between two fingers as Zoro kissed him. "Oi; oi, you're not going to seduce me into going with you," he put his free hand against Zoro's chest and gave him a light shove.

"Come on, love-cook, just once," Zoro pulled him close again and kissed his neck. "I promise it'll be fun."

"I don't doubt it. But I've got a degree to work towards," Sanji chewed on his lip as if thinking deeply about it. A lout like Zoro who thought with his muscles instead of his brains might not realize how important 20% was to one's mark, but then…he had seen far too little of the old gang since returning to Vancouver, and spending time with all of them under circumstances less dramatic than the ones on Friday would probably be a good stress reliever, but…

"There'll be food and everything catered. Dancing. Booze. Those women that you love in skimpy dresses…"

"Idiot! Don't insult Nami-san and Robin's honor!" Sanji hissed.

"Who knows?" Zoro leant to whisper in his ear. "Maybe you'll even get lucky tonight…"

"Don't push it," Sanji rolled his eyes. Honestly, one night of fooling around and Zoro suddenly lost all his fear of the act. "Even if we get home at 4:00, I'm finishing that essay."

Zoro was about to reply with something when his phone buzzed, and he grabbed it from the counter to look at it and sighed. "Ace says Luffy invited the guys from the coffee shop."

"The more the merrier," Sanji looked resigned. "I guess since my guards are going to be there…"

"I can tell Nami yes, then?"

"Nami-swan! Of course!" Sanji pirouetted rather gracefully in the small kitchen. "To think I could have ever considered telling my angel no! What kind of man have I become?"

"Not a sane one," Zoro grunted as he sent Ace and Nami messages. "There. We're supposed to meet soon, so get ready. I know it takes you a long time."

"Oh, you're such a comedian," Sanji lightly shoved his shoulder. "Oi, Kaku, you in?"

"I don't think so," Kaku glanced at the floor. "I mean, I know Rob and Kalifa are going to be there, but I'm really not one for parties."

"Uh-uh, mister," Sanji grabbed his wrist. "If I'm stuck going, you're coming."

"But I can't go wearing my track suit!"

"Darn right you can't. C'mere," Sanji dragged him into the bedroom and shut the door. "Take that oversized jacket off," he started to root around in the closet while Kaku stared at him, blinking.

"Ah…that is, I…"

"Kaku, believe me, you've got nothing that I haven't seen before. C'mon," Sanji yanked the man close and pulled down the zipper, sliding the jacket off of Kaku's arms before the older man had a chance to protest the action. "Trust me. I'm gonna make you look so good your boyfriend won't be able to keep his hands off of you."

"Sanji, that…"

"You've seen with me with my shirt off," Sanji reminded him bluntly.

"Yes, but that was your choice…" he stammered as Sanji stopped attempting to undress him and set his hands on the older man's shoulders.

"Okay. Here," he turned to the closet and rifled through it, clicking his tongue a few times before he came up with a pair of jeans and a dark grey button-down shirt. "We're about the same size, I think, so the shirt should fit…the pants are a little long for me, but you're a couple of inches taller. Go; change," he pushed him toward the door to the washroom.

"But…"

"No 'buts.' Get going," Sanji called after him before adding, "And take that cap off!"

Once he had gone in and shut the door, Sanji set about looking for his own outfit for the night. He guessed that since it was a club he wouldn't have to dress too formal, but he still wanted to look nice. He eventually decided on a pair of close fitting dark denim pants and a snug dusky blue shirt with buttons and the sleeves rolled to his elbows. If he left the collar open enough he wouldn't need a tie, so he stopped in front of the mirror and fussed with his hair before picking up a pair of dark-rimmed glasses and sliding them on, giving himself an appraising glance as Zoro wandered in. "Oi, Marimo, need some fashion advice?"

"From you?" Zoro turned to look at him and gave him a once-over. "Not if you're going to make me look like that."

"Hush," Sanji headed to Zoro's closet and dug around. "Here," he shoved a plain white dress shirt at Zoro, who wrinkled his nose.

