A/N: Wow. So, this is the conclusion to this crazy story. I can't believe it went on for so long. Thank you to all you readers, subscribers, to everyone that took a gander at this odd adventure. I hope you enjoyed it! I totally understand that I might have left some ends frayed – but that's because there's a possibility in the future that there *might be a sequel. I like having options! Otherwise, you are welcome to come to your own conclusion. :D (especially between Zoro and Sanji)
Naghi-tan: Thank you for reviewing practically every chapter! I absolutely am grateful I got to hear your thoughts on every one. Thank you, friend, for your devotion to the story.
RR: Thank you for sharing your thoughts and sending me all the notices about things I'd missed – you were extremely helpful! I'm very grateful for your attention to detail – it's awesome to have a second pair of "special eyes" for this long of a story!
All the guests that left a review: Thank you all for sharing with me your thoughts on every chapter you read! I loved hearing from all of you! I'm glad ya'll enjoyed this crazy adventure, b/c I never thought I'd write this type of story (I always steer clear of mpreg subjects). Thanks for all your time and attention :D
Happy Balon: Your last review cracked me up! Thank you for leaving your comments – it was amusing hearing from you! Maybe one day I'll consider a sequel, but it only depends on my projects and interest – this mpreg subject was really crazy, for me. Thank you again!
Cheers: Thank you for always leaving a comment after you've read, and for every story you reviewed that I hadn't been able to answer (I miss my laptop!) Thank you for taking the time to read through all of them, and no matter the opinion you have, thank you for sharing with me your thoughts! Unfortunately, this is the end of the story, but as you've learned by reading everything, there's always something else for me to delve into. Thank you for your support!
Thanks to all of you, this story is complete!
: : 36 : :
It was on an island they hadn't yet hit when both crews arrived. A celebration was necessary, and supplies were needed. Sanji was surprised he wasn't hit with the temptation to venture out, though. He understood that he needed rest, and he wanted time to bond with Soraji after the time he'd lost. He was quite aware that he'd nearly lost his life – but it was significant to have them all understand that that wasn't important, now. Law had assured him he'd get his legs back, soon; he only wanted Sanji to rest. Sanji noticed that this seemed the only way to get the older man to relax, himself; he seemed to be harboring some fears that Sanji would get up and walk away, but to be truthful, Sanji didn't have the capacity to get up and do anything.
After their initial meet, the room filled with the Strawhat crew. Lola was surprised to see that Soraji was settled despite the thunderous noise of the crew's voices and rambunctious cheer – the baby was used to the activity. It didn't bother Sanji in the slightest that there was only one person missing – he didn't give it another thought. Well aware of what he did, Luffy did clumsily apologize, but Sanji easily forgave him because everything was fine, now. He finally revealed the baby's name, and was annoyed with their disappointment. They'd grown used to referring Soraji as 'King', and had decided amongst themselves that they would still call him that. King Jr was still missing in action – no one had any idea what had happened to the doll. Law looked to Robin upon this revelation, but Robin only smiled as brightly as the others.
As he was being passed about, Soraji seemed at ease with each person that took their turn to hold them, acknowledging them with kicks and squeaks. Nami cried when it came to her turn and made comments on Soraji's hair, but she couldn't stop patting it. Jokes were made about the men's relationship, teasing them about having an 'affair' long before it was revealed to them. Jinbei was the only one to hurriedly pass the baby along, timidly admitting that his size scared him. Chopper was delighted to have someone smaller than him, Soraji taking an interest in his appearance. All of them had bets on the color of his eyes, which Lola assured them would turn in a few days.
In the quiet afterward, Reiju held her nephew in her arms, holding the bottle as Soraji fed. Lola had taught Sanji to swaddle the baby after changing him, so he was tightly encased in the blanket Bepo had given Sanji months earlier – which did have his father's scent on it, being that it had been laying amidst his pillows on his bed.
"He's lovely," Reiju said fondly, beaming with delight. "He has your features, but I'm sure there will be changes once the swelling subsides…"
"Thanks for being in there with me," Sanji told her, shifting about in the bed. Law had left earlier to get him some food, and his crew was babying him all the way out. They'd seemed to have forgotten their threats to steal off with Soraji. "It felt like some sort of dream all that time."
Reiju glanced at him curiously. "I wasn't. No one was allowed in. The crew was adamant that we all stay outside. Besides that, I was trying to keep myself from killing your captain."
"You were there," Sanji told her with a puzzled look. "I remember that."
Reiju studied his expression. He truly believed that she was – he frowned at her for not giving him anything in response. Her lips curled lightly. "Think about it, brother. It couldn't possibly have been me."
Sanji continued frowning at her, wondering why she would deny her own presence. It wasn't weak to admit that she was worried about him, to forgo the Heart Pirates' orders. He remembered very distinctively looking up into her face, feeling her fingernails in his hair, rubbing his scalp. Chills suddenly raced through him before he could fully acknowledge the thought that perhaps it wasn't his sister there with him. But he didn't believe in ghosts.
Soraji finished the bottle, and it emitted noisy squeaks as air was pulled through the nipple, Reiju removing the bottle from him. Starting a mewling protest, the baby kicked against his blanket before Reiju shifted him up to her shoulder to burp him. Once he did, sputtering out formula messily, she cleaned him before returning him to his father. Carefully, Sanji held his son close to his chest, Soraji's eyes already closing as his lips sucked at nothing. He lifted him within the crook of his arm to smell the lingering traces of formula, the smell of Soraji's skin.
