(This is Sumiko's family from my Quizilla page: polls/23415885/a-dark-past-a-welcome-future-sumikos-family-and-friends)

(This is Vyce: . /files/art/tatsuo_ )

(This is Madeline: image/answers/239000/239436_1304260112081_480_ )

Law awoke to the sound of hysterical laughter, followed by a loud 'thump', and more laughter, the volume of which increased into a shrill giggle that made him cringe. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes and walking into the kitchen, where everyone had gathered around the table. His eyes flared.

Sumiko was at the stove, frying something, while Vyce chopped vegetables and Freyr sautéed what looked like steak medallions. It smelled amazing, but Law remembered the incident where Sumiko had almost burned her face while making eggs in the galley of the submarine.

"I thought I forbade you from cooking ever again?"

Sumiko grinned, not looking away from the frying pan. There were small, pancake like things inside, and she twisted the pan so fiercely that the dough swirled into a ball. Freyr said she did well, and to go faster, coaching her along. Finally, when the small roll-like food was deposited onto a platter, she coated them with honey and crushed walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts.

"Sfințișori," she said. "Usually made for special occasions, but I was craving them." She poured more batter into the pan, grabbed a handful of chopped onion, carrot and small slivers of meat. Freyr took over at that point, making an odd, bread-based omelet like dish that Ian was raving about.

"Il a l'air délicieux!" she cried, standing behind Vyce, who actually smiled. Law felt his eyebrow twitch in annoyance, he hated that Vyce was with Ian, but knew it was hypocritical to say so because Vyce had been against Sumiko being with him.

"Why were you all laughing so much?" Sumiko snickered while Freyr chortled loudly. The blond man clapped his captain on the back and showed off his famous shit-eating grin.

"Your mahmen here was just tellin' us some stories of you as a kid, boss."

Law face-vaulted. There was no expression at all. Slowly, he turned to meet his mother's smiling gaze. "Why." He seemed almost shocked, his face morphing into horror (for Law's exact facial expression, go here: . /tumblr_m4hvzvmEA61r0zt90o1_ ). Madeline merely smiled again and leaned back in a chair.

"Do you get off on making me miserable?"

"Oui, ma petite." She took a sip of water. "They asked, I answered."

This time he rounded on Sumiko (who gave him an innocent smirk) and Freyr (who grinned), "Stop it. That's a direct order."

Sumiko laughed. "Pfft. You and your silly orders. I'm not-" she stopped when law grabbed her chin and tilted her face up.

"Stop it. Or I will tell everyone about the egg incident."

Sumiko got quiet. "Yeah, okay."

Ian sat down with a plate of food. "Mama! Tell me about when Law was small, and got lost in the sunflower field." The murderous glare she received from her brother was ignored, and Madeline opened her mouth to speak.

Madeline had been too busy with baby Ian to play with Law and the 4-year-old had gotten bored of being around his newborn sister and went outside to explore. It was a snowy day, rare for this area of France, but there was enough of the white stuff to make igloos and snowmen. The sunflower fields in the valley were glistening with ice, and as he pulled his coat and snow boots on, Law walked out of the house and into the cold.

It was the entire bunny's fault. Law had seen it at the edge of the meadow and went after it excitedly, like small children often did when confronted with an animal. But the rabbit had zigzagged through the maze of flowers and when it finally vanished, Law had no idea where he was. The path that he always followed, the one that his mother had dug up so he could explore, was gone, covered by the fresh snow.

He spun wildly, "Mama?" he called out, his voice echoing over the silent field. The boy whimpered for a moment, trying to find his way through the mess of footprints. He was getting scared; he didn't know where to go. It was snowing harder now, and the wind stung his face.

"Go that way,"

Law turned, and he looked up as a man with black hair stepped out of the flowers. He was tall, much taller than the four-year-old, and he was very tan for one who lived in Port Llaffan. He had a few scars on his massive biceps, and there were a few tribal tattoos on his skin as well. He smiled warmly, a dimple popping up on his left cheek.

"Bet'cha yer ma is waiting, son. You better hurry."

Law tilted his head at the stranger, and then he scowled and marched off, arms swinging at his sides. Finally, he found his way back to the sunflowers, and he saw the warm glow of the house in the distance. "MAMA!"

Madeline leaned out of the back door as he came charging up the hill.

"Ah, ma petite, where were you?"

Law pointed to where the strange man had been, but noticed that he had vanished. As his mother picked him up and carried him inside, he thought he saw the same figure waving to him, before vanishing in an instant.

Madeline smiled. "The one time you ever saw Manuel was then. He'd come to see how you were doing, and he ended up helping you get home."

Law scowled. "I don't remember."

Is he…pouting? Sumiko wondered.

Ian grinned and then leaned forward, eager to hear more. "So what did his daddy look like?"

Sumiko sat upright. "Ooh! Ian, lemme to an experiment!"

Vyce's eyebrows crashed down. "No." he glared. "You are not regressing her! Do it on your male, I don't care, but you will not-"

"Vyce, shut up or I am benching your ass. That's an order as your Queen."

Ian's eyes sparkled and she turned her face up to Vyce, eyes begging. "Please? Let her do it…"

Vyce groaned, there was no way he could say no.

Sumiko smiled triumphantly and then nodded at Freyr. "How would you guys like to come home with us? See our family?"

Law sighed heavily. He really needed to stop enabling her.

"Pfft, like that's gonna happen." Sumiko giggled.