"I thought white made me look like a waiter."

"Only if you wear black pants. Just get a pair of good jeans on," Sanji pulled back and glanced at Zoro as he grumbled and got dressed, and the blonde smoothed down his collar afterward and ruffled his green hair before stepping back to look at his work. "You clean up pretty good after all."

"What's that mean?" Zoro hooked an arm around his waist and pulled him close as Sanji gave him a smirk and leant in for a quick kiss.

"I wouldn't date anyone who couldn't, that's all," Sanji winked at him.

"Anyway, where's Kaku?"

"Bathroom," Sanji went over and pounded on the door. "Oi, Yamakaze, you coming sometime this week?"

"Sanji, I can't go out like this," came the muffled voice.

"What? Doesn't it fit?"

"Well, it does, but…"

Sanji tried the door and found it unlocked, so he pulled it open and glanced at the man standing there. Man, Kaku was nearly as skinny as him when he took his oversized clothing off, but the shirt fit well and clung in all the right places. The jeans did wonders for his legs, too; making them look longer than usual. "Here. Give me a sec," Sanji yanked the cap off of his head and wet his fingers from the tap before taking some styling gel and rubbing it into his hands. He ran his fingers through Kaku's reddish-gold hair, getting rid of the almost perpetual cap-line and rinsing his hands before looking back. Well. Except for the nose, he looked pretty darn good, if Sanji had to say so himself. "Hey, Zoro, come here."

"What now, love-c…woah," he stopped and blinked, staring at Kaku as if seeing him for the first time. "Well. I'd do him."

"Zoro!" Kaku looked traumatized.

"I'd take it as a compliment," Sanji assured him. "I'd do you, too, if that helps."

"It most certainly does not," Kaku was obviously blushing. "I've never worn clothing like this in my life!"

"What did you wear, then?"

"Sanji," Kaku stopped trying to pull the shirt down and glared at the blonde. "I grew up in a fishing village out on Vancouver Island, remember? We got clothes from the local Co-op or not at all."

"Well, you live in Vancouver now," Sanji reminded him. "So dress like it."

"But I…" he was still fidgeting uncomfortably.

"What?"

"Nobody in CP9 dresses like this! They'll laugh at me!"

"Kaku, I seriously doubt they'd be laughing at you. Drooling, more likely," he added seriously.

"Don't say that."

"Look, man, I know that you think you're ugly and stuff, but you're not, okay? Usopp's got a hot girlfriend and his nose is as bad as yours," Zoro put in.

"Not the point," Kaku muttered, turning and walking quickly from the bathroom.

"Well, the view form behind's pretty good, too," Zoro said loudly, causing Kaku to emit a sound somewhere between a growl and a squeak as he tried in vain to pull the shirt lower again.

"Oh, stop traumatizing the poor boy," Sanji went to put an arm around Kaku's shoulders. "Look, if you don't want to wear it, then don't. The last thing I want is for you to be looking awkward all night."

"It's not that I don't want to wear it, Sanji. It's just…" he paused before finally releasing his grip on the shirt.

"Are you actually worried that Lucci might like it?" Sanji asked after a moment, hoping to confirm his suspicions.

Kaku's silence was more revealing than anything he could have said, and Sanji pulled the older man close. "I…" he began slowly. "I have feelings for him still, that much is certainly true. And while I wouldn't doubt that if I made an advance he would take it, I know better than I did last time. It wouldn't last, and one day he'd just drop me again. It's like I'm a toy to him, you know? He plays with me until he gets bored and maybe one day he'll feel like playing again. So I can't allow myself to feel anything for him. I won't."

"Hey," Sanji glanced back at Zoro to make sure he wasn't looking and then lowered his voice. "Did Lucci get a hold of you yet to tell you who I was out for coffee with?"

"No," Kaku said cautiously.

"Gin."