Reiju watched silently, hands folded in her lap. Her brother would make a wonderful father. She was so delighted to see this for herself that she felt any lingering traces of doubt leaving her. And despite the crews' crazy adventures, their antics, she was satisfied that Soraji would be loved and cared for by everyone.
Well…nearly. She'd noticed that only one was missing this entire time. She would have a talk with Zoro before she left. She reached out and touched the bed to catch his attention. She would need to have a talk with Law, too. Dismantling her brother just so he couldn't go anywhere was mildly disturbing, and it annoyed her that Sanji didn't even mind the implication it made.
"I'm proud of you, brother," she said. "You'll be a wonderful father."
"Thanks," he told her, more involved in memorizing his son's features than paying any attention to her. She wasn't bothered. She smiled at him brightly before leaving the room.
Nearly an hour later, as he was being lectured by Penguin, Chopper and Law over the care of his healing wounds, the reindeer made a face. He looked to the bassinet sitting nearby, where Soraji was shifting about as he started to wake up. Holding his nose delicately, he cleared his throat noisily, gesturing in that direction. Penguin hastily retrieved a cloth diaper while Law retrieved the baby, catching whiff of the strong scent.
He held him securely as all of them prepared for Sanji's first changing event, Penguin and Chopper distancing themselves from the bed with amused looks. Sanji waited for Law to settle the baby down within reach, then noticed the dark streak on his shirt.
"Oh, this is going to be messy," Law muttered, catching sight of the liquid matter all over the baby's blanket, back and diaper.
"If you think this is bad, just think of when we changed his first," Penguin told him. "The meconium was everywhere!"
Sanji looked at it with dismay, hesitating once Soraji started to fuss. He took a deep breath and fiddled with the supplies Penguin had given him. Once Soraji was free of his bounds, he kicked about as Sanji examined the rest of his son. He laughed. "Well, he isn't small all over, isn't he? Hah!"
"We should talk about the benefits of circumsion," Law said.
"He is going to satisfy the ladies later in life!"
"I think it depends on the ability, not the size – "
"Oh, hush, what do you know about – ?"
"I think I know enough – "
"Only guys would brag about that sort of thing, eh?" Penguin whispered to Chopper, who didn't understand why the length of one's member was being discussed so earnestly between the two men. "Because I never hear mothers talking about it."
"I suppose…I'm only concerned about the length of time it's taking to change him," Chopper said. Moments later, Sanji tried to cover Soraji quickly as he was hit by the first warm stream, Law evading splatter by leaping to the side.
"ARGH! It's hot! It – it's in my mouth!"
Amidst the heaving and shouting, Penguin hurriedly removed a startled Soraji from the bed, satisfied that the baby was finished marking his own father with his urine. He and Chopper completed the cleaning and re-diapering as Law tried to help Sanji clean himself. The man promptly burst into tears, his shirt and hair wet with urine. Despite his trepidation to do so, he hastily retrieved the man's legs for him while Chopper and Penguin busied themselves with distracting Soraji.
Half an hour later, hastily showered, refreshed and dressed in clean, comfortable clothes, Sanji resettled back into his bed, sniffling. "That was a hard lesson to learn."
"You'll be fine," Chopper assured him, pushing the bassinet back to his bedside, Law and Penguin discussing the baby's fingernails. "What matters is that this sort of thing is normal. This is your life, now. You need to be used to all sorts of fluids being dumped upon you. No more of this crying nonsense, Sanji. Women have been doing this for centuries. Now you know why they don't mind getting dirty."
Huffing at the stern lecture, seeing that the blankets had been changed in his absence, Sanji took the advice to heart. His chest ached so badly, swollen and hard to the touch, but the milk drying pills Chopper had been giving him helped only slightly. He felt miserable – he'd thought that his body would return to normal immediately after, but the reindeer had informed him that it'd take months before the Tobbleborg dried itself into his organs, only refreshing itself for later use when the time came. He'd made it very clear that he'd live with the thing, but he was not considering another child. EVER.
As his body's hormones started to resettle, the loss of weight being only that of the baby and the Tobbleborg's life-sustaining fluids, his insides felt relieved. He'd had the most satisfying shit he'd ever had in his life – it felt uplifting that his intestines were back in working order. He felt so much lighter and had to brag about it, the others joking about it until Penguin answered his mini-transponder snail, Bepo screaming at him to stop hogging Soraji and come out to help them. He left with a cheery wave as the others resettled.
"The celebration will probably last all of tonight and tomorrow," Chopper added. "Which will give you plenty of time to go out and get some fresh air. Bepo and the others have already rearranged your room to help you get to things faster when you need them. This is it, Sanji. Are you ready?"
"No."
"That's too bad! This is what it means to be a father!"
"I know, but…" Nervously, Sanji looked over at the fussing baby, who valiantly fought to escape a sloppy swaddling. Law couldn't correctly pull the sheet back into place, and it was causing a frustrated frown on his face. Lola had done it so fast that Sanji was sure he could mimic the process, but seeing him do it looked intimidating. Soraji was so small, delicate – what if he pulled the fabric too hard? Not hard enough? What if he couldn't do it? Would the baby live the rest of his life not swaddled correctly?
A nervous sweat broke out over his forehead. Chopper patted his knee with a sigh.
Hours later, Sanji could hear all the happy chatter coming from the open doors. Normally, he'd have loved to be in the midst of it; but he was too busy trying to catch some rest after Soraji had fussed before finally going back to sleep. Both crews were hoping to see them up there later, but Sanji didn't feel up to it, just yet.
'This is the easy part,' Lola had scoffed. 'All babies do is sleep, eat and shit for the first part of their lives! As they grow, you'll find it hard to get any sleep, any food, and you're going to be absolutely miserable as you learn to grow with them! For now, sleep when he does, forget about your vanity, and kiss any comforts goodbye!'