Kaku's eyes widened but he didn't say anything. Thankfully the man had tact, Sanji thought, because he wasn't sure that Zoro would take the news that Sanji had lied to him again kindly. "You know him, then."

"Old friend. I just thought I should tell you."

"Thank you," Kaku closed his eyes.

"Oi, Zoro," Sanji said, loud enough for the green-haired man to hear, and Zoro turned to face them. "When are we going?"

"Anytime," Zoro shrugged. "It's ours after five."

"Give us a minute?" he asked Kaku, who nodded and went into the living room.

"What's up?" Zoro sat on the bed and Sanji dropped to his knees in front of him, resting his head on Zoro's thigh as Zoro started stroking his hair.

"What? Can't a man have a few minutes alone with his boyfriend?" Sanji chuckled.

"That's all this is about?"

"Yeah," Sanji tried to make his voice sound as convincing as it could. He already knew that Zoro was a little disappointed in him that he felt he couldn't trust the swordsman with everything, and as much as he hated lying again, it was something that had to be done. Bad enough that CP9 knew about Gin (or, perhaps, good. After all, the last thing Sanji wanted was for the man to be arrested for something he didn't do) but Zoro and the rest of his friends? He was running too many risks. Because while he was sure that they may have accepted the facts, there was no guarantee that they were safe from Krieg's men. If any of the legendary gangster's lackeys found out either that they knew Gin or that Gin knew them, there was a good possibility that someone was going to get hurt. And he wasn't going to stand for that, not when he could prevent it.

He just hoped that, if the truth ever had to come out, Zoro would understand.

"Look, if you don't want to go tonight, you don't have to," Zoro broke him out of his musings.

"What?"

"You're being way too quiet, cook. If the essay's that important to you, don't come with us. We'll…" his words were swallowed as Sanji pushed himself up onto Zoro's lap and caught his mouth in a strong kiss, tilting Zoro's head with his long fingers firmly gripping mossy hair. Zoro made a small surprised sound in the back of his throat, and Sanji took his moment of hesitation to slide his tongue into the swordsman's mouth, curling it around Zoro's own for a few seconds before he pulled away. "I take it you're coming, then."

"Yeah. Idiot," Sanji draped his arms around Zoro's neck and leant against him.

"Good. Because if we throw a party for you and you're not there it would kind of defeat the purpose," Zoro chuckled, letting his forehead rest against Sanji's. "Oi, are we telling anybody about us?"

"Do you want to?" Sanji pulled back enough to look him in the eyes. "My rep's pretty much ruined thanks to Ace not being able to keep his big mouth shut while I was in Japan, but…"

"Oh, come on, everyone thinks I'm gay," Zoro rolled his eyes.

"Or asexual."

"That's just freaky."

"And you're obviously not," Sanji rocked his hips gently against Zoro and got a small groan in response. "If you want to say something, I won't stop you. There's no point in denying it."

"Guess not," Zoro agreed. "Do that again."

"What? This?" Sanji shifted forward again, sending jolts of pleasure spreading from Zoro's groin.

"Yeah. That."

"Later," Sanji kissed him slowly again before getting up. "We've got to go, and the sooner we get there, the sooner we can get home so I can work on my essay."

"Right. The essay."

"You know, for someone who was afraid to even be in his boxers around me yesterday, you're awfully bold," Sanji leant against the doorframe with a smirk. "Can't resist me, can you?"

"Who can?" Zoro returned the smile.

"Get your hormones under control," Sanji opened the door and wandered into the living room, not at all surprised to see Kaku balancing himself on one hand and watching the TV upside-down. "Come on, circus freak. We're going." He shook his head at Hattori, who was currently perched on the remote and changing the channel every few seconds.

"Who's a circus freak?" Sanji sensed the displacement of air and his hand shot out to catch Kaku's ankle as the long-nosed man gave him an appraising look. "Reflexes are good, I see."

"They'd better be. I have to deal with Luffy's innate ability to knock over everything he comes in contact with. I've had to save more than a few plates from being broken," Sanji let go of the man's ankle and Kaku flipped upright, following the blonde out the door.