He had just settled back against the pillows when he felt his presence. He moved to sit up when he heard Soraji start to move again, stirring restlessly. Sanji glanced over at him before he caught sight of Zoro in the doorway, looking awkward.
"Cook."
"Moss."
Uncertain of what to say as Soraji started to fuss, Zoro struggled to come up with a form of 'congratulations'. But he was tense and stiff, and looking at the other man was like looking at a complete stranger. Hearing Soraji start to cry made him nervous. He didn't know how to conduct himself around babies – even with the experience he'd had years earlier. Sanji pulled the baby from the bassinet, unsure of how to comfort him when Soraji was already fed, burped and his diaper felt dry. So he rocked him in his arms, feeling his feet kick from underneath the blanket.
The words left Zoro, leaving him blank. It seemed so bizarre to see the cook with his own child, to know that he was already a father. It felt like he'd just gotten used to Sanji being pregnant –to see him now holding onto a fussing baby made him uncomfortable. Without saying anything he left, Sanji looking after him with a puzzled frown. But he noticed that Soraji seemed to settle, and he wondered if all those fights and all that tension between them had left an everlasting negative impression on the baby.
If Soraji were able to acknowledge every one of the others, he supposed so. But it made Sanji feel guilty. He told himself he should've tried harder to make a better impression with Soraji over Zoro. All those fights they had while he was pregnant with him now seemed stupid and pointless; he felt like he'd made a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe if he had a stronger mind, he wouldn't have let the man affect him so much; guilt ate at his stomach as he lightly rocked Soraji in his arms before replacing him back into the bassinet. At the same time, he felt his back stiffen because Zoro was not going to treat Soraji the same way he treated Sanji. This man would not hold Soraji back or demean him in anyway when it came to his deluded way of thinking. If Zoro thought to harm Soraji in this manner, Sanji was going to ruin him without hesitation.
He resolved to fix this when he had the energy to do so. Right now, he was just too tired.
: :
Later that night, watching over the massive celebration that drew in various people from throughout the island, Zoro thought about how things had changed. The relationship he'd had with the cook couldn't be considered one when he thought about how secretive it had been. How uptight and scared he was, how insecure with his own failures as a man. His view of masculinity hadn't changed since he started out with Luffy in a small tugboat; it had only grown more skewed with his own accomplishments and future goals.
Yet, out of every one of them, he'd failed at something.
This thing they'd started had been about hormones; it had been the exploration and discovery of them, and he'd started it out of all the wrong reasons with the wrong person. Zoro had to acknowledge that it was his fault in the first place for thinking so casually of the situation when Sanji wasn't the type to take it in the same manner. Sanji had never hid that aspect of himself; he rarely held himself back when it came to expressing himself or holding those things he considered precious close to him. And Zoro acknowledged that he'd hurt Sanji the way he had – and Zoro knew he had to work on that part of himself that did this type of thing so casually to others.
But he also acknowledged that his feelings for the man had been there – he had felt something more, but it was his own fault for ruining it the way he had. He'd caused the most damage – he was the reason why Sanji looked at him differently, now. There was a different feeling to Sanji now that made him utterly aware that Sanji would not forgive him as easily as he would with others; just seeing him earlier, the tense, rigid way he'd held himself was like approaching a bear with a cub.
It was dangerous now, and Zoro had caused it for himself. Whether or not their tension would continue for as long as they were on this adventure together would now be the weight he had to carry. Sanji was going to attack him the moment he felt his child was threatened – there was no doubt to it. He had done what he could to try and fix what had happened between them, but Zoro knew he was the cause of Sanji's final straw.
Admitting all of this was a hard blow to his confidence. To admit he was wrong, to shoulder the weight of his mistakes, to know that he'd have to find some way to fix it – being the person he was, how was he supposed to do that? This was a different sort of battle that he had to learn to fight, and it was mainly with himself. This fight wouldn't be with any type of sword and he was absolutely clueless without one.
But there was one thing he had to admit – seeing the cook happy with someone that made him smile like that felt like an intense relief. Whatever Zoro had done to him wouldn't be the roadblock to any future relationships Sanji would have. And it honestly filled him with a different sort of happiness, because he felt the cook deserved it.
He could've done without Sanji's choice, though. That was a different situation all together. Whatever those two saw in each other wasn't something obvious to the rest of them, but if an emotion could change a person so completely so that they did not care what damage was done to their image…then he could stand back and learn from it himself. It just bothered him immensely that he would have to take this lesson from a man he did not trust or even liked.
Lessons existed everywhere, Mihawk had told him once. Zoro only had to accept and acknowledge them, use it to either better himself or let them continue to damage him.
He exhaled deeply.
This new road ahead of him was something he'd never imagined ever taking – it had nothing to do with his sword, nothing to do with his goal, but if it meant to repair damage he'd caused, then…this was just a road he would definitely have to conquer.
: :
It was a year later, months after they'd found the One Piece that the world was slowly coming back to order after being greatly upset; all because of one boy's dream to be King, and because of all the details along the way that were revealed and scattered through one mess after another.
Alliances were broken, friends were made and lost; mourning lingered long after the battlefields were repaired by time and effort. But the happiness was even greater than that. With the world coming back into order as years long declarations were broken and remade with better intentions, the seas were still vast and filled with promise and more adventures.
After all the battles, tears and laughter experienced just to find one man's treasure, there was a sense of settling down that lingered over Sunny's ravaged decks. Iceberg had promised another ship for Luffy to use as he sought peace within himself. It wouldn't hold the same atmosphere as Sunny had through all their joyous days, but it had opportunity to make more memories for the crew that remained. That was what really mattered.
As a result, the island they'd chosen to post while waiting was grounds for another celebration – Soraji's first birthday. The islanders were grateful to be the crew's chosen hosts – the beach was wide and the water shallow, so when Soraji made a break for it at the first opportunity, the friendly turtles and their smaller rabbit riders were the first to raise an alarm. The boy had evaded the watchful eye of his crewmates – and the nice suit his father tried to dress him in – and had just touched the edge of gently lapping waves when he was scooped up and tossed high into the air, causing him to shriek with delight.
"Where are you running to?" Luffy asked Soraji, catching him as the rabbits sighed with relief, their turtles slow to turn away from the wall they'd formed to prevent the toddler's escape into deeper waters. All the battles he'd had left had left him with more scars, but his smile was still wide and his outlook on life was still optimistic – the hat he'd treasured was long gone and replaced with a newer version; his own creation to pass onto someone else later in life, when it was time for someone else to find the treasure he himself left behind after One Piece was discovered.
It would take years for a newer generation to realize what the treasure was really about. Luffy or his crew would not give away that delicate secret.
Soraji reached out to the water, babbling cheerfully as the waves slowly crumbled over each other to gently touch the sand. In the distance, Sunny was moored, creaking gently atop of the water. Clouds were visible, but Nami had said they were no threat. This island was in a great location. Beyond Sunny, other ships were anchored, having emptied themselves so their owners could enjoy the party.
Laughter rang out as the islanders intermingled with the crews that had showed up to celebrate the boy's birthday. One day he would look back and realize just how amazing it would be, to be born into such a crew himself. But for now, Soraji was only delighted with the things that mattered to him.
"Your dad's going to spank you for losing your clothes," Luffy admonished, looking around the beach for the shirt, vest and pants that he remembered seeing Soraji in earlier. It was amazing how quickly the boy could lose these things as soon as Sanji's back was turned. He sniffed at him before he slung the boy under one arm. "Too bad you're not stinky! Otherwise, I'd have no problem tossing you in before we go back!"
"No!" Soraji shouted, struggling once he realized he was being returned to the gathering near the grassy flat of terraces that were currently blooming with brilliant flowers, leafy vines, and birds that artfully escaped the rocks being thrown by islander kids, who were doing their best to keep the animals from picking at the tables currently being arranged with decorative platters and utensils.
Inhaling deeply of the different varieties of meats being cooked, Luffy felt himself drooling. He swung Soraji up from his side and settled him over his shoulders, the boy squealing over the rough action.
"Stop swinging him around like he's a toy!" Nami admonished Luffy impatiently, dressed in a bikini and sarong, flowers in her hair. "Soraji! Naughty! Where's your clothes?"
"No!"
"His favorite word," she said with a sigh, Luffy jumping from the grass to the patio she stood on with a hard thump, Soraji nearly toppling over his head as he did so. But he straightened himself awkwardly, grabbing handfuls of Luffy's hair as he did so. The boy had Sanji's facial features – the wide eyes, the straight nose, and the curled eyebrows. But his hair was all Law's, so it was dark blue and fluffy, currently raging out of control because it was too short to brush and too long to be neat. His ears looked like Luffy's, something they all agreed with, for both of them didn't seem to listen very well. There were little characteristics Soraji had that seemed to apply to all of the Strawhats, but at this age, it was difficult to tell exactly who he was taking after.
"OWIE!"
"Where are your clothes?" Ussop gasped, catching sight of the toddler as he struggled to get away from Luffy's hands. He was carrying some boxes holding utensils that needed to be unloaded onto a table, and he wasn't moving fast enough.
"Catch!"
"LUFFY!" Ussop shrieked as Luffy threw him at the man, Ussop doing his best to make it a soft landing, but stumbling over his dropped boxes. Once he caught himself, Soraji laughing merrily as Ussop managed to hold him high to prevent from hitting the hard wood, Ussop screamed, "Stop throwing him around!"
"He's fine," Luffy scoffed, delighted at the other man's reflexes. "He's been through tougher stuff than that!"
Nami whapped him across the back of the head. "But he's still a tiny little human bean! By the time he gets to be your age, he's going to be just as brainless as you!"
"This is how I got tough!" Luffy declared, rubbing his head. No matter what hits he'd received throughout his life, Nami's would always be the strongest. "Anyway, I couldn't find his clothes."
"Oh, Sanji's going to snap, because he'd just bought him those shoes," Nami said with concern, Ussop grunting as he stood up, setting Soraji down onto the ground with gentle action. The toddler immediately darted off, prompting a chase. Exhausted just by watching him, Nami swiped a drink from a passing tray and drank with relief.
"You weren't even doing anything," Luffy frowned at her.
"That boy tires me out just by looking at him," Nami said with a sigh. "How'd he escape the pen, anyway?"
"I taught him how to climb!"
"LUFFY!"
"These are valuable things to know!" Luffy protested, ducking another swipe and hurrying after Ussop as the man raced to catch Soraji before he could trip up a line of workers with full platters of side dishes.
A couple of the workers were quick to avoid the boy, who realized he was suddenly amongst strangers, pausing short as he looked up at them with a startled look. Another worker stepped aside, but inadvertently tripped over Ussop, causing a near domino effect with other workers. Luffy quickly reached out and snatched the boy up, swinging his arm up wide over his head.
In moments, the food was saved when Sanji appeared and used an empty tray to capture the fallen food, having to bend, twist and use a leg to do so. Nami clapped gleefully, Luffy's arm retracting quickly to hold Soraji tight against him, hoping Sanji hadn't seen him swinging his kid around earlier. Confident that the boy was now under control, Nami strolled off to continue mingling amongst the guests, hands working swiftly to take what she considered hers.