000

Sanji slipped through the front door of the club, planning on making it to the bar and back outside with as little fuss as possible. Once they had arrived, Kaku had staunchly refused to go in until he knew exactly who from CP9 was there, and Zoro had told Sanji to go find out and get drinks while he was at it, so the blonde had grumbled for a bit before sliding in.

"SANJI'S HEEERRREEE!"

Great, Luffy. Sanji clapped a hand to his forehead. So much for sneaking in.

"Oh good, now the party can start," Nami made her way over to him. "Where's Zoro?"

"Outside. Give me a minute and I'll get him in here," he assured her.

"Everyone! We're just waiting for a couple more people and then the party can start!" she called, her announcement being met with rousing cheers.

Sanji gave her a nod of thanks and crossed to the bar, grinning at Shanks who gave him a wave as he came over. The red-haired man seemed to be in heated conversation with none other than Dracule Mihawk and Smoker, and he gestured every once in a while with his remaining hand (none of them ever knew what happened to his left arm, although Ace had often said that he suspected it had something to do with Luffy. For once, however, the younger D brother was keeping his mouth shut). "I'm just saying, Dracule, that you can't go around arresting people just because you think they're in a gang. Much as I hate to admit it, they actually have to commit some sort of crime first."

Mihawk looked unimpressed at the statement and blinked his golden eyes slowly before he caught sight of Sanji. "Ah, Mr. Blackleg. Safe and sound, I see?"

"I'm fine," Sanji assured him, sidling up to the counter. "Didn't think you and ol' Shanks here would know each other."

"We go way back," Shanks grinned, the smile lighting up his handsome face. "What can I do you for, Sanji?"

"I'm with Zoro," Sanji said by way of explanation.

"Something strong, then. And for you?"

"Wine, if you have it. Make that two glasses; I'm getting for somebody else, too," he added after a second.

"Roronoa's here, then?" Mihawk smiled.

"Dracule, I'm not letting you fight in here," Smoker warned him, chewing on an unlit cigar. "Much as I'd like to see the two of you square off."

"Oh, I'm quite certain young Mr. Roronoa isn't ready yet," Mihawk assured them as Shanks came back over with the drinks on a tray.

"Here you go. I'm sure you know how to handle that."

"What? This?" Sanji spun the tray on his fingers. "Waiting tables is good for some things, I guess."

"Go get that lug of a swordsman in here and then we can talk," Shanks suggested, and Sanji nodded before turning around, only to be hailed from another table. He held the tray steady and wandered over, setting it down and leaning on the wooden tabletop with one hand.

"Nmaa, I apologize for my attire," Iceburg held out a hand for Sanji to shake and he did so, noting that the city clerk was simply wearing a pair of faded jeans and an old Vancouver Canucks t-shirt. Sanji also noticed with a bit of a start that the older man's upper arms were covered in some sort of patterned blue tattoo, and while he couldn't help but wonder how appropriate that was for a civic official, it was kind of cool in itself. "But Paulie and I were making repairs to one of his boats tonight."

"Still my fault, eh?" Paulie had his feet propped up in a chair as he glared at the blue-haired man.

"It's always your fault," Franky gave the blonde's shoulder a shove while Paulie glared at him, and Robin chuckled politely behind her hand.

"Robin, why are you putting up with these guys?" Sanji asked her. "Just because Franky's your fiancée doesn't mean you have to hang around him."

"That side of the room is a tad too noisy for me right now," she motioned, and Sanji followed her gaze to where Brook was playing piano quite loudly. Luffy, Chopper and Usopp were singing along at the top of their lungs while Vivi and Kaya were laughing. Nami looked ready to hit someone over the head and Kohza looked like he would rather have the floor open up and swallow him than be there. Ace, as usual, was sleeping; slumped over the tabletop.

The only other table in the room that was occupied was surrounded by the four CP9 agents, and they were all glancing at him from time-to-time as he conversed with Robin. "I can see your point. Well, I have to get Zoro and Kaku."