Sanji set aside the food he'd rescued, apologizing to the clutter of fallen workers, stepping over Ussop to stomp towards Luffy and Soraji. Soraji attempted to scramble out from Luffy's arm, crawling over his shoulder before Sanji grabbed him.
"Where are your clothes?" he cried, Soraji giving a sound of dismay as Luffy turned and tried to get away. Sanji grabbed him and yanked him back as he scanned the area for the clothes he took so much time wrestling onto his child. "And don't think you're going to get away with treating my kid like that damned doll, you shitty king!"
"Aw, Sanji! He's okay! Look at him! Full of spirit!" Luffy protested, both of them being dragged out from the workers' pathway and towards an empty terrace.
"I don't know which one of you is the worst kid, but you're both competing for the title!" Sanji snapped, Soraji shouting out with protest as he struggled in his arm.
It had taken him months to get his 'girlish figure' back – agonizing days of exercise to get his strength back, weeks to lose inches to fit back into his pants, and months to regain his masculine confidence. The injuries he'd sustained through various battles had set him back a couple of times, but he was stronger than ever after it all.
But it was all ruined, because he was carrying another child. This time would be different. He was not going to repeat this pregnancy in the same manner as the first. Pickles, ice cream and butter had been banned from Sunny and on any island they'd stopped. Because times had been difficult, he hadn't even known that he was – he hadn't had any of the sicknesses that had hit him the first time, and none of the warning signs had popped up. The Tobbleborg was used to the harsh conditions it had survived the first time, so it seemed to have had adjusted to give little notice of its presence. It was a miracle that a child had survived the horrors of the last few battles, and Sanji had been so busy with Soraji and the events that he just never noticed anything different. By the time he had been examined, he had been nearly six months along; now he was nearing eight, but he wasn't as big as he was the last time.
Since then, Soraji had grown more difficult, as if already jealous of the attention his brother would receive after having all of it already.
He glared at Sanji, placing both hands on his face and pushing his head away. Sanji was already looking into another direction, trying to catch sight of the yellow shirt and brown vest that should stand out against the beach and grass.
"He was making a run for the water," Luffy told him, grinning. "He wants to go swimming, Sanji. Why are you denying him a chance to swim?"
"Because there is no time for swimming," Sanji huffed, pulling Soraji to one hip as he found the stairs down onto the grass. Soraji shrieked angrily, flailing before reaching for Luffy with desperate action. "There are all these things to prepare for, and there's no time for fun. I thought he was in his pen!"
"Uh, yeah, he climbed out."
"How?" Sanji asked incredulously, looking back at the portable pen Ussop had made that had supposedly guaranteed No Escapes. All the toys Soraji loved playing with were all thrown out of the wooden barriers, his bear blanket hanging from one corner – which caused him to frown crossly, looking at Luffy accusingly.
"I didn't teach him that!" Luffy exclaimed, but his face revealed the truth, Sanji kicking him impatiently. He then caught sight of yellow on the beach, and hurried towards it.
"I have so much to do, and you two are slowing me down," he huffed. Soraji looked dejected as he hung over one of his father's shoulders, Luffy shrugging at him with apology.
"There's a ton of people here to take over, Sanji! It'll be fine!" Luffy said with a sigh, brightening moments later to make faces at the boy. Soraji laughed at him while Sanji squatted to yank up the shirt, spying his trousers in some bushes nearby. He headed towards that direction to retrieve them, scanning the grass for the missing socks and shoes.
"Why you insist on running about naked is beyond me," Sanji grumbled, giving up because he could smell a different tinge in the air that suggested burning meat. He hastily turned and headed back to the terraces, checking Soraji's diaper quickly before pausing in mid-step to redress the boy.
Soraji chose that moment to cry, tilting his head back as he flopped, making it impossible for Sanji to do this quickly.
"Nope. Not having it. You can cry, it's not going to get you anywhere," Sanji told him firmly, pulling his arms through the sleeves as Luffy scanned the grass, looking for the tiny leather shoes that completed the ensemble. "You're spoiled. You can't always get your way."
Soraji swatted at him, then began kicking when Sanji attempted to pull his trousers on. It was a difficult thing to do when he was already too rounded in the middle to do this correctly, and he scowled down at his son. Soraji stopped kicking once he realized his father was staring at him, then kicked again for good measure, as if challenging him.
"You are freaking naughty, you shitty child."
"I don't recall ever talking to you that way," Zeff said gruffly, appearing out of nowhere to scoop up the boy, who shrieked at the sight of him. He immediately latched onto his mustache, yanking hard as Sanji straightened up with an eyeroll, hand on his back.
"Yeah, I was being kicked and knocked around without much words to say!"
"You were at an age where you needed it," Zeff sighed, holding Soraji high, the boy letting go of his mustache to enjoy the moment. "This one just needs to be free. Why are you forcing him into this dandy shit? Don't make him look like you. He's an individual! He needs his own style."
"This is his first birthday party, and he needs to look nice!"
"He needs a haircut, but that's about it," Zeff said, jiggling Soraji lightly while Luffy looked on with a wide grin. "Where's his useless father? Why isn't he watching him? Or is he only good for making them?"
Sanji scowled with a red face as he flapped the trousers about.
"I told him to fuck off and not appear ever again in my line of sight," Sanji snapped, folding Soraji's pants over his arm, striding back up to the terrace. Zeff scoffed, holding Soraji to his chest, the boy looking after his father with inquisitive action before looking back at his grandfather.
"Dada," he told him seriously.
"That's not what he was saying when your little brother came along," Zeff told him, making his way back as well, Luffy walking alongside them with a chuckle.
"Dadadadadadada!"
"Law told me to watch him," Luffy confessed. "Because Zoro popped his stitches dragging that last cow out of the sea for the party. He thought Sanji would be pissed if Zoro was bleeding all over the place. Chopper didn't want to do it because he already sewed him up the first time. He wanted him to suffer and think about things before giving him aid again."
"Very considerate of him," Zeff said, grunting as he took the stairs gingerly. "That ninny needs to calm down – things don't always need to look a certain way. Soraji won't remember what it looks like later on – he's only going to remember who was there for him."
"Yeah, you try telling Sanji that," Luffy chuckled, arms folded behind his head. "He was freaking out about all the details before we even got here."
"This kid is skinny!" Zeff then declared, looking over all the tables that had already been set. He immediately went for the desserts table, Soraji lighting up once he saw that they were venturing towards the most colorful food in the area. "He needs a little fat to him. What would you like, boy? Candied apples, or ice cream? Chocolate fondue or Jello?"
"I'll take over, thank you," Law said, appearing suddenly before Soraji could lean towards the platter of his choice. Zeff scowled as his grandson was taken from his arm, redirected into taking notice of his juice cup. Soraji was distracted because the sight of his other father prompted immediate investigation, babbling about the things he'd seen in the short time they'd been separated. Juice cup in hand, he drank heartily while Law turned them away from the table Zeff had been aiming for. "You get him loaded up on sugar, his dad will throw a fit when he doesn't eat his dinner properly."
"I found these," Zoro said, holding up a set of shoes and socks. "I'm assuming they belong to him."
Soraji threw his juice cup at him, screaming. Law shifted him from one arm to the next, flubbing his lower lip to distract him. Luffy caught the cup in mid-air, uncapped it to drink the rest, floaters be damned. Seeing that the boy was properly tended to, Zeff rolled his eyes and hobbled off, barking out orders to the cooks that were in charge of the meat.
"You're still on the shitlist," Luffy told Law, looking back at Zoro to examine the fresh bandaging. "Both of you. You bleed around here, you'll probably be killed for real."
"I wouldn't mind another nap," Zoro said with a heavy sigh, touching his free hand to his sore chest. The jagged scars around his face had healed to bumpy ropes of mangled flesh, distorting his appearance, but he was in good spirits nonetheless. After accomplishing his goal, defeating his mentor in battle, the title of being the Greatest Swordsman in the World had left him feeling more tired than usual. He radiated a sense of danger that most people recognized, left aspiring swordsmen shaky at the knee – as a result, he wasn't challenged very often.
But he couldn't count how many times he'd been forced awake with a weapon to the skull or a wooden spoon to the balls. Soraji seemed to fearlessly target him with whatever he had in hand.
"Let's at least get you a bib," Law told Soraji, attempting to smooth his wild hair and giving up. He nuzzled the boy's head, Soraji looking delighted with his father's attention, tiny fingers clumsily combing through his goatee as he mimicked the action right back. "Then let's go look at your presents. You can open just one in secret. We'll just blame it on Luffy."
"Hey!" Luffy protested, hurrying after him. "I'm already in the shitter for helping him out of his pen! Don't put that on me!"
Zoro decided he wasn't going to be a part of that, and hobbled towards the alcohol he could see on a back table. There were already a few people standing there, and he didn't mind the company. He was positive Sanji would notice if a present was missing, because he could see it all arranged in order of size and color on another terrace. He glanced over to where the man was, supervising the cutting of meat on one table, too involved with having things just so to be concerned with anything else.
"Are we done dripping on the floor?" Robin asked Zoro curiously, nursing a wine cooler.
"All set. Learned my lesson," Zoro assured her, grabbing a mug and filling it.
"Maybe not well enough," Reiju commented, sipping from her wine.
"Maybe you need another lesson," Ichiji muttered crossly, looking awkward in his suit and tie. He wanted to make a strong impression, but being without his raid suit made him feel naked and vulnerable with being around the most powerful pirate crew in the world. He kept thinking someone was going to stab him in the back, but no one gave him a second glance. This form of security made him restless.
"Har har, you guys are so funny," Zoro said crossly, taking his first sip. "Ahhh…delicious."
"I'm going crazy," Pedro muttered, leg jiggling. "There is no place to smoke, here? Why are we banned?"
"Just do it on the beach," Zoro told him.
The jaguar glared at him, lifting his arms. He was lacking his hands, and Zoro finally realized that Robin was helping him drink. He chuckled. "Oh yeah…well…you'll get your hands back before you eat, I guess."
"This is ridiculous! We can drink, but we can't smoke!"
"This is a party to enjoy ourselves, isn't it?" Ichiji asked. "Alcohol inhibits behavior, so why is this provided instead?"
"I dare you to ask your brother," Zoro said.
Ichiji scoffed.
"I hope there's enough to feed us all," Bonny muttered, eying the tables anxiously. She slung back her beer before releasing a terrible belch, refilling her mug. "I don't think there's going to be enough. Go back into the ocean and get another cow, swordsman. What are you good for? Can't you do some laser shit from the beach?"
"Show us a trick!" Robin added in cheerfully. Zoro scowled at them both, looking for another place to escape to.
"I'm being very careful, today, and it sounds like you're all a bad influence," he said, catching sight of another crew in the distance that looked safe. He hobbled off, Robin chuckling.