Robin gave him a graceful wave and he managed to walk back through the club without incident, opening the door and striding over to where Zoro and Kaku were waiting. "Here," he shoved the mug of dark ale at Zoro before handing one of the wine glasses to Kaku. "Didn't know what you drank, but…"

"This is perfect. Thank you," Kaku took it with an appreciative smile. "So?"

"The four who were at the coffee shop."

"As I expected," Kaku frowned before taking a sip of the wine. "I can live with that."

"Coming in, then?"

"Only if you stay with me," Kaku returned.

"I'll walk you to their table," Sanji held out his arm with a grin and Kaku gave him a pointed eye roll before taking it. "Come, Zoro. Be our bodyguard."

"Like the two of you need one," Zoro grumbled, but he followed them regardless.

"SANJI'S BAAAACKKKK!"

"Luffy! He does not need you to broadcast his every move!" Nami's angelic shout drowned out Luffy's enthusiastic one as Sanji made a beeline for the table containing the CP9 agents.

"Well, well, well," Jyabura let out a pointed wolf-whistle. "Lookie who finally showed up."

Hattori fluttered off of Kaku's shoulder and perched on Lucci's, cooing loud enough to be audible as Shanks gave Lucci a glare from the bar and pointed up at the sign proclaiming, "No smoking; no fighting; no animals" over the counter (from the look of it, Luffy must have written it) but the dark-haired man merely gave him an off-hand wave and pointed accusatorially at Iceburg, who was petting the white mouse currently sitting in a peanut dish on their table. Shanks rolled his eyes and threw his hand up before resuming his conversation with Smoker and Mihawk.

"You look good, Kaku," Kalifa sounded impressed. "Sanji's work, I presume?"

"Who else?" Sanji had a grin on his face. "You know another person who could make somebody look this good?"

"Che. Come on, dartboard-eyebrow," Zoro elbowed him. "You're not that talented."

"I make you look respectable. That takes talent, Marimo," Sanji returned, smoothing down Zoro's collar again.

"You're a riot, cook."

Sanji didn't reply; just stood there fiddling with Zoro's shirt until Kalifa sighed. "Boys. Just kiss already, will you?"

"You can't hide anything from these guys, can you?" Zoro looked mildly impressed.

"It isn't hard to tell when you're looking at each other like that," Kalifa winked at them. "Come on, liven up the party a little. I'd try to get those two to do it but that would be a lost cause," she jerked her head toward Lucci and Kaku, who were sitting beside each other and yet pointedly looking in opposite directions.

"Yes. It would," Lucci finally muttered.

"So? What d'you think?" Sanji glanced at Zoro, who returned his gaze.

"We said it didn't pay to keep it a secret, right?"

"Right."

"Good."

Sanji hooked his arm around Zoro's neck and pulled their mouths together, hiking one leg up to wrap around Zoro's waist so that he could lever himself up for a better angle. Zoro propped a hand under his thigh to hold him up and set the other in the small of Sanji's back, pressing him close as he let his mouth slide open to admit Sanji's tongue.

The cook, for his part, was a little surprised at how forward Zoro was being. It was one thing to kiss another guy in public, but once you started tonguing, that crossed a pretty important line. Not sure if he wanted to take that step, but unwilling to ignore the invitation, he swiped his tongue over Zoro's bottom lip before deciding that anyone foolish enough to comment was going to end up kicked across town, tangling his fingers in Zoro's hair and crashing their mouths together almost violently.

"My, they put on a good show, don't they?" Kalifa commented idly, a smile on her face. "You boys could take a lesson or two."

"Kalifa!" Kaku was simultaneously trying to avert his eyes and watch intently.

"I think we need to change that sign to include 'no foreplay,'" Shanks said, loud enough for almost everyone to hear, but then it hardly could have mattered: everyone was staring at them regardless.

"Well, finally," Nami giggled, crossing her arms and looking smugly pleased.