Right in the middle of opening the smallest present they could find, Sanji made his presence known first with his intimidating aura, Soraji quickly hiding the very small turtle snowglobe within both hands. Law set him down, and encouraged him to run to Chopper, whom he pointed out. Soraji hastily toddled in that direction under Law's supervision before he turned and looked back at Sanji with a light smile. Despite Sanji's murderous expression directed his way, Law's feelings for the man – the father of his adored children – erupted just as brightly.
But he said dryly, "Even with your evil family combined in one location, not even all of them have the same, comparable amount of strength to them as your radiance does now – "
"Shut the fuck up, you skinny asshole. None of that shit right now. Your kid is running around naked, probably loaded with sugar so he's not going to eat his dinner, his shoes are still missing, and you're doing this? You keep doing this, he's fucking spoiled, and when his brother comes along - !"
"He has a diaper on, untwist your dick," Law told him patiently, looking down at his mid-section. He couldn't help but smile as he stepped close to him, keeping all his limbs close. "And he won't nap, which means he'll sleep just fine tonight, so – "
"I will break you in half if you think about touching me," Sanji warned him.
"I was going to say so we can talk about that asshole we met, in case you were still thinking about buying that galleon to be remade for Zeff's restaurant," Law said smoothly.
Sanji glanced over at the old man he considered his father. With the way Zeff was moving, the galleon might be a little too large for him to maneuver about comfortably, and he hesitated to continue thinking that this was still a good idea. Law reached out and touched the small of his back, moving him to face the working patios. One of the skills he'd perfected with his abilities was being able to diagnose without the use of his Room – he used it frequently on the man he'd returned from Hell for to make sure both father and son were in acceptable condition. The only thing that truly stood out for him at this moment was that the baby was hungry, craving mostly iron. Scanning the tables for appropriate foods, he gently guided the man in that direction, pointing out plates that needed to be straightened and utensils set out. These things Sanji did immediately, not catching onto Law's sly tactics. While he did that, Law retrieved an orange, peeling it before scooping up some walnuts he crushed and picked apart.
"We can talk about it tonight," Law told him, taking a bite out of an orange slice. "But I encourage you to see what he wants, what he's looking for, and it'll help your decision. Otherwise, I have other ships in mind we can look at after this."
"Don't give him anything else! It's rude and distasteful for him to be opening gifts – do you even know who that was from?" Sanji then asked, looking for the boy. He frowned at the bitten slice Law was holding out to him.
"It doesn't taste like a normal orange. We should buy some before we leave here, today."
Sanji took a bite before deciding he wanted the rest of it, snatching the peeled fruit that Law pretended he was going to eat. He crammed that into his mouth, chewing and sucking with appreciation. Law did the same thing with the walnuts he'd prepared before Sanji snatched that from him as well. Watching him eat, Law said, "The turtle was from Hachi, by the way. It lights up under solar absorption. It'll make a nice nightlight."
"Don't give him anymore," Sanji warned him before walking off, catching sight of the cake that the islanders were bringing out, Carnie trying to add his own touch to the layers. He immediately veered in that direction with an enraged shout, both cooks yelling at each other while Law strolled off to go find his son, effectively escaping any sort of damage or anymore wrath.
Chopper had turned his back for one moment to set down some cups for the barrels of juice that were being prepared before Soraji caught sight of something sparkling in the distance. He toddled off in that direction, clutching his new toy tightly. But before he could get far, he was snatched from the grass. He came face to face with a sneering expression that confused him.
"You little bastard," Niji snarled, holding him at arm's length. His frilly shirt was tucked into a pair of flashy blue trousers, his hair causing Soraji intense interest, reaching for the blue strands. "It's about time you wandered into my area! I'm going to fuck you up before anyone notices that you're gone! Yonji! Over here!"
The green haired man whirled at the sound of his name, the rabbits and turtles that had been waiting for him to drop treats looked disappointed as he hurriedly skirted away from them. Once he saw that his brother had retrieved the subject, his face broke into a nasty smile. Together, the pair of them slipped away from the terraces, retreating to a narrow alleyway that led through the backyards of some buildings lining away from the area.
"It's about time, they never leave him alone!" Yonji complained, examining the toddler for himself. They exchanged nasty grins before looking around themselves, making sure no one could see them. Soraji was puzzled, looking from one face to the other, unsure of whether to be afraid or delighted with faces that looked like his father's. He'd never met these people, before.
Niji made a face, tongue extended. "What a vile creature! Repulsive!"
"Just looking at him pisses me off!" Yonji agreed, reaching into his pocket. "I'm going to smash Sanji's face in for being such a dumb ass."
"We're going to fuck you and your dad up, you little shit," Niji told Soraji, who decided to show him his toy, babbling lightly. "Learn how to speak to me properly before addressing me!"
"You little scumwad, threatening us in baby language!" Yonji snarled as he leaned in to catch the toddler's attention. Soraji showed him the turtle, an expression of concern on his features as this man's face confused him as well. "Get that out of my face! I'll break it as easily as I broke your dad!"
"Only freaks have babies! And your dad humiliated us for the last time!" Niji growled, shifting his hold on Soraji from both hands around his bare waist to twisting and throwing him over one shoulder.
"We're going to fuck him up good, make your dad regret ever having you!" Yonji agreed, leaning in close as Soraji examined his toy closely, fascinated by the watery shapes inside of the turtle that caught the sun's sparkle. "Look up, you disgusting piece of trash!"
Soraji looked up at the snapping sounds, the brothers posing with 'v' signs at the camera Yonji directed upon the three of them, getting an angle that captured the child cradled between them. Their goofy grins revealed an entirely opposite intention to their words, Yonji snapping away at the three of them, then taking Niji's picture with Soraji. When he it was his turn, Niji coaxed him into a better camera angle, and grew insulted when Soraji smiled brightly with Yonji.