"You'd better be good to him, Zoro," Ace, having finally woken up, called.

"Aw, they're so cute together!" Obviously Vivi and Kaya, Sanji thought, although his mind was pretty occupied at the moment.

"Woah. Are they even breathing?" Luffy's voice was much too loud, and Sanji opened his eyes to find him perched on the table and staring at them. Reluctantly pulling away from Zoro, he kicked Luffy off of the table before turning and striding over to where Nami was still grinning at him.

"Congratulations," she nodded her head. "You'll be good for each other."

"But not, alas, as good as we could be for each other," he took her hand gently.

"Maybe not. But it's not like we're unhappy. Even if Luffy is an idiot."

Luffy, meanwhile, had gotten over the kick and was attempting to crawl over the counter into the kitchen. Shanks was fending him off with his good hand while continuing his conversation, the black-haired teen's efforts hardly fazing him. "Zoro can be dense at the best of times, too," Sanji pointed out.

"Do you love him?" Nami asked seriously, gazing up at him through her long eyelashes.

"Love?" Sanji blinked, his hand resting on her shoulder as he glanced at Zoro. "Much too soon for that, Nami-swan."

"Does he love you?" Sanji felt a pair of arms encircle his waist and he leant back into Ace's embrace, a smile making its way onto his face.

"Does Zoro love anyone?" Sanji countered. "And how can you tell?"

"Just be careful with him, alright? This is all a first for him," Vivi had come up, hanging onto Kohza's arm, and Sanji glanced at her questioningly.

"I think what Vivi's trying to say is that maybe his view of what constitutes a relationship isn't what a 'normal' person's is," Kohza supplied. "And I have to admit, I'm not exactly an expert in the department, but it all comes down to what he expects from you and whether or not that's what he should expect."

Sanji gave the Egyptian an appraising glance before nodding. "You're right. I just…maybe I shouldn't have pushed him so hard, but last night he was barely even willing to touch me and suddenly today it's like he's completely taken over by hormones."

"Sanji, what'd you do last night?" Ace asked.

"None of your business. But not that," he added quickly.

"Well, if he respects you, he'll listen when you tell him 'no,'" Vivi pointed out.

"And if he doesn't, I'll knock some sense into him," Ace promised. "I won't let him hurt you."

"Aw, you're so sweet," Nami ruffled Ace's hair. "It's like Sanji has his own personal relationship bodyguard."

"I have enough bodyguards, thank you," Sanji muttered.

"Guess so," Nami glanced over at the CP9 agents. "Nice work, by the way. Kaku looks surprisingly hot."

"Eh, I do alright."

"Hey, you wanna come with me to talk to Shanks? He said he needed to tell me something," Sanji glanced at Ace over his shoulder.

"Sure," Ace nodded, letting go of the younger man so that he could walk by himself.

"Don't take too long, Sanji-kun," Nami said. "This is a party, after all."

"Yeah, and the food should be here soon," Vivi added with a grin.

"Good. I'm hungry," Kohza put an arm around Vivi's shoulders. "That is, if Luffy doesn't eat all of it first."

"I'll get him," Nami proceeded to stalk over to the counter, grab the unfortunate young man by his ear and drag him back to the table.

Sanji and Ace watched impassively before making their own way to the bar, Sanji wondering just what it was that Shanks had to tell him.

Notes:

1. There may or may not be an update next week. I'm on vacation for my 20th birthday (I'm no longer going to be a teenager! Oh noez!) and while it's been promised that the hotel I'll be in has wireless Internet access, sometimes things don't go as planned…hopefully at least if there isn't an update I'll be able to pop on long enough to say so!

2. I've gotten at least a little bit of inspiration back for this story and have written about half a chapter in the last couple of days, so there's hope yet ^-^.

3. That's…about it. Hope everyone enjoyed :) This chapter was quite light-hearted, but there is certainly angst to come…

And just a note to anja: Of course there will be ZoSan! Zoro just has to find his confidence first…