Finished with him, they hastily returned to the dining area, catching sight of Chopper's panicked look as the reindeer searched for the boy. Niji ran for a table where a tower spilled with chocolate and loaded up a piece of pineapple with the goo. He blew hastily on it to cool it, took a bite to test the temperature. He stuffed it into the child's mouth, pushed him towards Chopper's direction, and ran off.
Chopper spied the boy eating happily at his chocolate covered fruit, and shrieked with dismay, racing towards him. He snatched him up from the grass, in tears as he searched for Sanji. If Sanji saw that his child was eating candy, Chopper was sure every one of them would die. Crying in earnest, he picked Soraji up, hurrying towards a building while Soraji gummed the sloppy piece of fruit happily.
: :
The rest of the day went off without a hitch. Soraji was introduced to those that had yet to meet him, Sanji refused to answer the circumstances of his birth and present condition, and the entire celebration ended as merrily as it began. The boy fell asleep in his grandfather's arms, the man himself snoring noisily in his chair, holding tightly onto the boy despite the cleaning efforts around him. The Pirate King regaled in his victories with all those interested, the Strawhats throwing in their own tales, all the food consumed and the alcohol gone. Most of the crews eventually left, issuing challenges and friendly threats – the future was still open for more, but Luffy found what he was looking for, and had no interest in pursuing any type of conflict. Whatever adventure called for him would know where to find him.
Absolutely exhausted, Sanji sat at a table, Law propping his legs atop of his, massaging his swollen feet. He had a cold rag over his eyes, but he was satisfied with how well the party had gone. While a confrontation with his brothers was his only true aggravation – who ragged him endlessly about having his own kids before Reiju revealed the photos taken in secret to defuse the tension (Ichiji pissed that he hadn't thought of that) – everything else had gone smoothly. With the cooling night temperature, he managed to pull a zippered nightie over the boy before he'd passed out in Zeff's arms so he felt fine with the way things were ending.
"No more," he croaked, Law pausing in mid-massage to look over at him. "I mean it. Get snipped before I do it for you with a very dull pair of scissors."
Law examined the night sky with consideration, pulling lightly at Sanji's sweaty toes. While conflict over the One Piece was over, the future was questionable with what it held in store for them. Being who they were, it went unsaid that there were still those out there that wanted to challenge them; over power, reputation, for general mayhem. There was always a price to pay for being on top. But along with it came a sense of peace – never had he imagined such peace as the one he found. If he had to do it all over again…
Down on the beach, Luffy and Sabo's laughter echoed in the distance, Nami shrieking about being the winner. Brook's violin played a merry tune, and Laboon's booming voice echoed over the entire area as he joined in. Vivi shouted fiercely at Nami, demanding a rematch, Koala wanting in as a new challenger. Bepo's apology rang out moments later, Franky's laughter causing a cranky protest from the cooks. Conis and her father began playing a light melody to match Brook's. Perona's shrieky shouts at Boa Hancock ended with a suspicious bang that caused some heckling from Carrot, Pedro and Hachi. Cami called for Chopper, and Rebecca shouted her goodbyes that encouraged others to shout back. Duval was trying to get a picture of Soraji, but a kick from Zeff sent him running for safety. At a table nearby, Gin, Smoker and Carue tried to outdrink each other, Tashigi looking at the duck with concern while Zoro slept soundly between them.
"Bubble figured out how to separate chromosomes," Law said casually. "Don't you think having a daughter would balance things out?"
Sanji removed the rag from his face and threw it at him. "Fuck you, old man, you're cut off."
"I'm happy, Sanji."
"Yeah," Sanji agreed, drawing his legs out of Law's grasp. He stood up, feeling the baby kicking restlessly. He leaned down and kissed the other man soundly. "Me too. Scum."
"Did you bring that thing Ussop asked you, to?"
"Yeah, I gave it to him already. What was it? I couldn't open the box."
"It's not yours to open."
"I just wanted a little peek," Sanji muttered, sitting onto his lap, forcing Law to catch him, and while he wasn't as heavy as he was with Soraji, he was still a weight to be careful with. With his face as rigid as possible, Law supported him. "What was so secretive about it, anyway?"
"We were supposed to find out, tonight," Law said tightly, looking over to the beach where everyone was gathered.
"It's so annoying I wasn't allowed to know anything," Sanji muttered, picking at his fingernails. "I'm the fucking backbone of this crew, I should be in on things before they happen."
Law gestured with his chin to the beach, Sanji looking up to see Luffy holding the object in question overhead. He was encouraging all those present that if they could open it, they got to keep whatever it was inside. Sanji noticed Ussop's shocked face, sputtering words that they couldn't hear while he tried in vain to get the Pirate King's attention.
Even after Boa managed to win the contest – an unfair advantage – Sanji didn't understand why Ussop looked so upset while the former warlord told Luffy 'Yes!' over and over again. Luffy himself didn't understand why the carefully crafted box held a single ring, and kept shrugging and shaking his head at the woman's pushy insistence.
Long after everyone had settled for bed, and Sanji finally managed to close his eyes did it hit him why Ussop had been so upset. He shot up with a loud gasp, reaching over to kick the man lying next to him.
"Luffy and Ussop?" he near shrieked, Law looking at him sleepily, reminding him to keep his voice down. Sanji was horrified that he'd missed all the clues. Seeing that Sanji was upset that such a secret had been kept from him, Law reached over to comfort him.
A day later, Sanji gave birth to their second child, and a new adventure began from there.